CoQ10 And Selenium Supplements Support The Heart As We Age
CoQ10 or coenzyme Q10 and selenium supplements have been linked by a very recent study trial to reduced risk of heart health issues in old age.
Both CoQ10 and selenium support healthy levels of antioxidant activity within the body. Antioxidants are very important for cleansing various organs and tissues of build ups in oxidative stress. High levels of oxidative stress and resulting inflammation are linked to heart disorders but also with cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease is something which is affecting an increasing number of people across the planet. Some important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases include age and unhealthy lifestyle factors such as smoking. Based on their promotion of antioxidant activity both CoQ10 and selenium have possible benefits in supporting heart health. Supporting heart health is especially important as we age.
Maintaining healthy selenium and CoQ10 levels could therefore be something which would be useful for older people to look into to preserve heart health. Levels of selenium are low in many soils across the planet. This fuels deficiency and CoQ10 levels also tend to drop as we age. One effective means to increase levels of selenium and CoQ10 within the body could be through a supplement.
Here the evidence that a CoQ10 and selenium supplement could support heart health into old age will be looked at in relation to the recent trial using this sort of supplement.
How CoQ10 Supports Heart Health
CoQ10 is an unusual but important antioxidant within the body. Higher levels of CoQ10 are isolated to the energy producing mitochondria. Mitochondria are constantly active throughout your body and they regularly produce molecules that may aggravate oxidative stress. This comes from free radical generation as a part of their ATP or energy producing activity. Oxidative stress also increases levels of systemic inflammation. Antioxidant compounds like CoQ10 cleanse heavy build ups of oxidative stress which may occur during energy production.
As you can imagine this is an important process within the heart. The level of sustained energy production and turnover is very high within the heart each day. Current research links high levels of oxidative stress within heart tissues to heart cell death and cardiovascular disease. Higher levels of inflammation naturally prevent optimal wellbeing. Chronic inflammation is linked with various chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. This is partially due to atherosclerosis which may block optimal blood vessel flow. For this reason CoQ10 is increasingly considered to have possible benefits in preserving heart health as we age.
Optimal CoQ10 levels support improvements in mitochondrial functioning and natural energy or ATP production. CoQ10 is actually essential to optimal and efficient energy production within the mitochondria. This is because of the antioxidant qualities of CoQ10 within the mitochondria. Research shows that improved ATP or energy production and the prevention of mitochondrial dysfunction are both preventative of heart cell death or cardiac issues. This is another way that CoQ10 could support the overall wellbeing of the heart as we age.
Our natural CoQ10 levels in the heart are thought to reduce by half on average at an age of 80 years when compared to young adulthood. This is astounding and natural will impact our overall wellbeing in addition to our heart health.
Selenium And The Heart
Selenium performs a very similar role in our overall health and wellbeing to CoQ10. The mineral selenium is a limiting factor in the production of the antioxidant cofactor glutathione peroxidase. Our bodies also produce an antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione are proteins produced by the body their levels depend on amino acid intake.
Glutathione works well alone but this antioxidant also combines with glutathione peroxidase to further cleanse very strong oxidative molecules. The selenium in glutathione peroxidase binds to these oxidative radicals and is thought to wait for glutathione to complete the cleansing process within cells or the blood stream. Selenium levels are therefore also a deciding factor on oxidative stress levels and like CoQ10 may have benefits in preserving heart health as we age.
CoQ10 and selenium may also support each other through another antioxidant supportive protein the body produces called thioredoxin reductase. Research shows that increased selenium status improves both thioredoxin reductase levels and active CoQ10 concentrations. Thioredoxin reductase is a selenium based cofactor which may encourage activation or regeneration of CoQ10 and enhance the overall antioxidant capacity within the body. Through this system CoQ10 and selenium may work together to lower oxidative stresses which should protect the health of the heart.
Evidence CoQ10 And Selenium Supplementation Supports Heart Health In Elderly People
Lower selenium levels and an age related decrease in CoQ10 levels are associated with risk of cardiovascular disease via increases in oxidative stress or inflammation. A recent trial study using a CoQ10 and selenium supplement in elderly people found their risk of developing cardiovascular disease was reduced substantially.
The trial looked at the cardiovascular disease risk in about 440 people. These were elderly individuals taking a combinatory selenium supplement of 200ยตg per day as well as 200mg per day of CoQ10 for a total of 4 years. Cardiovascular disease risk was then assessed again at 10 years. This trial study showed that supplementing with selenium and CoQ10 could have possible benefits in supporting heart health as we age.
Other studies have found similar when looking at cardiovascular disease risk in elderly individuals who are suffer from lowered levels of blood selenium. Both selenium and CoQ10 intake are linked with improved cardiac functions especially in disease states. Interestingly the CoQ10 and selenium supplement managed to reduce oxidative stress levels within the individuals. This is of course linked to risk of heart health issues.
How The Trial Supplements Influenced Heart Health Via Kidney Activity
Renal or kidney functioning was also improved in the elderly who took the trial antioxidant supportive supplement. The rate of kidney filtration was higher when taking a selenium and CoQ10 supplement. Optimal kidney functioning is also supportive of a reduced mortality risk which further adds to the possible overall health benefits of taking a selenium and CoQ10 supplement.
Optimal kidney functioning is important to the wellbeing of the heart in a holistic view of maintaining excellent heart health. This is partially due to a higher rate of toxin removal which is especially important into old age.
CoQ10 and Selenium Supplement Effects On Telomere Length
The trial study also showed that telomere length was preserved in elderly individuals taking the CoQ10 and selenium supplements. Telomere length is associated with improved lifespan of heart cells and a reduction in risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases. This is another means as to how this selenium and CoQ10 supplement combination could support optimal heart health as we age.
Overall the current research clearly shows that a supplement containing about 200ยตg of selenium and 200mg of CoQ10 per day could support optimal heart health into old age.
Summary
Recent research has shown that a combination of CoQ10 or coenzyme Q10 and selenium supplements may reduce risk of heart health issues as we age. One recent trial study supports this.
Current research shows that CoQ10 and selenium independently reinforce antioxidant activity within the body. As a natural antioxidant CoQ10 or coenzyme Q10 supports optimal mitochondrial functioning and cleanses oxidative stress resulting from natural energy production within the body. This activity is preventative of heart cell death and dysfunction. Selenium status affects the rate of glutathione peroxidase production and this supports the antioxidant ability of the glutathione complex.
CoQ10 and selenium may also support each other when supplemented through naturally formed thioredoxin reductase. This selenium based protein may regenerate active CoQ10. These are all means as to how CoQ10 and selenium could both preserve the health of the heart through elevated systemic antioxidant activities.
Higher levels of oxidative stress and inflammation influence the risk of heart health issues such as cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease is currently increasing across the planet. Protecting heart health is also especially important as we age.
A trial with about 440 elderly people found that an antioxidant supportive supplement containing around 200ยตg of selenium and 200mg of CoQ10 per day reduced risk of cardiovascular disease over 10 years. This was linked to lower levels of oxidative stress. Other similar studies support this finding. They found similar results especially in elderly individuals who have low levels of blood selenium. The trial study also revealed improvements in markers of kidney functioning.
Taken together the overall research evidence shows that combined supplementation with CoQ10 and selenium could support more optimal heart health via reductions in oxidative stress.
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