10 June 2013
A treatment with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) could halve the risk of death in patients who have suffered from heart failure, suggests a new study from Denmark.
In the randomized controlled trial, 420 patients across Europe, Asia and Australia with severe heart failure were given CoQ10 supplements or a placebo for two years and major cardiovascular events were docu-mented (1). The study showed that patients treated with CoQ10 had significantly lower rates of cardiovas-cular death and fewer hospitalizations due to heart failure: CoQ10 halved the risk of patients suffering a major adverse cardiovascular event, as measured in hospital admittance due to heart failure getting worse, or sudden death. These events happened to 14% of patients in the group taking CoQ10 compared to 25% in the placebo group. CoQ10 also halved the risk of patients dying from all causes, with 9% of the group taking the supplement dying, compared with 17% in the placebo group.
The researchers commented that CoQ10 is the first substance that seems to improve survival rates among chronic heart failure patients since ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers were introduced more than a decade ago and should be added to standard heart failure therapy. CoQ10 occurs naturally in the body and is a powerful antioxidant, but levels of CoQ10 decrease in the heart muscle of patients with heart failure, with the deficiency getting worse as the heart failure also worsens. Drugs called statins are used to treat many patients with heart failure, but because they block the development of cholesterol, they also have a negative impact on CoQ10, further decreasing levels in the body. Increased intakes of CoQ10 correct a deficiency in the body and may block the vicious metabolic cycle in a chronic heart failure condition called the “energy-starved heart”.
However, the scientists cautioned against patients rushing to take a CoQ10 supplement as it could influence the effect of other medications, including anticoagulants, and patients should seek advice from their doctor before taking CoQ10.
17 January 2014
A new study from the US suggests that the long-term use of commonly prescribed heartburn and ulcer medication may be linked to a higher risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency.
2 July 2014
A new review suggests that low vitamin D levels may be associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality including mortality due to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
14 March 2016
According to a new report the voluntary additions of micronutrients to foods in Ireland have made a favorable nutritional impact on the diets of adults and have not contributed to an increased risk of adverse effects.
