Despite the name being weird, there are a lot of things you would like to know about the effects Coenzyme Q10 has on our bodies.

Coenzyme Q10 and What We Need to Know

Our body naturally produces CoQ10, but its production decreases with age and the influence of environmental factors. It has been observed that decreased cognitive function in our body, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart disease are associated with the oxidative stress caused by decreased production and external intake and coenzyme Q10 deficiencies. 

What is Coenzyme Q10?

·      Coenzyme Q10 is a compound produced in our body, whose main task is to ensure the production of energy in the cell. This energy production is provided by using CoQ10 as a raw material in the mitochondria, which are   the power plants of our cell.

·      Our CoQ10 production decreases with aging. Therefore, the main reason why we feel more tired even in our daily activities as we get older is that our coenzyme Q10 production decreases.

·      In addition, smoking, alcohol use and chronic diseases such as diabetes are important factors in the decrease of our coenzyme Q10 levels.

·      Coenzyme Q10 is also a powerful compound with an antioxidant effect. It takes part in cell continuity by protecting our cells with antioxidant activity as well as energy production

So, if Coenzyme Q10 is so important for our bodies, what are the reasons  for Coenzyme deficiency ?

·       Aging – Stress

·       Chronic conditions (diabetes, etc.)

·       Factors like the use of cholesterol drugs (statins), which mainly cause a lack of CoQ10 

What are the Benefits of Coenzyme Q10?

Energy generation: CoQ10 has a direct effect in mitochondrial energy production. for  energy production to occur, it has to be present in the iner membrane of themitochondria .

Antioxidant effect: Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant that dissolves in both fat and water. With this feature, it has been shown that it prevents the development of vascular occlusion by preventing oxidation of LDL cholesterol, commonly known as bad cholesterol, or   body fats among  the public. **It influences the regular contraction of the muscles**, in other words the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of our muscles.

Positive effect on cognitive functions: By affecting nerve conduction and brain function  CoQ10 regulates the activity of mitochondrial electron transport chains as well as mitochondrial energy production.

Positive effect on male infertility There are studies showing that CoQ10 improves sperm motility, sperm count and morphology (*DOI: 10.1016/s0098-2997(97)00036-8 / DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2009.02.121)

Beneficial against skin aging Being a strong antioxidant,  CoQ10 protects the skin. It also protects our skin cells against the effect of UVA rays that cause aging, therefore providing  anti-aging support.

How can we get coenzyme Q10?

We can  obtain Coenzyme Q10 from the following food

·       Offals such as liver and kidneys

·       Red meat,

·       Trout, sardines

·       Spinach, cauliflower,

·       Sesame seeds

·       Pistachio

The listed food above contains Coenzyme. However, we cannot provide ourselves with recommended amount of CoQ10 from food alone. For this reason, we can compensate for this deficiency by taking a high-quality CoQ10 supplement.

How much CoQ10 should we get daily?

The quantity Of Coenzyme CoQ10 that should be consumed depends on our needs. For purposes such as increasing energy levels or supporting skin health 100 mg per day is enough. However, for chronic health problems doses can reach 200 mg or more.