CoQ10 - The Antifatigue Supplement

Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance that naturally occurs in our bodies. It's an antioxidant that plays an important role in the energy production of our cells.

For the most part, Coenzyme Q10 has been used to support heart health. But, in the past few decades, it's role in supporting good health has expanded into other areas.

In today's blog, I'll share a little bit about CoQ10 and give an overview of a recent study that highlights it's fatigue-fighting effects.

Why would someone consider taking CoQ10?

CoQ10 may be a valuable supplement for the following conditions (and more):

+ various heart conditions
+ Parkinson's disease
+ an adjunvant for certain cancers
+ migraine headaches
+ chronic fatigue syndrome
+ gum disease

If I don't have any of those conditions, should I bother reading on?

Yes, please do! Even if you don't have any of the conditions I listed ... CoQ10 may also help with the prevention of some of these same conditions.

If you have a family history of heart disease or periodontal disease ... you don't have to wait to be diagnosed before trying to take steps to prevent it. Be proactive!

Also, keep in mind that CoQ10 levels naturally decrease as we age. Countering this loss may help to keep us healthier and more vibrant.

You mentioned something about a new study showing that CoQ10 can fight fatigue?

That's right. A recent study, coming out of Japan (the world's leading source of CoQ10 expertise), has indeed shown that larger amounts of supplemental CoQ10 can fight fatigue.

Here's the scoop on the study:

+ 17 healthy people took either 100 mg or 300 mg of CoQ10 or a placebo for 8 days.

+ All the participants were made to exercise/work-out (they call it a "fatigue-inducing physical task") on a stationary bicycle.

+ Those who took 300 mg of CoQ10 experienced a lesser sensation of fatigue (based on their own assessment, using a measurement known as a "visual analog scale"). And, their physical performance also improved. In this case, they were able to peddle faster at key points of their work-out.

It's important to note that the 100 mg dosage of CoQ10 (and the placebo) were not found to be of benefit.

What's the real-world value of this study?

Well, if we look at this study rather narrowly, I would say that the take home message is this:

CoQ10, at a 300 mg dosage, may help you to improve your work-out (possibly leading to greater gains) and it may help you not to feel so worn out afterwards.

Sounds like a good deal to me!

Want to see the actual study? Great! Check it out here:

Antifatigue Effects of CoQ10 During Exercise

Is CoQ10 appropriate for everyone?

Nope. No supplement is right for everyone. Here's a site where you can learn more about CoQ10. Among other things, it describes certain instances where CoQ10 may not be appropriate.

CoQ10 - Interactions and General Information

CoQ10 and Cancer Support

Please let me know if you have any questions.

The Vitamin Tutor

Pycnogenol - A Valuable Tool for Diabetics

In today's post, I'm going to present some recent information that could possibly improve the health of countless diabetics.

What is Pycnogenol?

Pycnogenol is a patented extract that is derived from French maritime pine bark. It is one of the best studied natural supplements currently available.

Pycnogenol - Research Home Page

Why do you think this study is important? What's it all about?

This study enrolled 48 diabetic patients (type 2 diabetics to be exact) for a twelve-week trial. The specific goal of the study was to determine if Pycnogenol could help reduce the need for anti-hypertensive medication (medication that lowers high blood pressure).

The researchers also checked to see if Pycnogenol (at a dosage of 125 mg a day) would have a positive impact on other parameters of both heart health and blood sugar management.

What were the results of the study?

The researchers found that 58.3% of the participants, who were taking Pycnogenol, were able to reach a healthy blood pressure reading while cutting their medication intake by half. In other words, 58.3% of the people that took Pycnogenol, were able to reduce their medication by 50%.

The researchers also found that those taking Pycnogenol showed improvements in other measurements relating to cardiovascular and diabetic health.

Specifically, they found that Pycnogenol:

+ lowered LDL cholesterol and endothelin-1 (cardiovascular factors)

+ lowered HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (diabetic factors)

What's the take home message?

Pycnogenol is a well-researched supplement that has many clinically proven health benefits (for diabetics and far beyond).

This study provides strong-evidence that the use of Pycnogenol should be considered by many type 2 diabetics who are also taking hypertensive medication.

As always, I suggest you thoroughly research any supplement and/or consult with a knowledgeable health professional prior to combining medications with nutritional supplements.

It's your body and your health care ... participate in the process!

Here's a link to the original study. Check it out!

Pycnogenol - Diabetes Support and More

The Vitamin Tutor