Coenzyme Q10 plus selenium may decrease cardiovascular mortality risk

According to a new Swedish study, long-term supplementation with a combination of coenzyme Q10 and selenium may reduce mortality due to cardiovascular disease by about 6%.

In the randomized controlled trial, 228 healthy participants aged between 70 and 88 were assigned to receive either 200 milligrams per day of coenzyme Q10 and 200 micrograms per day of organic selenium yeast tablets or placebo for 4 years (1). By the end of the study, 12.6% of participants in the placebo group had died of cardiovascular disease, compared with only 5.9% in the coenzyme Q10 plus selenium group. In addition, data from echocardiography showed significantly better cardiac function scores among the supple-mentation group than among the placebo group.

The researchers commented that the results may provide a basis for extended analyses of the effects of coenzyme Q10 plus selenium on various conditions, and that further supplementation studies with larger populations, involving diverse age groups, should be initiated.

Selenium is a trace element that is included in between 50 and 100 different proteins in the body, which have multifarious roles, including building heart muscles and producing healthy sperm. It is considered to have high antioxidant potential. High blood concentrations of selenium have been associated with a reduced risk of developing several cancers, including bladder and prostate cancer. Coenzyme Q10 plays a vital role in the production of energy by mitochondria.

1. Alehagen U. et al. Cardiovascular mortality and N-terminal-proBNP reduced after combined selenium and coenzyme Q10 supplementation: A 5-year prospective randomized double-blind placebo- controlled trial among elderly Swedish citizens. International Journal of Cardiology. Published online May 2012.