Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

According to the American Heart Association, approximately 13 million people have a history of coronary artery disease (CAD). New research shows, however, that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) could lower markers of inflammation in individuals with CAD.

CoQ10 is a coenzyme with powerful antioxidant properties that protects cells from being damaged and destroyed. Cells also use it to produce energy needed for cell growth and maintenance.

The study was conducted by researchers at the School of Nutrition at Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan and was published online ahead of print on February 16, 2012, in the journal Nutrition.

Study participants included 40 individuals with diagnoses of CAD. The subjects received one of three daily interventions: 60 mg coQ10, 150 mg coQ10, or a placebo. After a period of 12 weeks, both CoQ10 groups showed higher plasma levels of the nutrient.

Additionally, the 150 mg group showed significantly reduced levels of the inflammatory markers interleukin-6 and malondialdehyde. Both the 60 mg and the 150 mg group also showed greater levels of superoxide dismustase activity. Superoxide dismustase is an enzyme that repairs cells and reduces damage done to them by superoxide, the most common free radical in the body.

The researchers concluded that the antioxidant properties of CoQ10 reduce inflammation in individuals with CAD, especially at a daily dose of 150 mg.

After the age of 20 our bodies become less and less capable of naturally synthesizing this essential antioxidant. If you want to increase your CoQ10 intake, try adding oily fish, organ meats (such as liver, hearts, etc.), and whole grains. If these foods aren’t a part of your current diet, consider a high quality, high potency supplement. Be sure to choose a supplement that is made with ubiquinol rather than ubiquinone.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Research has shown that the people who live along the Mediterranean have a right to be proud of their food: the “Mediterranean” diet is considered to be one of the healthiest diet options. Consisting of whole grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables, and a lot of olive oil, the Mediterranean diet has been linked to a wide range of health benefits, including lower rates of obesity and even decreasing the overall risk of mortality.

Now researchers at the University of Cordoba in Spain have discovered a way to make this diet even more beneficial. They conducted a study that found that supplementing the Mediterranean diet with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may provide benefits ranging from reducing inflammation to improving heart and joint health.

Their findings were published in the January 2012 issue of The Journals of Gerontology.

Participants in the study included 20 people, all over the age of 65. They were assigned to receive each of the following three diet interventions:

• “Western,” which was rich in saturated fats

• “Mediterranean,” as described above

• “Mediterranean” supplemented with a 200mg per day dose of CoQ10

All of the participants followed all three diets for 4 weeks each, so they were able to act as their own controls.

The researchers noted that both the Mediterranean diet and the supplemented Mediterranean diet produced lower expression of genes associated with inflammation. However, the CoQ10 supplemented diet showed even lower expression of these genes. Chronic inflammation has been linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline, type-2 diabetes and arthritis.

CoQ10 has been linked in previous studies with improved cognitive health and reversing the effects of aging. This is largely due to its powerful antioxidant and cell protection properties but after the age of 20 our bodies become less and less capable of naturally synthesizing this essential antioxidant, making it more important to ensure that it’s included in your diet.

If you want to increase your CoQ10 intake, try adding oily fish, organ meats (such as liver, hearts, etc.), and whole grains. If these foods aren’t a part of your current diet, consider a high quality, high potency supplement.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Poor blood vessel functioning can lead to a variety of heart health problems such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and hypertension. A recent study from researchers at several institutions in China shows that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may improve endothelial function.

The findings were published in the journal Atherosclerosis in the October, 2011 edition.

Endothelial function measures how well the inner lining of your blood vessels (endothelium) is working. Endothelial function is essential for dilation and constriction of your blood vessels, helping your immune system, regulating blood clotting, and controlling how much fluid moves from your blood to your tissues.

This study examined five randomized, controlled trials that compared the endothelial effects of CoQ10 to a placebo. In total, the studies included 194 participants.

The researchers discovered that CoQ10 supplementation was associated with significantly improved endothelial function when measured by flow-mediated dilatation. The researchers recommended that this enzyme be used to help people suffering from endothelial dysfunction.

CoQ10 has also been linked with improved cognitive health, heart health, and reversing the effects of aging. This is largely due to its powerful antioxidant and cell protection properties. After the age of 20 our bodies become less and less capable of naturally synthesizing this essential antioxidant.

If you want to increase your CoQ10 intake, try adding oily fish, organ meats (such as liver, hearts, etc.), and whole grains. If these foods aren’t a part of your current diet, consider a high quality, high potency supplement.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Cognitive decline as we age was once considered inevitable, but researchers are finding that there may be ways to slow it and possibly even prevent it. Recently, researchers from Australia discovered that an herbal supplement combining more than 50 vitamins minerals, antioxidants, and plant extracts may improve memory in mature women.

The researchers were based at the NICM Collaborative Centre for Neurocognition at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. The findings were published in the journal Psychopharmacology online ahead of print on October 18, 2011.

Study participants included 56 mature women suffering from cognitive decline. Half of the group consumed the herbal supplement and half the group consumed a placebo. The herbal supplement contained, among other ingredients, calcium, magnesium, CoQ10, ginkgo, St. Mary’s thistle, grape seed and turmeric.

After 16 weeks, the group that took the herbal supplement showed higher mental functioning, as measured by response times during memory and attention tasks. The researchers also noted a decrease in homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is associated with dementia.

The researchers concluded that supplements may help with cognitive decline, but they could not identify which components of the herbal supplement used contributed to the positive effects seen in this study.

Previous studies have shown that multivitamins may aid in weight loss, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and boost general physical health. Other studies have also shown that the cells of people who routinely take multivitamins actually have a younger biological age.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers from the University of Granada in Spain have released a study showing that taking CoQ10 supplements may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation and prevent the muscle damage that can result from strenuous exercise.

CoQ10 is a coenzyme that produces chemical energy in the body’s cells.

The findings were published in the European Journal of Nutrition online ahead of print on October 12, 2011.

The study included 20 runners who were participating in a 50 kilometer race across the Sierra Nevada mountain range on the highest road in Europe. Two days before the run, ten of the runners consumed one 30 mg capsule of CoQ10. They took three more capsules the day before the run and one additional capsule one hour before starting. The other ten runners consumed the same number of placebo capsules at the same times.

At the conclusion of the race, the placebo group showed a 100% increase in 8-OHdG, which is a marker of oxidative stress and DNA damage. The oxidative stress markers in the CoQ10 group increased only 37.5% and showed fewer pro-inflammatory markers.

The CoQ10 group also had lower levels of creatinine in their urine. High levels of creatinine can be a sign of kidney damage or muscle breakdown

CoQ10 has also been linked with improved cognitive health, heart health, and reversing the effects of aging. This is largely due to its powerful antioxidant and cell protection properties.

If you want to increase your CoQ10 intake, try adding oily fish, organ meats (such as liver, hearts, etc.), and whole grains. If these foods aren’t a part of your current diet, consider a high quality, high potency supplement. This is especially important because after the age of 20 our bodies are less and less capable of naturally synthesizing this essential nutrient.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Studies have linked periodontal disease (or gum decay) to numerous health problems, including cardiovascular disease. A new study from the Kaneka Corporation in Japan suggests that consuming a form of C0Q10 called ubiquinol may improve the overall oral environment.

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease caused by periodontal bacteria living in plaque, and it is known that oxidative stress in saliva is increased by periodontal disease.

The study was presented on August 17, 2001 at the 63rd Meeting of the Vitamin Society of Japan. Researchers from the Department of Periodontalogy at the Nihon School of Dentistry also participated in conducting the research.

Participants included 37 men and 8 women, for a total of 45 individuals with an average age of 39.4 years. All of the participants showed signs of mild to middle level periodontal disease. Using a double blind method, half of the group was given a placebo and half of the group was given 150 mg of ubiquinol per day for a period of two months.

Plaque adhesion, pocket depth, bleeding, gingival recession, foul breath and saliva antioxidative activity were measured before the start of the study and again at one and two months after the study began.

After two months, the ubiquinol group showed significantly less plaque adhesion (19%) than the placebo group (9%). Additionally, the ubiquinol group showed a 4% increase in antioxidant levels in their saliva, while the placebo group showed an 11% decrease.

The ubiquinol group also saw a 50% decrease in tendency to foul breath, compared to a 10% decrease in the placebo group.

CoQ10 is a naturally occurring substance and a powerful antioxidant. It has been linked to prevention of future attacks in heart attack patients, treatment of congestive heart failure, lowering blood pressure, managing diabetes, and improved immune function.

This important coenzyme can be found naturally in oily fish, organ meats (such as liver, hearts, etc.), and whole grains. If these foods aren’t a part of your current diet, consider a high quality, high potency supplement.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Here’s a sobering statistic… Every year approximately 400,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure in the United States alone. Help may be on the way as a new study shows that a combination of coenzyme Q10 and pine bark may improve blood flow and general heart health in heart failure patients.

While heart failure is not reversible, researchers from the Chieti-Pescara University in Italy have released a published a study in the June 2011 issue of Panminerva Medica suggesting a natural way to manage the symptoms of heart failure: a combination of coenzyme Q10 and an extract from French Maritime pine bark.

The researchers worked with 53 people between the ages of 54 and 68 who had suffered from heart failure. Half the group received a supplement consisting of 350 milligrams of CoenzymeQ10 from Kaneka and 105 milligrams of the branded pine bark extract Pycnogenol while half the group received a placebo.

After 12 weeks, the supplement group showed an approximately 6 point decrease in diastolic blood pressure, from 139.2 to 133.2 mmHg. They also showed a 5 point decrease in systolic blood pressure, from 82.3 to 77.3 mmHg.

In the placebo group, diastolic blood pressure decreased by less than one mmHg, from 140.3 to 139.5 mmHg. The decrease in systolic blood pressure was a little more than 2 mmHg, from 83.4 to 81.2 mmHg.

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in blood vessels when the heart is resting. It is represented by the bottom number on a blood pressure reading and anything above 90 mmHg is considered high. Systolic blood pressure, on the other hand, is the pressure in blood vessels when the heart is beating and is represented by the top number in a blood pressure reading. Readings above 140 mmHg are considered high.

The researchers also noted a decrease in pulse rate from 78.4 to 74.2 beats per minute in the supplement group, while the placebo group only decreased from 79.1 to 78.4 beats per minute.

Pycnogenol has also been shown to help with allergies, asthma, ringing in the ears, high blood pressure, muscle soreness, pain osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, erectile dysfunction, and retinopathy.

Pycnogenol is water soluble, meaning it can be added to the production of many common foods. It is currently included in dietary supplements, cosmetic products, and a variety of foods and drinks. The active ingredients in pycnogenol can also be found in peanut skin, grape seed, and witch hazel bark.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

A new study from Germany may have uncovered the mechanism behind CoQ10′s cholesterol lowering properties. CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from being damaged and destroyed, helping you to possibly avoid disease and premature aging.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel and the University of Witten/Herdecke. Their findings were published in the February 2011 version of the Journal IUBMB Life.

For the study, the German researchers recruited 53 healthy men with an average age of 30 and an average BMI of 24 kg/m2. All of the participants were given daily supplements of 150mg of CoQ10 for two weeks. No control group was used.

The researchers found that the supplements increased levels of CoQ10 in the participants plasma by nearly 5 times. The researchers also observed changes in gene expression patterns involved in inflammation, cell death and cell differentiation.

Additionally, the researchers observed a 12.7% reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

CoQ10 is not only a powerful antioxidant, it also fuels the pumping of blood to and from your heart and has been shown to protect the body from heart disease, atherosclerosis and hypertension.

CoQ10 is a nutrient that occurs naturally in your body but unfortunately, this essential nutrient decreases by nearly 60% between the ages of 20 and 80. This means many people can benefit from taking a supplement containing CoQ10. Be sure to choose a high quality supplement with the right active ingredients; look for ubiquinol on the label, which is the most effective type of CoQ10.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

According to the findings of a study published in the October 2009 issue of the journal Biochemical Pharmacology supplements of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may protect against health problems related to obesity.

CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from being damaged and destroyed, helping you to possibly avoid disease and premature aging.

For the study, researchers with Catholic University of Leuven, Holland fed mice a control diet, a high-fat diet with fructose or the same high-fat, fructose diet plus CoQ10 supplements for eight weeks.

Both groups of mice consuming the high-fat diet with fructose consumed more calories, and showed higher fat mass development, fasting blood glucose and abnormally high insulin levels.

However, the mice that consumed the high fat fructose diet plus CoQ10 supplements had lower levels of inflammatory and metabolic stress markers.

This study shows that although CoQ10 supplements cannot decrease obesity, they may be able to decrease some of the negative health effects associated with obesity.

There is obviously no alternative to maintaining a healthy weight but findings such as these are promising for people having trouble losing those extra pounds.

CoQ10 is not only a powerful antioxidant, it also fuels the pumping of blood to and from your heart and has been shown to protect the body from heart disease, atherosclerosis and hypertension.

CoQ10 is a nutrient that occurs naturally in your body but unfortunately, this essential nutrient decreases by nearly 60% between the ages of 20 and 80.

This means many people can benefit from taking a supplement containing CoQ10. Be sure to take a high quality supplement with the right active ingredients; look for “ubiquinol” on the label, which is the most effective type of CoQ10.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A study published in the October 2009 issue of the International Journal of Cosmetic Science found that antioxidant supplements may help keep aging skin healthy, vibrant and smooth.

Researchers recruited 60 women between 35-65 years of age for the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

The women were randomly assigned to receive an antioxidant supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks.

The supplement contained a number of antioxidants including coenzyme Q10, beta-carotene, grape seed extract, French maritime pine bark extract and green tea extract. The supplement also contained the minerals zinc and selenium.

The researchers measured the level of skin roughness and wrinkles at the beginning of the 12 week study period and once every 4 weeks until the end of the study.

At the beginning of the study there was no difference in skin roughness or wrinkles between the two groups.

By the time the researchers measured skin roughness and wrinkles again at the 4 week mark, there were already significant reductions in roughness and wrinkles among the antioxidant group.

By the end of the study, skin roughness and fine wrinkles had reduced by 21% in the antioxidant group and less then 2% in the placebo group.

Using questionnaires the researchers were also able to find a self reported reduction in pore size, skin roughness and fine wrinkles and the antioxidant group was significantly more satisfied with their skin at the end of the study.

This study adds to a growing body of evidence linking antioxidants with skin health and more vibrant, young looking skin. A number of cosmetic creams now use antioxidants but this study shows that oral forms may be just as effective.

Taking antioxidant and mineral supplements orally may also provide you with a large list of other health benefits such as reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.