Co-enzyme Q10¹

Our Co-enzyme Q10 product includes Vitamin E, and Beta Carotene supplement to support cardiovascular and periodontal functions in a base of rice bran oil.2 Coenzyme Q10 is an important antioxidant for the health of the heart, liver and gum tissue. It comes in easy to swallow soft gelatin capsules. Published studies support that this oil base Coenzyme Q10 has greater absorption than typical capsules or tablets.

One softgel capsule contains:
CoqSol® 30 mg: 30 mg Coenzyme Q10, 1295 IU Vitamin A Beta-carotene, 30 IU Vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols).
CoqSol® 100 mg: 100 mg Coenzyme Q10, 2334 IU Vitamin A Beta-carotene, 100 IU Vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols).
Other ingredients: rice brain oil, yellow beeswax, gelatin, glycerin, water, annato extract.

Coenzyme Q10: Questions and Answers³

1. What is Coenzyme Q10?
   
   Coenzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10, Q10, vitamin Q10, ubiquinone, or ubidecarenone) is a compound that is made naturally in the body. A coenzyme is a substance needed for the proper functioning of an enzyme, a protein that speeds up the rate at which chemical reactions take place in the body. The Q and the 10 in coenzyme Q10 refer to parts of the compound’s chemical structure.
   
   Coenzyme Q10 is used by cells to produce energy needed for cell growth and maintenance. It is also used by the body as an antioxidant. An antioxidant is a substance that protects cells from chemicals called free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that can damage important parts of cells, including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). (DNA is a molecule inside cells that carries genetic information and passes it from one generation to the next.) This damage may play a role in the development of cancer.
   
   Coenzyme Q10 is found in most body tissues. The highest amounts are found in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. The lowest amounts are found in the lungs. Tissue levels of coenzyme Q10 decrease as people get older.
   
   
2. Have any preclinical (laboratory and animal) studies been conducted using coenzyme Q10?
   
   Laboratory studies of coenzyme Q10 have focused on describing its chemical structure and how it works in the body. Animal studies have found that coenzyme Q10 stimulated the immune system and increased resistance to disease. Coenzyme Q10 helped to protect the hearts of animals given the anticancer drug doxorubicin, which can cause damage to the heart muscle.
   
   
3. Have any side effects or risks been reported from coenzyme Q10?
   
   No serious side effects have been reported from the use of coenzyme Q10. Some patients using coenzyme Q10 have experienced mild insomnia (inability to sleep), elevated levels of liver enzymes, rashes, nausea, and upper abdominal pain. Other reported side effects have included dizziness, visual sensitivity to light, irritability, headache, heartburn, and fatigue.
   
   Patients should talk with their health care provider about possible interactions between coenzyme Q10 and prescription drugs they may be taking. Certain drugs, such as those that are used to lower cholesterol or blood sugar levels, may reduce the effects of coenzyme Q10. Coenzyme Q10 may also alter the body’s response to warfarin (a drug that prevents the blood from clotting) and insulin.
   
   
4. Are there any other potential drawbacks to taking coenzyme Q10?
   
   Coenzyme Q10 is used by the body as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from free radicals, which are highly reactive chemicals that can damage cells. Some conventional cancer therapies, such as anticancer drugs and radiation treatment, kill cancer cells in part by causing free radicals to form. Researchers are studying whether using coenzyme Q10 along with conventional therapies is positive (i.e., does not interfere with the effects of the conventional therapies, or increases the therapies’ beneficial effects on cancer cells while protecting normal cells) or negative (i.e., interferes with the therapeutic effects).
   
   
5. Has the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved coenzyme Q10 for use in the United States?
   
   Several companies distribute coenzyme Q10 as a dietary supplement. In the United States, dietary supplements are regulated as foods, not drugs. This means that evaluation and approval by the FDA are not required before marketing, unless specific health claims are made about the supplement. It should be noted that, because dietary supplements are not formally reviewed for manufacturing consistency, there may be variation in the composition of the supplement from one batch to another.
   
   

The information in this fact sheet is not presented as a substitute for informed medical advice. If you have any questions about your individual medical situation, please contact your doctor.

1. Source: DaVinci Labs
2. This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
3. Source: National Cancer Institute

Eye Care Naturally describes vision problems in non-technical language and what steps you need to take to prevent problems or slow their progression, and in some cases, arrest them. The author, nutritional eye care specialist Dr. E. Michael Geiger, is an optometrist for many years with extensive experience in eye conditions and nutrition.