CoQ10 & selenium may slash heart disease death by 50% – study

Supplementing with the energy producing enzyme CoQ10 and selenium may cut the risk of death from heart disease – which claims about 76 000 South African lives a year — by half, a study has found.

The 10-year study by Sweden’s Linköping University of 443 healthy adults between 70 and 88 supplementing with CoQ10 and selenium found their risk of death from heart disease to be reduced by 50% while improving heart function and significantly reducing the risk of further heart disease.

The study, published in the International Journal of Cardiology, also found that the participants spent fewer days in hospital for heart related conditions and all showed improved heart function and quality of life. A further study, found that the protective effect continued after participants stopped supplementing with CoQ10 and selenium.

Coenzyme Q10 is made naturally in the body and found in organs with high energy requirements such as the heart, pancreas, liver and kidneys. It is essential for energy production, healthy heart and cellular function. Deficiency may occur during ageing or in those with cancer, genetic disorders, diabetes and heart disease.

Health and wellness expert, Vanessa Ascencao, says good natural sources of CoQ10 include salmon, tuna, liver, cauliflower or broccoli while sources of selenium include brazil nuts, brewer’s yeast, shellfish and sunflower seeds. “Processing strips food of nutrients so supplementing is vital. Conventional CoQ10 supplements are not water soluble, have low bioavailability and are estimated to be ineffective in up to 40% of users. I recommend water soluble BioMax CoQ10, clinically proven to double CoQ10 levels within three weeks.”

Ascencao recommends the following for healthy heart and cell function:

• Avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners: high sugar consumption contributes to inflammation and chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
• Choose organic or free range and consume animal products free of antibiotics and hormones.
• Increase intake of good fats found in nuts, avo, seeds and oily fish and consume foods that combat inflammation such as olive oil, ginger, cloves and curcumin.
• Eat fresh seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower, sesame or flaxseeds with salad and olive oil.
• Cut down on dairy (cheese, milk and yogurt) and wheat as these contribute inflammation.
• Hydrate: water rids the body of toxins and is essential for good health.
• Eat lots of colourful fruit and veggies such as carrots, butternut, berries, apples and all the greens.
• Exercise regularly – research shows exercise may decrease the effects of aging at a cellular level.
• Choose high quality supplements like BioMax COQ10 which has 300% greater bioavailability than conventional supplements.

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