All organs and tissues of the body contain coenzyme Q10. The substance is necessary for the normal functioning of the central nervous system, the health of the heart and blood vessels, and the functioning of the respiratory system.
Upon reaching 30 years of age, the level of coenzyme (coenzyme) in the body begins to fall, so it is advisable to take special dietary supplements.
What is coenzyme and why does the body need it?
Coenzyme Q10 is a unique substance necessary for metabolism and providing energy for all vital processes in the body.
The main benefits are expressed in:
- reducing the harmful effects of free radicals on cells and protecting cells from harmful destruction;
- maintaining energy production for reactions in the body, coordinated operation of all systems;
- maintaining the heart muscle in working condition by improving energy exchange and normalizing rhythm;
- increasing the ability to bear children in adulthood, improving the quality of eggs and sperm;
- slowing down the aging process, maintaining the external beauty and elasticity of the skin;
- support of mental activity.
Effects of using ubiquinol
Coenzyme Q10 is important for the entire body, therefore the effectiveness and benefits of ubiquinol must be considered separately for all systems, organs and tissues. First of all, ubiquinol is needed to create ATP - the main source of energy, thanks to which all organs and muscles can function. Therefore, with a deficiency of the substance, fatigue, lethargy increases, and performance decreases. Also, a constant deficiency of the substance can lead to a number of chronic diseases and abnormalities.
The following organs need Coenzyme Q10 most:
- Brain;
- Liver;
- Lungs;
- The cardiovascular system;
- Kidneys.
The substance is also necessary for skeletal muscles.
Another important function is the antioxidant effect. Coenzyme Q10 is one of the most powerful antioxidants, which is important for suppressing the activity of free radicals and oxidative processes. This provides:
- Protecting cells from damage and failures;
- Cell rejuvenation, which is used not only in anti-aging therapy, but also to slow down the aging of internal organs and reduce age-related muscle atrophy;
- Protecting and reducing the risk of cancer.
The body is able to independently produce coenzyme Q10. But over time, this process slows down significantly, which is one of the reasons for the aging of the body. It is very difficult to compensate for the substance from food, so it is better to take ubiquinol as a supplement. This is the most effective and convenient way to maintain the required level of coenzyme Q10 in the body.
Women's bodies especially need ubiquinol, as it is one of the best ways to maintain beauty and youth. Unlike many dubious drugs, coenzyme Q10 affects not only the skin, but also overall health. Maintaining high levels of the substance in the blood leads to a number of effects:
- Maintaining skin elasticity;
- Smoothing and reducing the appearance of wrinkles;
- Improving facial tone, eliminating age spots and other defects;
- Increased regenerative processes in the skin;
- Normalization of the sebaceous glands
There is also data that shows increased fertility and improved functioning of the reproductive system in women. Therefore, it is better to include ubiquinol in the list of supplements when planning pregnancy.
The use of ubiquinol in sports
Every year the use of coenzyme Q10 in the sports field increases significantly. This is facilitated by modern scientific research and in-depth study of ubiquinol supplements. The substance is especially useful due to curbing oxidative stress, increasing endurance and increasing physical performance.
The main effects include:
- Increased energy levels;
- Protecting the body from hypoxic cell damage, which is caused by a lack of oxygen (especially during aerobic exercise);
- Strengthening the body's response to physical activity.
Q10 is especially popular in cyclic sports, fitness and bodybuilding. It is also used by climbers when climbing to heights.
When should you take additional coenzyme Q10?
With age, a deficiency of coenzyme Q 10 appears in the body, and a lack of the substance can also be caused by:
- genetic failure, when ubiquinone is not produced in the body;
- lack of vitamin B6;
- taking medications intended to lower cholesterol levels.
The main conditions and pathologies for which taking a dietary supplement with coenzyme is indicated:
- deterioration of resistance to physical activity;
- prostration;
- sleep problems;
- disruptions in the activity of the heart (coronary disease);
- arterial hypertension, vascular atherosclerosis;
- weakening of immune defense;
- senile dementia;
- metabolic problems, excess weight, diabetes;
- atrophic processes in the brain;
- autoimmune diseases;
- pathologies of the respiratory system in a chronic form.
Dietary supplements with coenzyme are actively used by athletes to increase endurance and quickly restore muscles after exercise. In bodybuilding, the substance helps build muscle mass and burn excess fat.
The benefits and harms of coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 is a safe supplement that can be taken on an ongoing basis. Indications include:
- Prevention of cardiovascular diseases, maintaining the health of the heart and blood vessels;
- Improving skin condition, rejuvenation, eliminating skin problems;
- Protecting and supporting the nervous system, reducing irritability, improving brain function;
- Increased metabolism;
- Improved lung health and function;
- Restoring the oral mucosa, strengthening the gums, preventing stomatitis, periodontitis and other diseases;
- Increased endurance, decreased lethargy, drowsiness and chronic fatigue.
Ubiquinone is a safe compound with no obvious contraindications. But in some cases it can cause individual side effects. If they occur, it is recommended to review the dosage or stop taking the drug. Possible side effects include:
- Headache;
- Nausea;
- Increased fatigue and irritability;
- Skin rash and allergic reactions;
- Photosensitivity.
In rare cases, there have been complaints of cardiac arrhythmias; in such cases, the supplement should be discontinued immediately.
How to take medications with coenzyme correctly
For the product to be beneficial, it is important to read the instructions carefully. As a rule, it is not recommended to take the supplement before the age of 30-35. Only in some cases, coenzyme Q10 is prescribed to adolescents aged 12-14 years. It is important not to exceed the prescribed dosage, since it is less in children. On average, the coenzyme norm is 100-300 mg per day, maximum 500 mg. It is selected individually by the doctor for each person.
Coenzyme q 10 is a fat-soluble substance, so it is more effective to combine the intake of dietary supplements with meals containing fats. It is advisable not to take it at night, as increased energy production may interfere with normal sleep. Usually the norm is distributed in the morning and afternoon, or taken at a time.
The duration of the drug does not exceed two months.
In pharmacies and specialized stores you can buy coenzyme Q10 in various dosage forms.
Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of autonomic changes in children
S.O. Klyuchnikov, E.S. Gnetneva
Department of Childhood Diseases No. 3, Russian State Medical University, Moscow
Conditions accompanied by disturbances in the autonomic regulation of internal organs (cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory organs, endocrine glands, etc.) are defined as a syndrome of autonomic dysfunction or dystonia. This syndrome is one of the most common pathological conditions in children and adolescents, the prevalence of which among schoolchildren ranges from 40 to 60%. It occurs 2.5 times more often in girls than in boys.
The development of autonomic dysfunction syndrome (AVS) is based on primary (hereditarily determined) or secondary (on the background of somatic pathology) deviations in the structures and functions of the central and peripheral parts of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Changes in all these systems are functional, and timely and adequate correction can prevent the formation of a number of pathological conditions and nosological forms. This is of particular importance given the possibility of transition of VDS into such psychosomatic diseases in adults as coronary heart disease, hypertension, bronchial asthma, gastric ulcer and some others.
One of the most difficult issues regarding SVD is the issue of terminology. In our country, the most recognized term among cardiologists for dysregulatory disorders of the cardiovascular system is “neurocirculatory dystonia” (NCD). It was first proposed by G.F. Lang (1953), who considered NCD as a syndrome that creates a danger for the development of hypertension, but is still fundamentally different from it.
There has been considerable debate over the years against the concept of “NDC”. The basis for it was the fact that when diagnosing “NCD”, functional disorders only in the cardiovascular system are taken into account, while insufficient attention is paid to changes in the respiratory sphere, gastrointestinal tract, and thermoregulation. In neuropathology, the term vegetative-vascular dystonia was traditionally used, which, after clarification, was replaced by the term SVD, which is quite justified, since this makes it possible to talk not only about vascular dystonia, but also about the syndrome of vegetative-visceral pathology.
In pediatric practice, it is customary to use the term “autonomic dysfunction syndrome.” This is due to the fact that autonomic disorders in children are more often generalized or systemic in nature, local changes are less common. In the clinical picture, children with SVD often experience multiple and varied clinical manifestations, indicating the involvement in the pathological process of almost all organs and systems - cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, immune, etc. In cases where dysregulatory changes are noted predominantly from the cardiovascular system, the diagnosis “NCD” can be used. For children with a labile increase or decrease in blood pressure due to neurogenic vascular dysregulation, the diagnosis may be: “NCD of the hypertensive type” or “NCD of the hypotonic type.”
Indicators of the state of the autonomic nervous system are also of great importance for assessing the state of adaptive abilities, reliably characterizing the compensatory capabilities of the child at the level of the whole organism. Even minor violations of the vegetative status, not always recorded in the form of a specific diagnosis (NCD, SVD, etc.), have a significant impact on the child’s health as a whole, the course of concomitant pathology, his recovery from stressful situations, adaptability to physical and psychological stress . Moreover, even minimal autonomic changes are accompanied by myocardial dysfunction, leading to an increase in its energy needs.
The heart, as one of the most energy-consuming organs, is more susceptible to hypoxia, especially in conditions of insufficient support of antioxidant systems. The changes occurring at this moment in the myocardium are nonspecific and are manifested by the development of intracellular acidosis with the accumulation of under-oxidized fatty acids, increased processes of lipid peroxidation, and disruption of the ionic balance of the cell. In this case, the process of myocardial repolarization inevitably suffers, disturbances occur in the conduction system of the heart, which is reflected, among other things, in changes in autonomic tone and reactivity.
Treatment of a child with VDS should be etiotropic, comprehensive, and long-term. The management tactics for such children largely depend on the severity and persistence of autonomic and psycho-emotional disorders. Therapy should begin with normalizing the daily routine, while regulating the child’s physical and mental stress. It is necessary to eliminate physical inactivity; it is necessary for the child to walk in the fresh air for at least 2-3 hours a day. It is very important that you get at least 8-10 hours of sleep at night. It is advisable to limit television viewing to 1 hour per day; computer activities should be dosed taking into account the child’s condition and age. Children with SVD should do morning exercises. Swimming, skiing, skating, measured walking, table tennis, and badminton have a beneficial effect on patients. Group sports (football, basketball, volleyball) and sports associated with impacts and concussions (boxing, wrestling) are not recommended.
Nutrition should be complete with a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins. With increased sympathetic-adrenal activity, it is necessary to moderately limit table salt, tea, and coffee. It is advisable to include in the diet foods that reduce vascular tone and the activity of autonomic innervation, such as barley porridge, beans, salads, spinach, milk, cottage cheese. It is necessary to exclude smoked meats, spicy foods, and chocolate from the diet. With increased parasympathetic activity and arterial hypotension, it is recommended to eat food containing a sufficient amount of liquid, tea, coffee (preferably with milk), chocolate, kefir, buckwheat porridge, peas, that is, those foods that could stimulate the activity of the ANS and adrenergic receptors responsible for the condition vascular tone. If there is no allergy, it is advisable to take honey at night, for a long course of at least 2-3 months, as well as various juices, infusions, compotes from sea buckthorn, viburnum, rose hips, rowan berries, carrots, lingonberries, chokeberries, raisins, apricots, dried apricots and mineral water.
For children with SVD, a circular shower, sauna, and medicinal baths are effective. Ball therapy should be carried out depending on the characteristics of autonomic disorders and the direction of the initial autonomic tone. With increased sympathetic activity, baths with the addition of sedative herbs are indicated; for vagotonia, salt-coniferous, narzan, radon baths, dousing, and rubbing with cold water are indicated. In case of SVD, galvanization using the reflex-segmental technique, paraffin, and ozokerite are widely used for the cervical-occipital region. The choice of physiotherapeutic technique should be carried out taking into account the direction of the initial autonomic tone.
For vagotonia, especially when combined with a decrease in blood pressure, a general massage is prescribed, as well as a massage of the calf muscles, hands and cervical-collar area. If sympathetic tone predominates, massage the areas of the spine and cervical-collar area using creams containing fir and bee products.
Among the effective methods for correcting SVD, herbal medicine occupies a special place. For children with increased excitability and anxiety, it is recommended to prescribe herbal infusions that have a sedative effect: sage, hawthorn, valerian, motherwort, St. John's wort. Courses of treatment are usually carried out for a long time, for 3-12 months.
It is imperative to treat chronic foci of infection and concomitant diseases that arise as a result of disturbances in the autonomic regulation of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, etc.
Drug therapy
If the therapeutic and recreational measures described above are insufficiently effective, drug therapy is prescribed.
Tranquilizers and antipsychotics can be included in the treatment of children with VDS. The main target of their action are the structures of the limbic-reticular complex, in which the higher vegetative and emotional centers are concentrated. Neuroleptics are indicated for children with acute and chronic anxiety, motor restlessness, the presence of tics, fears, hypochondria, and persistent pain. They reduce the reaction to external stimuli, have a vegetotropic effect, and are recommended for use when tranquilizers are ineffective. The most commonly used drugs from this group are frenolone, melleril (sonapax), and teralen. Treatment doses are selected taking into account the age of the child. If necessary, antipsychotics can be combined with tranquilizers.
When prescribing tranquilizers, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the patient’s psycho-emotional state (hyper- or hyposthenic state) and the direction of autonomic dysfunction (vagal or sympathicotonia). For hypersthenic symptoms, tranquilizers with a sedative effect are indicated, which are prescribed in three doses a day or in the afternoon and evening (meprobramate, atarax, seduxen, sibazon, relanium, diazepam, phenazepam, tazepam). In case of a hyposthenic neurotic state, arterial hypotension, drugs with a moderate activating effect are prescribed - “daytime tranquilizers”, which are given in two doses in the morning and afternoon (Grandaxin, medazepam). For sympathicotonia, seduxen, tazepam, phenazepam are indicated, for vagotonia - amizil, for a mixed version of SVD - belloid or bellaspon, meprobramate, trioxazine, phenibut, rudotel, grandaxin. The duration of prescription of tranquilizers is 4-6 weeks, repeated courses are possible. No addiction to the drugs is observed.
Neurometabolic stimulants (nootropic drugs) are indicated for children with severe manifestations of VDS, because have not only a positive effect on metabolic processes and blood circulation in the brain, but also stimulate redox processes, enhance glucose utilization, improve the body's energy potential, increase the resistance of brain tissue to hypoxia, help improve memory, and facilitate the learning process. For this purpose, you can prescribe: nootropil, encephabol, aminolone), phenibut. Along with these drugs, glutamic acid and courses of Cerebrolysin are also used. Treatment with these drugs is carried out 2-3 times a year.
Children with vagotonic SVD are prescribed psychostimulants that increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. For this purpose, you can use caffeine, duplex, tincture of ginseng, Schisandra chinensis, eleutherococcus, radiola rosea, zamanikha, pantocrine. All these drugs are prescribed 1-2 drops per 1 year of life in the morning, 2 times a day 30 minutes before meals, for 1-2 months, alternating them with each other, with breaks of 2-3 weeks. To improve microcirculation, Trental, Cavinton, Vincapan are prescribed.
It is advisable to use magnesium preparations, for example Magnerot, Magne B6. Their prescription is justified for sympathicotonia and a tendency to increase blood pressure. However, these drugs have age restrictions (more likely due to registration reasons than due to any possible side effects. Other remedies for sympathicotonia include potassium preparations, vitamins B1, and for vagotonia - calcium preparations, vitamin B6, E, and ascorbic acid.
Currently, in the treatment of any form of SVD, vitamin-like substances (Coenzyme Q10, L-Carnitine), vitamins, microelements zinc, selenium and others have begun to be used. The main objective of using these drugs is to correct frequent, although varying in severity, metabolic changes in children with autonomic dysfunction.
As arguments to justify metabolic correction, one can cite the fairly well-known fact that an excess of catecholamines itself directly disrupts the ionic cellular balance, which contributes to disruption of repolarization processes, weakening of the inotropic and changes in the chronotropic effects of the myocardium. Overproduction of acetylcholine with increased parasympathetic influences has a similar effect. It must be taken into account that autonomic imbalance is accompanied by increased energy needs with wasteful use of oxygen, leading to a deficiency of high-energy compounds (ATP, creatine phosphate, etc.) and the development of hypoxia. In this case, acidosis occurs inside the cell, changes in electrolyte balance, increased lipid peroxidation processes, impaired permeability of cell membranes, the energy-producing function of mitochondria, cellular respiration and, accordingly, worsening energy deficiency in the body.
Currently, the possibility of metabolic correction of vegetative status to normalize adaptive and compensatory mechanisms is being actively studied. One of the directions of search is the use of drugs of the so-called energotropic therapy. The group of biologically active substances that have an effective effect on the energy supply of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems include: L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, succinic acid, cytochrome C, etc., as demonstrated in a series of works by V.S. Sukhorukova, E.A. Nikolaeva, I.V., Leontyeva, etc. Acting at the intracellular level, these drugs have, on the one hand, universality of action and fairly high efficiency, on the other hand, they are practically free of side effects and are well tolerated by children of different ages.
At our Department of Childhood Diseases No. 3 of the Russian State Medical University (T.N. Nakostenko, 2006), work was carried out on the metabolic correction of adaptive abilities in frequently ill children. The use of energotropic therapy led to a significant (up to 50%) increase in the number of children with the most favorable normotonic variant of reactivity. A decrease in excess and insufficient levels of vegetative support was noted. At the same time, a decrease in the degree of tension of compensatory mechanisms and the level of functioning of the central circuit of cardiac regulation was registered, and in the autonomous circuit there was a restructuring of the relationships between the sympathetic and parasympathetic sections of the ANS along the path of increasing the share of the latter, trophotropic and resource-saving.
Thanks to the discovery of F. Crane (1957) and subsequent work by Nobel laureate P. Mitchell (1978), as well as a number of other researchers, it is now quite well known that one of the most important components involved in ensuring the relationship between electron transport in the respiratory chain mitochondria and the process of fatty acid oxidation is coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone). Its uniqueness, moreover, lies in its ability to self-heal after oxidation, as well as its active participation in the restoration of other antioxidants, for example, vitamin E.
In clinical practice, coenzyme Q10 is successfully used in the treatment of primary mitochondrial disorders and various somatic and neuropsychiatric pathologies. However, coenzyme Q10 is best known as a drug produced abroad in various forms for use in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as evidenced by multicenter placebo-controlled studies in Italy, Japan and other countries. The appearance in Russia in 2003 of a special water-soluble form of coenzyme Q10 (Kudesan®) made it possible to significantly increase its bioavailability and minimize side effects, which was confirmed in special biochemical studies by employees of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov.
Subsequently, the possibilities of using Kudesan as monotherapy, as well as in combination with L-carnitine (Carniton) in children with vegetative dystonia, were investigated. In particular, in the works of I.N. Zakharova and co-authors demonstrated a significant effect of Kudesan (in a daily dose of 30 - 45 mg - 22 - 33 drops), in the form of normalization of myocardial repolarization processes in more than a third of children, improvement of other ECG indicators, reduction of episodes of pacemaker migration, SA blockade and extrasystole due to an increase in the presence of sinus rhythm. The authors also concluded that Kudesan has a positive effect on the processes of myocardial remodeling, expressed in a decrease in its mass and an increase in tolerance to physical activity. At the same time, the stable positive dynamics of cardiac changes was accompanied by a pronounced decrease in the clinical symptoms of autonomic dysfunction. The maximum effect was obtained with combined therapy with energotropic drugs.
Our studies analyzed the effect of a water-soluble form of coenzyme Q10 (Kudesan® solution for oral administration 20 mg/ml) on the main indicators of vegetative status in children aged 3 to 11 years. All 41 children were assigned to the second dispensary observation group.
After an initial examination, including a clinical examination, general blood and urine tests, ECG and CIG, determination of the cytochemical activity of intracellular enzymes to assess cellular energy metabolism, all children were prescribed corrective therapy. A water-soluble form of coenzyme Q10 was used - the drug Kudesan® (ZAO Akvion, Russia) - 15 mg (10 - 11 drops) once in the afternoon for 3 weeks.
After the end of therapy, along with the minimization of clinical manifestations of disorders of autonomic regulation (sleep, appetite, sweating, vascular pattern, cephalgia, autonomic paroxysms, etc.), significant differences were revealed in the dynamics of autonomic parameters, which were closely correlated with the age of the children, as well as with the initial level of autonomic security. When assessing the changes that have occurred, in general, there was a tendency towards an increase in the number of children with eutonia and hypersympathicotonia, as well as a significant decrease in the asympathicotonic variant of reactivity.
In the group of children under 5 years of age, there was a significant increase in the eutonic variant of autonomic tone - from 27% to 46.5% due to a decrease in the vagotonic variant. It should be noted that excess vegetative supply has also become more common - from 26.3% to 45.5%. These changes are obviously compensatory in nature, and with continued therapy they can help normalize the mechanisms of regulation of the ANS and increase the child’s body’s resistance to external influences.
In children over 5 years of age, the tone of the ANS did not change so significantly, mainly due to an increase in the hypersympathicotonic type of regulation. At the same time, changes in the indicators of autonomic reactivity were pronounced. Thus, with initially more frequent asympathicotonia compared to children under 5 years of age, its incidence decreased by half - from 30.8% to 15.8%. A decrease in excess vegetative supply due to an increase in normal supply was also noted - from 50% to 68.4%. Such changes indicate normalization of autonomic support in children over 5 years of age in response to therapy. The effectiveness of the use of Kudesan can also be evidenced by the fact that in children over 5 years of age, the most unfavorable combination for adaptation of vagotonic tone with asympathicotonic reactivity after the use of Kudesan decreased almost 4 times - from 19.2% of cases to 5.3%.
When analyzing the dynamics of the main statistical parameters of the CIG, such as ∆X, Mo, AMo, tension index, reflecting the degree of influence on the heart rate of different parts of nervous regulation, a change in the average values of the indicators was revealed, also indicating the restoration of normal vegetative status in children. At the same time, the level of functioning of the central regulatory circuit - the voltage index - decreased, and in the autonomous circuit the values of the indicators tended to normalize.
Thus, we can conclude that the use of energotropic therapy, in particular, the water-soluble form of coenzyme Q10 (Kudesan®) in a daily dose of 1 mg/kg of body weight, can significantly influence the level of vegetative supply in the child’s body. A decrease in unfavorable insufficient autonomic reactivity and an increase in eutonia indicate normalization of the vegetative status in children. The increase in excess vegetative supply may be of a temporary compensatory nature, and dictates the need to increase the timing of metabolic correction - up to 1.5-2 months.
More pronounced stability of autonomic tone in children over 5 years of age correlates with greater lability of their autonomic reactivity. These features should be taken into account when selecting the timing of therapy and, apparently, require further study of the optimal dosage of the drug used. At the same time, in children under 5 years of age, the vegetative status is quite plastic and responds to therapy faster and more significantly, acquiring some, apparently compensatory, redundancy of regulation, which is also advisable to take into account during metabolic correction.
Types of drugs with coenzyme Q10
Basic dietary supplements with coenzyme are available in the form:
- capsules They are well tolerated and have high bioavailability. Among the disadvantages - some capsules are large in size, not everyone can swallow them;
- hard tablets. They contain a compressed substance, but are less easily absorbed than capsules, but are more convenient to swallow;
- powder that can be added to a cream or cosmetic mask;
- chewable or suckable tablets. They are preferred by teenagers;
- liquids. It is a concentrate for oral administration; it is easy to measure the required dose and mix it with drink.
The composition of coenzyme-based drugs can also be different - with ubiquinone or ubiquinol. The first substance is obtained naturally with the addition of oils and pepper extract. Once in the tissue, it is converted to ubiquinol, which has an antioxidant effect and helps increase energy production.
The greatest benefit to the body will come from complex preparations that additionally contain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C, E, B and calcium.
Use of the drug in tablets
Preparations with melatonin are presented in the catalog of our online store. By following the link you can buy coenzyme Q10 in Moscow at affordable prices. Order with delivery
