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Getting to the Heart Of The Matter
Available in two forms; The common ubiquinone and the less frequent ubiquinol, coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10, was discovered in 1957 by Dr Fred Crane from the University of Wisconsin, who isolated it from beef hearts.
The name ubiquinone comes from the fact that it belongs to a group of substances called quinones, and it is ubiquitous.
Although it is found in all human cells, the highest concentrations are found in the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas, organs which have the most metabolically active cells. It is also found in large amounts in the cells of the immune system. Best natural food sources are offal, nuts like peanuts and walnuts, oily fish like mackerel and sardines, and seeds. However it is extremely hard to eat sufficient quantities to replace the shortfall in our bodies as we age.
Immune System
CoQ1O is a very powerful antioxidant and neutralises free radicals. It also works with vitamin E to protect cell membranes (and particularly immune cell membranes) from free radical attack, thus boosting the immune system. It also seems to activate macrophages, the seek-and-destroy cells of the immune system.
 In Japan, C0Q1O is an important part of the treatment
for cardiovascular disease  Heart Disease and brain function
Interest grew in the 70´s when researchers found patients with congestive heart failure had less CoQ1O in their hearts. They also found CoQ1O could improve heart function. In Japan, today, C0Q1O is essential treatment for cardiovascular disease.
In October 2002 at the University of California, San Diego, researchers found that large doses of C0Q1O in conjunction with vitamin E slowed the progress of Parkinson´s disease significantly.
CoQ1O can cross the blood brain barrier and further studies have shown a protective role in delaying dementia.
Cancer?
There is a little evidence that CoQ1O may help in the treatment of brain tumours.
 If you are thinking of buying Coenzyme Q10 you might like to look at the Natural Selection Product of Choice. You can do this by clicking this link.
And this is the area of most interest to icon readers - its possible effects with cancer. C0Q1O is essential for the effective working of mitochondria, or power stations, inside the cell and as such it is found in all human, animal and plant cells. The more ´energetic´ the tissue (heart, muscle, brain) the more mitochondria present.
Co Q10 is involved in the synthesis of ATP, the powering fuel of the mitochondria. However, in cancer, the mitochondria go "wrong" and shut down leaving energy production to the cytoplasm. Here glucose is burned in the absence of oxygen (anaerobically) with a completely different energy-producing system. One theory is that C0Q1O somehow protects the mitochondria from failure. The involvement with the body´s energy systems has shown that supplementation has a positive effect with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Early research was carried out by Dr Karl Folkers, who became interested when his next-door neighbour who had terminal metastatic lung cancer, started taking CoQ1O and had a complete remission.
Cancer patients do seem to have low levels of CoQ1O in their blood Cancer patients (especially patients with myeloma, lymphoma, breast, prostate, lung, colon, kidney and pancreatic cancer) do seem to have low levels of CoQ1O in their blood (Lockwood 1994) and various claims for its effectiveness are made.
For example:
1. "The action of CoQ1O on the immune system is profound. It promotes bioenergetic processes in human immune cells" (Bliznakov).
2."CoQlO is a non-toxic natural substance that reduces the damage done to the heart by chemotherapy agent Adviamycin and may increase anti-tumour activity. CoQ1O protects the liver from the toxic effects of many chemotherapy drugs" (Wail).
The National Cancer Institute in America states that Co Q 10 was shown to reduce the damaging effects of doxorubicin on the heart.
3. "Supplementation with CoQ1O can cause completed regression of tumours in advanced breast cancer, including one patient with metastases to her liver". (Diamond).
However there is a warning. So "effective" is CoQ1O that there is a real warning that it should not be used during radiotherapy (Lund). It can prevent the full action of radiotherapy. (O´Brien).
So, C0Q1O may work in the mitochondria, with the immune system, or as an antioxidant. Research suggests it may help minimise some negative effects of chemotherapy especially on the heart, and it may help in brain tumours specifically.
It helps, but does not seem to work on its own The National Cancer Institute also report that it seems to offer benefits as an adjuvant therapy (i.e. a therapy after the primary therapy). It seems it may help as part of a total Integrative Programme but does not seem to work on its own. For example, in a study in Denmark with 22 breast cancer patients, high CoQ1O supplementation did play a significant factor but only with and after surgery.
There is also limited research that it can increase survival in prostate cancer patients. Low blood levels of Co Q10 have been found in cancer patients with myeloma, lymphoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer (NCI)
At the National Cancer Research Institute in Tokyo a research study using rats showed that one group who were supplemented with Co Q10 had significantly less cancer develop than the group not supplementing when both were infected with cancer.
Is Coq10 a cancer cure? No. Very clearly it isn´t. But it may make a contribution if used in your overall cancer treatment prograame, although the benefits of supplementation seem to take three months to kick-in according to research.
Statins
It has been clearly established that statins reduce Coenzyme Q10 levels in the body. Doctors can and do watch for signs of muscle and heart problems. However, they rarely check for the danger of developing dementia. Statins are the enemy of CoQ10.
A deficiency of CoQ10 has been linked in research with fatigue, muscle aches, premature ageing and even DNA damage.
Supplementing?
Coenzyme Q10 is one of the body´s natural chemicals that is in plentiful supply at puberty, but declines with age. Studies in America showed that 60 year olds taking levels of C0Q1O around 30-50 mgs for a period of 3 months or more could restore serum levels similar to those of 20 year olds. In other words, supplementation seems to deliver.
At one point all available CoQ1O supplements were produced by Japanese companies or under licence to them using a patented fermentation process. This made supplements expensive. This has certainly frustrated and influenced American researchers. The great majority of high street CoQ10 supplements are in the ubiquinone form. One in five Americans supplement with CoQ10, and it seems frequently advised if you take statins.
Ubiquinol is the reduced form of ubiquinone (the oxidised form of CoQ10) and in limited research studies it seems to be more bioavailable. Several studies with mice have shown greater uptake in the liver and greater anti-ageing benefits. (Green Med Info) The ubiquinone form is converted in the body to the ubiquinol form and 90 per cent of the circulating blood plasma CoQ10 is in this ubiquinol form.
No serious side effects are reported in healthy people using the supplement. It does not need drug approval as it is classified as a food supplement. If you are already contemplating supplementing with Coenzyme Q10 you might like to look at the Dr Mercola web site in the USA or the Natural Selection Products of Choice in the UK. You can do this by clicking this link.
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Please be clear: At CANCERactive we do not consider the above compound to be a cure for cancer, despite what the research says or experts doing the research may claim. The above, is an article on the compound from published research and expert opinion in the public domain. At CANCERactive we do not believe that any single compound (drug, vitamin, whatever) is a cure for cancer. We believe that people can significantly increase their personal odds of survival by building an Integrated Programme of treatments. Equally, cancer prevention is best practiced through a width of measures.
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