8 Reasons Why You Should Be Taking Coenzyme Q10
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8 Reasons Why You Should Be Taking Coenzyme Q10

Your body produces Coenzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10) naturally, but its production dramatically decreases when you hit your mid-twenties. This energy-enhancing compound is critical in sustaining a healthy body, but with minimal levels being absorbed through your food, you become more susceptible to illness and injury. Here’s eight reasons from nutritionist, Gabriela Peacock, why you should be upping your Q10 intake…

It Keeps You Young

CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that reduces free radicals within the skin, boosts cell energy and slows the breakdown of collagen. It also boosts the hyaluronic acid content of the epidermis, increasing the suppleness and hydration levels of your skin, meaning skin has fewer wrinkles and an even skin tone, all from a single supplement.

It Gives You More Energy

Lack of energy or fatigue is one of the top health complaints. Often, it’s associated with a hectic lifestyle, poor diet or quite simply, age. But a lack of CoQ10 is often the culprit for depleted energy levels. Interestingly, CoQ10 supplements are one of the main things prescribed to people with chronic fatigue. Once you introduce CoQ10 into your body, you’ll notice the health benefits within as little as a week, with most people saying that they feel more energized within a few days.

It’s Good for Your Heart

With our hearts working at a rate of around 75 beats per minute, pumping five litres of blood through our body every 60 seconds, heart cells require a lot of energy to work properly. When they’re depleted in CoQ10, your heart won’t work as efficiently, and you’ll feel lethargic and tired as a result. High levels of CoQ10 will also help to slow down the progression of Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, and will aid in the quick recovery of stroke patients.

 It Improves Your Fitness Performance

Increased CoQ10 not only makes your spin class easier to manage by increasing your stamina levels, but it also transports more oxygen to your cells, helping you work harder and preventing injury. Consider it your natural adrenaline boost.

It Increases Fertility

Female fertility decreases with age due to a decline in the number and quality of available eggs. As you age, CoQ10 production slows, making the body less effective at protecting the eggs from oxidative damage. Supplementing with CoQ10 may reverse this age-related decline in egg quality and quantity. Similarly, male sperm is susceptible to the effects of oxidative damage, so it’s worth your partner popping some CoQ10 too.

It Prevents Headaches

Low CoQ10 levels are said to be linked with migraine sufferers. Although it won’t cure your headaches, it will help to prevent them. Low energy in the brain cells are boosted by CoQ10, reducing inflammation in your head. Although it’s not a cure, taking regular CoQ10 supplements is said to reduce the number of migraines you might have.

It Offsets the Side Effects of Medication

As if age, lifestyle and illness wasn’t depleting our CoQ10 levels enough, various medications lower them further. Tricyclic anti-depressants, beta blockers (blood pressure medication) and statin drugs (for lowering cholesterol) not only lower CoQ10 levels, but often have side effects including muscle pain, general soreness or weakness, digestive problems, memory problems, blood glucose elevations (including diabetes), and a spectrum of other issues. Adding a CoQ10 supplement to the mix increases energy and vitality, and offsets the unwanted side effects of these medications.

It Might Play a Role in Cancer Prevention

Oxidative stress is known to cause cell damage and affect their function. If your body is unable to effectively fight oxidative damage, the structure of your cells can become damaged, possibly increasing the risk of cancer. CoQ10 may protect cells from oxidative stress. Plus, cancer patients have been shown to have lower levels of CoQ10. What’s more, one study suggested that supplementing with CoQ10 may help reduce the chance of cancer reoccuring.

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