Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is classified as an antioxidant that's involved in energy production inside muscle cells. Supplemental CoQ10 may have cardioprotective properties that could be beneficial if you have a history of heart disease or high cholesterol levels. Statin drugs are a class of medications available only through prescription to treat abnormal cholesterol levels. CoQ10 and statins share the same metabolic pathway in the liver and could be contraindicated to use together. Seek guidance from your physician before starting a new dietary supplement.
CoQ10 Supplement
CoQ10 supplements range from 5 to 300 mg dosage in either pill, tablet or capsule form. Effective doses, if any, are suggested between 50 and 200 mg of CoQ10 per day, according to the Physician Desk Reference of Nutritional Supplements. CoQ10 supplementation got started as a therapy for people who suffered with congestive heart failure. Heart size and function were restored in some users of the supplement. These individuals were in the early stages of congestive heart failure, or CHF, and had the greatest benefit of adding the supplement into their daily regimen. Symptoms of CHF include fatigue, chest pain, heart palpitations and lowered oxygen levels. These symptoms improved in some users of CoQ10 supplements.
Statin Therapy
Statin therapy is known for lowering CoQ10 levels. This is potentially hazardous to those who have compromised cardiovascular systems. Statin therapy works by hindering HMG-CoA enzyme in the liver that is responsible for producing cholesterol. For some individuals, the liver overproduces cholesterol, even when enough cholesterol is provided from the diet. Statin therapy is believed to lower CoQ10 levels in the body, leading to adverse side effects. The Physicians Desk Reference of Nutritional Supplements states simvastatin, pravastatin and lovostatin lower CoQ10 levels in humans, and increasing CoQ10 levels may limit negative side effects from these drugs.
Muscle Pain
Some people experience fatigue, weakness and muscular pain with statin therapy. In some cases, severe pain and muscle breakdown called rhabdomyolysis can result. Rhabdomyolysis is muscle pain associated with the breakdown of muscle fibers associated with higher doses of statin drugs, according to Thomas Behrenbeck of the Mayo Clinic. This breakdown results in the contents of muscle cells entering the bloodstream, which then require filtering by your kidneys. Some muscle contents can cause kidney damage. Using CoQ10 can cause muscles to work properly, thereby decreasing the pain associated with statin therapy.
Combining Therapies
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, using CoQ10 supplementation can correct antioxidant deficiencies caused by statin therapy. It is recommended to take CoQ10 supplements with food to increase absorption. Contrary to the Physicians Desk Reference of Nutritional Supplements, the UMMC states that taking CoQ10 doesn't interfere with statin effectiveness as a cholesterol-lowering medication.
Dietary Sources
CoQ10 is available by supplement, but there are foods that contain the antioxidant. Oily fish, such as salmon, is a rich source of CoQ10. Organ meats and whole grains are other dietary sources of CoQ10. There isn't an established recommended daily allowance of the antioxidant. Suggested doses are based on clinical research and effectiveness of statin therapy in maintaining appropriate cholesterol levels.
References
- Mayo Clinic: High Cholesterol: Rhabdomyolysis From Statins: What's the Risk?
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Coenzyme Q10
- "Physician Desk Reference for Nutritonal Supplements"; Sheldon Saul Hendler, Ph.D., and David Rorvik, M.S.; 2001
