CoQ10 is important to good health at all ages, but the older we get, the more we need it. Here are five reasons why people over 50 should be certain to keep CoQ10 levels high.
1. It increases energy and enhances endurance. A vitamin-like substance that is present in every cell of the body, CoQ10 plays a key role in the production of energy. It acts as a "messenger link", triggering the biochemical reactions that make up the energy production process. When levels of the coenzyme are low, the reactions don't take place.
A 2008 Japanese study showed that taking daily 300 milligram supplements of CoQ10 for as little as one week had a significant positive effect on physical ability during exercise, as well as on the amount of post-exercise fatigue experienced. It was also shown to greatly enhance oxygen utilization and reduce recovery time.
2. It can help you keep your teeth. Most adult tooth loss is related to periodontal disease, a condition in which the gums become red, sore, inflamed, and swollen. It's estimated that 90 percent of Americans will experience gum disease during their lifetime, and 25 percent of Americans over 60 will lose teeth due to the disease.
Studies have repeatedly confirmed that low CoQ10 levels are definitely associated with periodontal disease, and numerous clinical trials showed that supplements can effectively halt the progression of the disease. Several small studies suggest that raising blood levels of the coenzyme can actually reverse the effects of the disease, and when used in conjunction with other treatments can result in faster and more complete healing than expected with standard treatments alone.
3. It can help you keep a healthy blood pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, effects one in four people over 50. A dangerous condition in which the pressure of the blood in the arteries is chronically elevated, hypertension is strongly associated with heart attack, stroke, and heart and kidney failure.
CoQ10 is believed to improve membrane fluidity, reducing blood viscosity and which in turn lowers blood pressure. In addition, maintaining high levels of the coenzyme supplies additional energy to the heart, helping it work better and more efficiently.
4. It can keep your skin looking younger longer. CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant, capable of preventing, repairing, and even reversing the free radical damage that is basic cause of skin aging.
Free radicals, chemically unstable molecules that are byproducts of cellular oxidation, scavenge and damage the cells with which the interact. As we age, free radical damage leads to the breakdown of the collagen framework that is structural foundation of the skin. The result is wrinkles and thin, sagging skin.
Numerous studies have shown that keeping optimum blood levels of the coenzyme can help prevent and may even reverse thinning of the skin, and it supports and strengthens the collagen foundation.
5. It protects against a host of age-related disorders. The anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of CoQ10 are already known to be invaluable to maintaining cardiac health, and it's being tested for effectiveness in preventing or treating macular degeneration, adult-onset diabetes, and prostate cancer.
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