Are you ready? with Leigh Elder

You may have heard of Co enzyme Q10. During the next month we will discover what it is, how it works and when it can be beneficial to add as supplements. Sometimes CoQ10 should be taken as a separate supplement; sometimes it is best when combined with other compounds.

The main role of CoQ10 is in our cell energy engine, our amazing mitochondria. CoQ10 is essential for making the energy our bodies need.

It acts a little like both the fuel line and spark plugs in your car. It's used to transport energy within mitochondria, then acts like a spark plug to ignite energy. When we age some drugs – especially cholesterol-reducing drugs and several diseases – reduce CoQ10 levels which can have dire consequences for our health.

CoQ10 is what chemists call a ‘redox' agent. This means it can switch between its oxidised state as ubiquinone then change to it's reduce state of ubiquinol. It does this by gaining and losing electrons. When it loses electrons it becomes fully oxidised ubiquinone. When it gains electrons it becomes fully reduced ubiquinol. The reality is that both work well from supplements and the body freely switches from oxidised to a reduced state as needed.

The best CoQ10 is made by one company, the Kaneka Corporation in Japan, which developed the complex process to make nature-identical CoQ10. Any product using Kaneka Q10 will be more expensive but the market is now flooded with cheaper copy products. Good manufacturers should tell you the source of their CoQ10.

The most common reason I recommend CoQ10 is to be taken alongside statin medications to protect against muscle weakness and pain, low energy and depressed mood associated with these drugs. Give me a call or email john@abundant.co.nz if you need more information. Join my full weekly newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz

John Arts is a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health. Contact John on 0800 423 559. To read more go to www.sunlive.co.nz