VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS TO PREVENT CANCER: COENZYME Q10
Coenzyme Q10 is an essential component in the body’s respiratory chain, where energy is produced. CoQl0 is necessary for human life to exist and a deficiency can contribute to ill health, rapid ageing and disease. Since its discovery 40 years ago, hundreds of clinical research studies have been done on CoQl0 and it is now abundantly clear that this nutrient is absolutely vital to health.
Coenzyme Q10 is found throughout the body in cell membranes, especially in the mitochondrial membranes and is particularly abundant in the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas and adrenal glands. The total body content of CoQl0 is only about 500-1500mg and decreases with age.
Coenzyme Q10 is necessary for the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a compound which acts as an energy donor in chemical reactions. Within the mitochondria of a cell (the cell’s power plant where 95 per cent of the cell’s energy is created) CoQl0 is needed to not only create energy but to prevent the excess production of free radicals caused by insufficient energy production. If too many free radicals are created because of a lack of CoQl0 the DNA and RNA (our genetic material found in the cell) becomes mutated. This can ultimately lead to cancer formation.
Coenzyme Ql0’s energy production and antioxidant properties help the body to protect against the formation of free radicals. It also works hand in hand with vitamin E as an antioxidant and as a vital friend in helping to protect vitamin E from damage.
Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals, damaging compounds in the body that alter cell membranes, tamper with DNA and even cause cell death. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet light, radiation, cigarette smoking, and air pollution) can also increase the number of these damaging particles. Free radicals are believed to contribute to the ageing process as well as the development of a number of health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants such as CoQl0 can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.
As an antioxidant, Coenzyme Q10 may have a role to play in both cancer prevention and cancer treatment. Coenzyme Q10 has been shown to reduce tumour growth, stimulate the immune system, possibly increase the size of the body’s thymus gland (the maestro gland of the immune system) and improve cellular energetics. It appears to be very effective in breast cancer. Even in patients that presently have cancer, CoQl0 is believed to prevent the spread of cancer, improve the quality of one’s life, prevent weight loss and reduce pain.
Coenzyme Q10 normalizes cancer cell energetics, thereby improving one’s chance of beating cancer. One of the most beneficial functions of coenzyme Q10 is its ability to improve oxygenation throughout the body. It enhances the body’s immune system by doubling the body’s levels of antibodies and is useful for lowering high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, improving the function and condition of the heart and improving general circulation. Coenzyme Q10 is also thought to promote longevity. It is a wonderful nutrient for improving energy levels and increasing the effectiveness of cancer treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
The level of CoQl0 in humans peaks around the age of 20 and then declines fairly rapidly. The decrease in CoQl0 concentration in the heart is particularly significant with a person of 77 having only 57 per cent less CoQl0 in the heart muscle than a 20-year-old. Research shows that many people, especially older people and people engaging in vigorous exercise, may be deficient in CoQl0 and may benefit from supplementation.
Good sources of CoQl0 include hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, almonds, pistachio nuts, peanuts, mackerel, salmon, sardines, eel, yellowtail, organ meats, soy beans, rice bran, wheat germ and rapeseed oil. Average amounts of Co Q10 are also found in broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic, onion, eggplant and carrot.
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