Our goals in life differentiate, but one thing that most of us have in common is the desire to prolong and enjoy our lives as much as can. There are many factors that affect the ageing process and obvious ones include poor diet and lifestyles choices. Most of us are aware of what we need to do to improve the quality of life and certainly we are reminded constantly about saturated fats, smoking and alcohol intake. Yet there appears to be a lack of information about one particular nutrient called Co-Enzyme Q10 and its effects on every person’s health.

What is Co-Enzyme Q10?

Co-Enzyme Q10 is important for the optimal function of the body on a daily basis. Known as ubiquinone because it is ubiquitous in the human body, Co-Enzyme Q10 is required by every single cell within our bodies. One of the most important benefits of Co-Enzyme Q10 is its ability to enhance energy production. It is utilised by each cell to make the energy molecule ATP, and helps cells to take up fats and other nutrients and convert these into usable energy.

Co-Enzyme Q10 is also a very powerful antioxidant, which helps to neutralise free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are known to damage the tissues and possibly genetic material within the cells. It is often recommended for heart conditions such as high blood pressure because it helps protect the heart against free radical damage aside from oxygenating the heart muscle tissue.

Co-Enzyme Q10 has also been shown to help mental alertness. Studies have shown a 56 percent increase in cellular energy production by the brain when supplementing with this nutrient.

Our lungs like our heart are very active organs requiring vast amounts of Co-Enzyme Q10 to function properly. Users of Co-Enzyme Q10 supplements often find that their breathing improves markedly. There are many cited studies on the additional benefits of Co-Enzyme Q10, including helping to prevent and treat gum disease, support the immune system and aiding weight loss by improving metabolism.

What is the best Co-Enzyme Q10 to take?

There are literally hundreds of Co-Enzyme Q10 supplements on the market so it can be confusing as to which supplement one should take. Co-Enzyme Q10, until recently, was available as ubiquinone, which is then converted by the body using various enzymes and nutrients into ubiquinol, the active form. It is ubiquinol which is used by the body for the multiple benefits of Co-Q10.

Both ubiquinol and ubiquinone are true forms of Coenzyme Q10. In each cell, ubiquinone converts to and from ubiquinol many times per second for the provision of energy needed support cellular processes. The challenge is to deliver either ubiquinol or ubiquinone since all capsules and tablets containing either of these have to pass through the stomach which is highly acidic and breaks down almost all nutrients. At best, and with optimal digestion, we absorb about 50% to 60% of the contents of any capsule or tablet. 

What is very apparent is that by the time you reach your forties, levels of Co-Enzyme Q10 are half what they should be, and this is whether you are taking ubiquinone or ubiquinol and there are several reasons for this, including:

• The ageing process which results in diminished uptake due to lack of digestive enzymes 
• Nutrient deficiencies which hinder the conversion processes in cells
• Potential effects from illness and disease. 
• Crucially, oral tablets and supplements cannot deliver all their content due to having to pass through the harsh stomach environment 

Whilst I have been an advocate of taking ubiquinol supplements in capsules or tablets in the past, there is now another supplement which delivers almost all its content into the cells of the body and that is DoSe Liposomal CoQ10. 

Liposomal Coenzyme Q10 provides a massive 200mg of Co-Enzyme Q10 per daily dose which is protected by a liposome. A liposome is essentially a healthy fat particle, called a phospholipid, which has an affinity for the cell membranes. In effect, the ubiquinone is shielded by the liposome from the stomach acid, and once in the bloodstream the liposome attached to the cells releasing the Q10 into the cells where the cyclical reactions between ubiquinone and ubiquinol occur every second for the release of energy and for other benefits. Each bottle of Liposomal Q10 provides 48 days’ supply of this important nutrient. Dietary intake of Co-Enzyme Q10 rich foods such as sardines and peanuts will simply not provide sufficient levels of this nutrient. The only way to raise levels is by taking CoQ10 supplements such as Liposomal CoQ10.

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