co-enzyme 10 side effects

has anyone experienced any side effects taking this supplement?

are there published side effects?

my bottle does not contain any recommended dosage - does anyone know what levels we should be taking?

Never had any side effects. I take 90 mg per day, 30 mg with each meal.

Nope no side effects. The good side effects are that i feel so much better. People are commenting on how i look better. Even though i still get Flutters which i've had the last couple of days on and off finding it annoying.

Babs

gree - there is some controversy about CoQ10 interferring with Coumadin in that it slows down clotting time. Some say it does; others say it is negligible.

Most people say they feel energized when beginning Q10 because it provides the mitochondria with energy or fuel.


Dosage is 200-400 mg in sick patients; 90 to 100 mg in healthy persons, according to the CoQ10 expert, Dr. Stephen Sinatra.

Following is a long post - repeated from one I did last year some time...
just for information. There is alot to be found on the Internet about the benefits of Q.

I’m responding with a few nuggets of pertinent information on Q-10 or “Q” taken from the book by Stephen Sinatra MD a world-renowned pioneer on the use of CoQ10. He has used Q in his practice for over 15 years and presented his findings in 1996 at the International Conference on CoQ10 in Ancona, Italy where cardiologists gave their endorsement.

Since nothing is as good as doing your own research into a topic for validation, I thought I would provide some stimulus for further research. The following are excerpts reprinted here with permission from my newsletter Natural Health Digest, Winter 1999, from notes taken from the Health Expo presentation by Dr. Sinatra in Orlando, 1998, his newsletter, The Sinatra Health Report and from his book . which I’ve reviewed toward the end. Happy researching. Jackie


We can’t live without a heart says cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, when speaking on this important nutrient. He says Q is the mainstay of his practice and it would be unthinkable for him to practice cardiology without it and yet 95% of the doctors in this country don’t even know about it.

Here are a few research findings and some observations from his own practice:
--CoQ10 is in a class by itself as a unique and very important antioxidant.

-- ATP production increase is the primary benefit. Q has a bioenergenic effect and brings pulsation to cells which enhances cellular energy.

--Q is a membrane stabilizer; therefore anti-aging. It affects platelets and makes them less sticky and also prevents oxidation.

--Q is essential for life; without it you die. Q is deficient in sick hearts.

--40% of women with low levels of Q get breast cancer.

--In 1992, Q was placed on formulary in his hospital.

--Q blood levels of 2.5-3.5 are needed for medicinal effect; most people have .5

--Regular Q is a large molecule too big to pass through cell walls and most brands do not get absorbed. A patented BioSolv™ process now allows a smaller molecule of Q to enter cells and is water soluble.--readily absorbed.

Dosage is 200-400 mg in sick patients; 90 to 100 mg in healthy persons.

--It’s in the PDR; physicians can research on the Net - over 300 articles on Medline alone— two are Sinatra’s.

--Q levels decline with age; women in 70’s develop deficiencies which can result in unexplained heart failure.

--There are no drugs to treat diastolic dysfunction; but Q does.

--400 mg. daily helps reverse metastatic breast cancer.

--Statin drugs block blood CoQ10; important to supplement to get blood levels up to medicinal levels. Long term effects of statins unknown but research indicates cancer in animal studies. In humans, statins can trigger liver dysfunction and kidney impairment. They can also harm the memory, increase formation of cataracts and cause chronic fatigue.

--Merck had the patent on Q and gave it up to Japan. Now all Q comes from Japan. He thinks in the future it will be by prescription only and expensive!

--He sees periodontal disease as a marker for heart disease; perio patients are found deficient in CoQ10.

--Efficacy of Q10 takes time to see results and depends upon tissue saturation. When treating sick patients with CHF, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia or hypertension, he strives to raise CoQ10 levels by four to seven times the norm. Levels only two times the norm may be adequate for healthy individuals, but not for those compromised.

--CoQ10 seems to have better results when combined with L-Carnitine – his Q-Gel Plus provides 250 L Carnitine for 20 mg. of liquid Q10… which is the equivalent of over 60 mg of dry-capsule CoQ20.

TESTING YOUR COQ10 FOR BIOAVAILABILITY:
Whatever form you have, empty the capsule or soft gel into a clear glass of very warm water. If the contents go into a colloidal suspension and spread evenly throughout the water, you have a product that passes the dissolution test. If it stays on top and creates an oily slick on the surface or does anything but suspend, then you know it is not crossing the cell barrier and you will not benefit. Additionally, if you don’t think Q10 does you any good, or if your lab results on Q10 indicate they are not increasing over time, then the product you are using is either not being absorbed or it is too much of a bargain product and may contain as little as 1 mg. of the active ingredient when the label claims 30 mg. Remember, no agency polices labeling of nutritional supplements – so buy from reliable sources.

Special Note for dog owners: Life extension advice for dogs-- Dr. Sinatra says because we feed our pets processed foods, they become deficient in CoQ10. Dogs tend to die of cardiomyopathy about age 10 so it makes sense to give them a couple of Q-gels a day to help maintain heart health. That’s what he does.

The book review:
Coenzyme Q10 Phenomenon - Miracle Treatment: New Hope for the Heart, Cancer, Diabetes and More
Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, FACC
Avery Publishing 1998 ISBN 87983-957-0 $16.95 list; Amazon.com has used for about $5.00
(Also good buys on Sinatra’s L-Carnitine book)

Co-enzyme Q 10 is a naturally occurring substance particularly important in the maintenance of cardiovascular health. Q10 has potent antioxidant properties and cell membrane stabilizing effects, is cardiosupportive, and may help maintain healthy blood circulation.

The book covers dosage in detail and discusses therapeutic dosages targeted toward conditions such as hypertension, angina, mitral valve prolapse, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease ,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity and skin damage, muscular dystrophy, mitochondrial encephalopathy … as well as its value to athletes and its effect on aging. It also covers contraindications and drug interactions and ends with suggestions for following a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet and includes a few recipes

Dr. Sinatra’s newsletter The Sinatra Health Report is available by subscription for about $50 a year/ 12 issues. He also has a free Health eReport on his web page www.drsinatra.com. The Q-Gel Product plus is available by calling 1-800-304-1708 – 24/7.

J Jackie

Jackie: Thanks for that wonderful post. Years ago I heard of the benifits of CoQ10 and started taking it. My cardiologist then said "Well, CoQ10 is a very good antioxydent, but has no application in atrial fib". That's amazing. This jumped out at me:

--Q is a membrane stabilizer; therefore anti-aging. It affects platelets and makes them less sticky and also prevents oxidation.

Making platelets less sticky is also the action of Plavix. At first I thought perhaps that is the mechanism of CoQ10 interfering with Coumadin and PT/INRs, but the stickyness of platelets is not a part of the clotting cascade, I don't think.?

Pam

So what should one be taking Warfarin whilst on CoQ10. Or would it be better to come off Warfarin.

Babs

Pam - well that's a choice to be made by your own "educated guess".
I have doctors that say it is fine to use both Vitamin E and Q10 with Coumadin. Yet, there are other sources that say it is contraindicated.

I fully intend to continue with the Q10 for the tremendous benefit it provides and when I have to deal with Coumadin levels after ablation, I will simply have to increase the amount of C to get to the proper INR, just as I will do with eating leafy green vegetables, etc. I'm not going to alter a healthy diet to take an unhealthy drug like Coumadin.

There are many articles and books written about CQ10 - you may find answers in them that give you an answer you can live with. It's a personal decision. I believe in Q10. Others do not.

Sorry this isn't as helpful as you wish it were.

Jackie