It Is Good For The Brain
Mitochondria are the main energy generators of brain cells.
Mitochondrial function tends to decrease with age. Total mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to the death of brain cells and diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinsons .
Unfortunately, the brain is very susceptible to oxidative damage due to its high fatty acid content and its high demand for oxygen.
This oxidative damage enhances the production of harmful compounds that could affect memory, cognition and physical functions .
CoQ10 may reduce these harmful compounds, possibly slowing the progression of Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease (
CoQ10 has been shown to protect brain cells from oxidative damage and reduce the action of harmful compounds that can lead to brain disease.
Coenzyme Q10 May Slow Parkinson’s
High Doses of Popular Supplement Delays Deterioration
Their study, published in the Oct. 15 issue of Archives of Neurology, is the latest to examine the possible benefits of coenzyme Q10, a vitamin-like compound naturally produced in the body and used by cells to make energy and protect against cellular damage. It is also sold in supplement form and has been the subject of various studies as a possible treatment for heart disease, cancer, and other ailments.
In this study, 80 patients with early Parkinson’s — none had previously required drug treatment — took one of several doses of coenzyme Q10 or placebo four times daily for up to 16 months or until they required treatment with traditional medications such as L-dopa.
“We found that all study participants taking coenzyme Q10 did better than those given a placebo, but the real effect was with those receiving the highest dose administered — 1200 mg daily,” lead researcher Clifford Shults, MD, tells WebMD. “In that group, the rate of progressive deterioration was slowed by 44% compared with those patients taking a placebo.” Shults is professor of neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine,
Patients in groups receiving daily coenzyme Q10 doses of 300 mg and 600 mg also experienced reduced rates of deterioration — about 20% slower than those receiving a placebo, he says.
Show Sources
The Effect Of Creatine And Coenzyme Q10 Combination Therapy On Mild Cognitive Impairment In Parkinson’s Disease
Log in to MyKarger to check if you already have access to this content.
Buy a Karger Article Bundle and profit from a discount!
If you would like to redeem your KAB credit, please log in.
Save over 20%
- Unlimited fulltext viewing Of this article
- Organize, annotate And mark up articles
- Printing And downloading restrictions apply
- Access to all articles of the subscribed year guaranteed for 5 years
- Unlimited re-access via Subscriber Login or MyKarger
- Unrestricted printing, no saving restrictions for personal use
The final prices may differ from the prices shown due to specifics of VAT rules.
You May Like: Is Dropping Things A Sign Of Parkinson’s
Thankfully None Of This Is Going To Happen
Which is what I want to tell you about now. So let me start by reassuring you of this:
I feel fine. Absolutely fine.
In some ways, Im happier and more positive than I was before I got that initial shocking diagnosis.
My hands no longer shake. I sleep like a lamb. And I recall all the important details about my life or what I did this morning! with ease.
Second, theres a reason I feel this way. And its to do with how Ive actively worked on my condition.
How I Treated My Own Brain Deterioration
Everything I did to restore my own brain health I learned from a natural health practitioner called Jodi Knapp.
I discovered Jodi on a local health forum some years ago. She works with people using natural approaches to reverse illnesses which were caused by natural causes.
Which is, in fact, almost every illness known to man.
Her philosophy is simple: disease always has a cause.
If I have pain, a deterioration or some painful or deadly affliction there are reasons why I have it.
It doesnt just happen.
Understand those reasons and we have ways of reversing whats gone wrong.
Jodis incredible success rate at treating allegedly untreatable illness comes from her starting at the illnesses first causes.
Those causes are always natural causes. She tackles them and changes lives.
Don’t Miss: Lyme Disease And Parkinson’s
Not Good As Newbetter Than New
So many of the body functions that had started to deteriorate were made better than theyd been before I was ill.
So when I started this program I wasnt just clearing up symptoms associated with my diagnosed illness
I was also undoing the natural effects of being over 50 at the same time!
Which meant I wasnt just tackling Parkinsons symptoms. I was tackling lifes symptoms. I ended up fitter and healthier than I was before I started getting ill!
Even a completely healthy person can follow this program and improve their health dramatically.
Doing this is trebly more vital once a person has received a Parkinsons diagnosis.
Avoid Pesticides And Herbicides
If youre a gardener or work on your lawn, please go organic. There are hundreds of books and websites explaining how to do this. Furthermore, I urge you to eat organic food whenever possible. I know this means spending a little more money, but research is repeatedly showing that chemicals used to kill insects and unwanted plants are damaging our health. Spending a bit more for organic foods can translate into savings on doctor visits, testing, and trips to the hospital, none of which are inexpensive.
In particular, Monsantos herbicide Roundup has come under fire recently, after research revealed that it has been found in food, including sugar, corn, soy, and wheat. Earlier studies have shown that Roundup could be connected to a long list of health problems, including Parkinsons. Researchers note that the government has approved the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, at levels that are a whopping 450 times above the point when this substance is toxic to human DNA. That means that your cells can be damaged or destroyed every time you eat glyphosate-tainted foods.
Also Check: What Medication Do You Take For Parkinson Disease
Coenzyme Q10 Does Not Improve Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
- Date:
- JAMA and Archives Journals
- Summary:
- Small doses of the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 appear to increase blood levels of this naturally occurring compound in patients with Parkinson’s disease, but does not improve Parkinson’s disease symptoms, according to a new article.
Small doses of the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 appear to increase blood levels of this naturally occurring compound in patients with Parkinson’s disease, but does not improve Parkinson’s disease symptoms, according to an article that will appear in the July 2007 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by tremors and difficulty with walking or other movements. The biological mechanisms underlying the condition are not fully understood, but researchers suspect a malfunction of the mitochondria, parts of the cells that help convert food to energy, according to background information in the article.
Coenzyme , an antioxidant sold as a dietary supplement, is also involved in mitochondrial processes. “Because of these functions, CoQ10 has attracted attention concerning neuroprotective actions in neurodegenerative disorders linked to mitochondrial defects or oxidative stress, such as Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease,” the authors write. Previous studies indicate that high doses of CoQ10 may slow the deterioration associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Arch Neurol. 2007 64:.
Story Source:
Coenzyme Q10 When And When Not To Use It With Your Patients
It goes by many names, ubiquinol , ubiquinone , coenzyme Q10, or everybodys favorite nickname, CoQ10. Its found all over the body, in our mitochondria, which gives you an idea of how important it is to our health. CoQ10 is a fat-soluble antioxidant that we get by eating oily fish, organ meats, and whole grains, and CoQ10s job is to help us make energy and protect our cells from free radicals. A wide range of medical conditions can deplete CoQ10, such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, type II diabetes, and liver disease.1 Our heart, muscles, brain, and kidneys are susceptible to damage when CoQ10 is deficientwhich is why it has been used to help manage a range of conditions.1 In this article, well discuss what we currently knowwhere strong evidence suggests its use vs. where more research may be needed.
Studies showing no or mixed benefit of CoQ10 supplementation
Studies showing a benefit with Coq10 supplementation
Side effects and drug-nutrient interactions:
Citations
Also Check: Who Does Parkinson’s Disease Affect
What To Look For
CoQ10 and other supplements aren’t regulated like medications. It’s important to make sure you’re buying a quality product.
Look for products that have been certified by:
- NSF International
These independent organizations test the quality and ingredients of dietary supplements.
Some CoQ10 supplements are formulated to absorb into your system better than others. This has the same effect as taking a larger dose. For example, some CoQ10 supplements are formulated to be more water- and fat-soluble for enhanced absorption.
If you have questions, talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Adverse Effects Associated With The Use Of Coq10
Coq10 is well tolerated and doesnt seem to be linked with any severe side effects in patients. One study has specifically investigated the safety and tolerability of CoQ10 in 17 patients with Parkinsons disease. The study suggested that a dose of 2400 mg/day is an appropriate highest dosage to be used .
Another study reported that 200 mg of Coq10 consumption up to four times a day is well tolerated and is not associated with any adverse effects .
Disclaimer: The information shared here should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions presented here are not intended to treat any health conditions. For your specific medical problem, consult with your health care provider.
Also Check: Can A Head Injury Cause Parkinson’s Disease
Coenzyme Q: Uses Forms And Dosage Recommendations
Coenzyme Q10 is an essential component of the mitochnodria that produce power for the bodys cells, and plays a critical role in the manufacture of ATP, the energy that drives all body processes. Think of CoQ10 as the spark plug of the body. Just as a car cant function without an initial spark, the human body cant function without CoQ10. CoQ10 is also a very important antioxidant that protects against cellular damage.
Although CoQ10 can be synthesized within the body, there are a number of circumstances in which our bodies simply dont make sufficient amounts. Because the brain and heart are among the most metabolically active tissues in the body, CoQ10 deficiency affects them the most and can lead to serious problems. Deficiency could be due to a poor diet, a genetic or acquired defect, or increased tissue needs. Heart and vascular diseases, including high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure, require increased tissue levels of CoQ10. In addition, because CoQ10 levels decline with age, people over the age of 50 may have increased CoQ10 requirements. There are also a number of drugs that adversely affect CoQ10.1-5
It Could Help With Exercise Performance
Oxidative stress can affect muscle function, and thus, exercise performance .
Similarly, abnormal mitochondrial function can reduce muscle energy, making it hard for muscles to contract efficiently and sustain exercise (
30 ).
In fact, one study investigated the effects of CoQ10 on physical activity. Those supplementing with 1,200 mg of CoQ10 per day for 60 days showed decreased oxidative stress .
Moreover, supplementing with CoQ10 can help increase power during exercise and reduce fatigue, both of which can improve exercise performance (
be affected by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. CoQ10 can help lower oxidative damage, promote exercise capacity and decrease fatigue.
Recommended Reading: What Causes Shaking In Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease And Movement Disorders Center
Our center provides compassionate and timely treatment to patients with movement disorders, such as dystonia, ataxia, essential tremor and similar conditions. But our mission goes beyond patient care excellence. By offering educational events and support groups, we empower patients and caregivers to become better partners in their health.
There Is Such Thing As Too Late
Remember, this program works in three ways:
We must do point 1 arresting the degeneration of brain cells quickly. Typically, at the point that symptoms are noticed some 80% of the substantia nigras cells have already been lost.
80% is a very big number.
The quicker we get to work to save the other 20% the better. As yet that degeneration cannot be reversed.
So get to work on it today. Preserve existing healthy brain cells and make your recovery that much more certain.
Read Also: Is There A Treatment For Parkinson’s Disease
S To Making It Happen
Thankfully, Jodis program isnt a long list of donts. Theres no calorie counting, strange potions or weird rituals.
Instead its a fairly short list of powerful, practical, easy-to-implement dos.
Jodi Knapp has broken her program into 12 small habits that you can introduce into your life in order to undo the causes and symptoms of brain degeneration.
Theres no revolution here. I made one simple change, and when I was sure Id got it I went on to the next one.
Stuff so stupidly easy I did wonder with a couple of them how they could possibly have any effect at all.
But this is the thing: it was tiny bad habits that got me so ill in the first place.
So it only requires tiny good ones to undo it all.
Coq10 And Parkinsons Disease Is There A Link
Parkinsons disease results from the death of brain cells that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for controlling the movement. Mitochondrial dysfunction is believed to be the root cause of the death of dopamine-producing cells.
Since CoQ10 is the integral component of mitochondria, researchers think that its deficiency can increase the risk of dopamine-producing cell death in the brain and can lead to Parkinsons disease development .
Indeed, research studies showed a reduced level of CoQ10 in people with Parkinsons disease . One study found a 35% lower level of CoQ10 in the blood mitochondria from Parkinsons disease patients than in mitochondria from control subjects .
CoQ10 also acts as an antioxidant, meaning that it has the ability to protect the cell from the damage of oxidative stress, which is strongly associated with Parkinsons disease .
Oxidative stress occurs when cell produced free radicals at abnormally higher levels. These radicals caused damage to various components of cells like DNA, protein, and lipids.
CoQ10 has the ability to offset the effects caused by free radicals. It scavenges the free radicals and restores normal functions of the cell. By doing so, it may protect the brain from developing Parkinsons disease.
You May Like: What Are The Early Stages Of Parkinson’s Disease
And Now I Know Why We Dont
There are 8 main factors leading to Parkinsons. Some have a small effect. A couple are huge.
Together theyre essential in beating this horrible condition.
In truth, some of them my health-care center already acted on.
For example, they prescribed dopamine-enhancing drugs. For sure, I needed more dopamine.
I had tests and underwent occupational therapy. Again, good stuff it helped me manage my problems with balance, movement, stiffness.
But I also realized they were not helping me to avoid the worst symptoms of this disease. At best, they were just delaying it.
Yet thats what I wanted most to not end up with my own personal Parkinsons horror story.
Which is why I went headlong into my own research about my illness and, eventually, found my way out.
The 8 Ways To Get Out Of Parkinsons Disease
There are 8 main factors that contribute to this disease. To restore my health I worked on every one of them. You can too.
I installed small new habits over a series of weeks until I was hitting every known cause of my illness. Nothing escaped my attention. And everything got better.
The changes came in days, improved over weeks and have lasted foryears.
I wont go into all 8 ways of beating the heck out of this illness here. But let me tell you briefly about three of the main ones.
INFLAMMATION
Inflammation is a worldwide killer. Its the prime cause in a long list of unpleasant and deadly ailments.
There are many diseases created from low-level, ongoing inflammation.
Over 130 million Americans have conditions directly related to inflammation and nearly a million die each year. The number is rising worldwide.
What matters to us is that scientists know that inflammation is heavily implicated in the death of substantia nigra nerve cells.
To arrest the progress of this dreadful illness we must address that inflammation.
Fortunately, its not at all difficult to do. Simple changes undo inflammation incredibly quickly. Which in turn halts the death of substantia nigra nerve cells.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS
I knew nothing about environmental toxins until I started looking into them. Turns out theyre horrifying.
For a start, toxins poisons that get into the body double the risk of degenerative brain disease.
Including the brain.
That breakdown leads to classic toxicity illnesses.
Recommended Reading: Good Exercises For Parkinson’s
Evaluation Of Neurogenesis Angiogenesis And Neuroinflammation
To investigate whether intrastriatal delivery of CoQ10 was capable of inducing neurogenesis, immunofluorescence staining for nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein – was performed,. As shown in Fig. , the number of cells expressing nestin and GFAP- was significantly higher in the Alzet-low and Alzet-high CoQ10 groups than in the no treatment group , as well as in the Alzet-high CoQ10 group than in the Alzet-low group . In addition, the number of cells with nestin expressions was significantly higher in the oral CoQ10 group than in the no treatment group but was statistically significantly lower in the oral CoQ10 group than in the Alzet-low CoQ10 and Alzet-high CoQ10 groups . Moreover, the number of cells expressing GFAP- was not statistically significantly different between the oral CoQ10 group and the no treatment group. A similar number of cells with both nestin and GFAP- staining were observed in the Alzet-PBS group and the no treatment group.
Figure 5
Immunofluorescence analysis of neurogenesis in the sub-ventricular zone. Nestin- and GFAP–positive cells in images and amounts . The scale bars are 100µm. *Significantly different to all other groups .
Figure 6
Immunofluorescence analysis of angiogenesis in the sub-ventricular zone. Laminin-positive cells in images and amounts . The scale bars are 100µm. *Significantly different to all other groups .
Figure 7