CoQ10 is present in the mitochondria, where enzymes turn nutrients into energy. CoQ10 helps preserve the function of every cell by helping the cells burn energy more efficiently.  When the cells are less efficient, aging occurs more rapidly. Unfortunately, as we age our bodies produce less CoQ10.  Our levels peak around age 21,  but drop over time, lowering by as much as sixty-five percent by the time we are 80. The cornerstone of any brain-health supplement program is coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Our brains require a phenomenal amount of energy for proper functioning, and CoQ10 fuels our brain cells’ mitochondria so they can provide brain power. 

CoQ10 can be found in foods such as meat, fish, avocados, oysters and broccoli but the amounts are not enough to alter levels in our bodies.  Therefore supplementation, as we age, is important. For most of us, supplementation with 100 to 200 mg daily is recommended. For the average athlete, 100 to 300 mg is the typical dose. Higher doses have been used for world-class athletes and for certain cardiac conditions.

Medications can cause depletion of our CoQ10 levels.  Statins, hormone replacement therapy, B blockers and antidepressants are known to decrease the level of CoQ10.  Anyone over the age of 50, especially if taking any of these medications, should be taking CoQ10. Statins, also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, block the pathway that makes cholesterol in the liver.  This is the same pathway used by our bodies to make CoQ10. In fact, statin medications can lower CoQ10 levels by as much as 40%. 

Since both CoQ10 and ubiquinone are fat soluble,  absorption can be improved by taking them with a small amount of olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil or other fatty foods. There are new forms available for CoQ10 that improve absorption by using a crystal-free form.  This CoQ10 is coated with a lipid or “fat layer” that dramatically enhances absorption for the greatest clinical effect on energy. This type of energy is a longer, more sustained type of energy that improves overall endurance as well as brain function.  In contrast, caffeine and other energy supplements are very short lived.  

CoQ10 is a supplement that everyone over the age of 50 can benefit from.  It is known that our bodies CoQ10 levels decrease by 20% for every decade over the age of 21.  CoQ10 is the power source for our mitochondria. These mitochondria keep our cells healthy and working correctly!

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