It is available in the diet at very low levels (< 20 ppm). In addition, it is reported that certain pharmaceuticals designed to lower cholesterol (unnecessary in most cases, it has also been reported for years, if vitamin E is adequate) block mevalonic acid, an intermediate of both cholesterol and Q10! Even a high metabolic rate or strenuous physical work or endurance exercise accelerate Q10 turnover lowering levels unless the increased demands are met.

Synthesis falls significantly with age. Thus there are a number of common ways blood and tissue levels of Q10 can be low resulting in an unending variety of disorders in the heart, lymphoid tissue and etc throughout the body.

Striking results have been reported in many patients simply by oral supplementation of the innocuous and readily available Q10 at doses costing circa $1 per day. Karl Folkers (to whom I talked only once prior to my design in the 1980's of an experiment to study the effect of Q10 on thymic involution in young and old mice) and a cardiologist named Peter Langsjoen have been leaders in research and clinical trials on Q10. The following abstrs I pulled from MedLine to show the flavor of some of their work in cardiology and cancer primarily (and the incredible potential that may be there).

Unfortunately, there appears to be no convenient economical assay available. If one were, it is my opinion (and that of the researchers I know) that our cardiologists, oncologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, gerontologists, internists, allergists, immunologists, etc, would all be able to identify rapidly (ie, 1-3 months) patients whose symptoms abate with rising
blood Q10 (on Q10 p.o.) and modify treatment plans early (as is already done in Japan, Italy, and other countries). This appears possible if there is enough demand for UW Medical Center and Lab Med to provide the HPLC method as a semi-automated low cost assay of blood Q10. It appears there are many ways that the quality of care would improve and its cost would be greatly decreased by this simple step (and the rest of the US could follow).

Journal Title: KLINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT.

Abstract: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is indispensable in mitochondrial bioenergetics and for human life to exist. 88/115 patients completed a trial of therapy with CoQ10 for cardiomyopathy.

Patients were selected on the basis of clinical criteria, X-rays, electrocardiograms, echocardiography, and coronary angiography. Responses were monitored by ejection fractions, cardiac output, and improvements in functional classifications (NYHA). Of the 88 patients 75%-85% showed statistically significant increases in two monitored cardiac parameters. Patients with the lowest ejection fractions (approx. 10%-30%) showed the highest increases (115 delta %-210 delta %) and those with higher ejection fractions (50%-80%) showed increases of approx. 10 delta %-25 delta % on therapy. By functional classification, 17/21 in class IV, 52/62 in class III, and 4/5 in class II improved to lower classes.

Clinical responses appeared over variable times, and are presumably based on mechanisms of DNA-RNA-protein synthesis of apoenzymes which restore levels of CoQ10 enzymes in a deficiency state. 10/21 (48%) of patients in class IV, 26/62 (42%) in class III, and 2/5 (40%) in class II had exceptionally low control blood levels of CoQ10. Clinical responses on therapy with CoQ10 appear maximal with blood levels of approx. 2.5 micrograms CoQ10/ml and higher during therapy.

Title: Response of patients in classes III and IV of cardiomyopathy to therapy in a blind and crossover trial with coenzyme Q10.

Source: Proc-Natl-Acad-Sci-U-S-A. 1985
Jun. 82(12). P 4240-4.

Journal Title: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Abstract: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a biochemically established redox component of respiration including the coupled mechanisms of electron transfer and oxidative phosphorylation, is naturally present in the human myocardium. A double-blind and double-crossover trial has been conducted by administering CoQ10 and a matching placebo orally to two groups of patients having class III or IV cardiomyopathy (classification according to criteria of the New York Heart Association). Group A received CoQ10 and then placebo; group B received placebo and then CoQ10. Blood levels of CoQ10 and cardiac function were determined at 0 and 4 weeks (control stabilization period) and at 16 and 28 weeks (after the 12-week CoQ/placebo-treatment periods). For group A, significant increases in CoQ10 blood levels and cardiac function occurred during CoQ10 treatment and then decreased during crossover to placebo. For group B, there was no change in CoQ10 blood levels and cardiac function during placebo treatment, but increases in both parameters occurred in crossover to CoQ10.

These patients, steadily worsening and expected to die within 2 years under conventional therapy, generally showed an extraordinary clinical improvement, indicating that CoQ10 therapy might extend the lives of such patients. This improvement could be due to correction of a myocardial deficiency of CoQ10 and to enhanced synthesis of CoQ10-requiring enzymes.

Author: Folkers-K. Langsjoen-P. Langsjoen-P-H.

Title: Therapy with coenzyme Q10 of patients in heart failure who are eligible or ineligible for a transplant.

Source: Biochem-Biophys-Res-Commun. 1992 Jan 15. 182(1). P 247-53.

Journal Title: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS.

Abstract: Twenty years of international open and seven double blind trials established the efficacy and safety of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to treat patients in heart failure.

In the U.S., Ca. 20,000 patients under 65 years are eligible for transplants, but donors are less than 1/10th of those eligible, and there are many more such patients over 65, both eligible and ineligible. We treated eleven exemplary transplant candidates with CoQ10; all improved; three improved from Class IV to Class I; four improved from Classes III-IV to Class II; and two improved from Class III to Class I or II. After CoQ10, some patients required no conventional drugs and had no limitation in lifestyle.

The marked improvement is based upon correcting myocardial deficiencies of CoQ10 which improve mitochondrial bioenergetics and cardiac performance. These case histories, and very substantial background proof of efficacy and safety, justify treating with CoQ10 patients in failure awaiting transplantation.

Author: Lockwood-K. Moesgaard-S. Yamamoto-T. Folkers-K.

Title: Progress on therapy of breast cancer with vitamin Q10 and the regression of metastases.

Source: Biochem-Biophys-Res-Commun. 1995 Jul 6. 212(1). P 172-7.

Journal Title: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS.

Abstract: Over 35 years, data and knowledge have internationally evolved from biochemical, biomedical and clinical research on vitamin Q10 (coenzyme Q10; CoQ10) and cancer, which led in 1993 to overt complete regression of the tumors in two cases of breast cancer. Continuing this research, three additional breast cancer patients also underwent a conventional protocol of therapy which included a daily oral dosage of 390 mg of vitamin Q10 (Bio-Quinone of Pharma Nord) during the complete trials over 3-5 years. The numerous metastases in the liver of a 44-year-old patient "disappeared," and no signs of metastases were found elsewhere.

A 49-year-old patient, on a dosage of 390 mg of vitamin Q10, revealed no signs of tumor in the pleural cavity after six months, and her condition was excellent.

A 75-year-old patient with carcinoma in one breast, after lumpectomy and 390 mg of CoQ10, showed no cancer in the
tumor bed or metastases. Control blood levels of CoQ10 of 0.83-0.97 and of 0.62 micrograms/ml increased to 3.34-3.64 and to 3.77 micrograms/ml, respectively, on therapy with CoQ10 for patients A-MRH and EEL.

Author: Lockwood-K. Moesgaard-S. Hanioka-T. Folkers-K.

Title: Apparent partial remission of breast cancer in 'high risk' patients supplemented with nutritional antioxidants, essential
fatty acids and coenzyme Q10.

Source: Mol-Aspects-Med. 1994. 15 Suppl. P s231-40.

Journal Title: MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF MEDICINE.

Abstract: Thirty-two typical patients with breast cancer, aged 32-81 years and classified 'high risk' because of tumor spread to the lymph nodes in the axilla, were studied for 18 months following an Adjuvant Nutritional Intervention in Cancer protocol
(ANICA protocol).

The nutritional protocol was added to the surgical and therapeutic treatment of breast cancer, as required by regulations
in Denmark.

The added treatment was a combination of nutritional antioxidants

Vitamin C: 2850 mg, Vitamin E: 2500 iu, beta-carotene 32.5 iu, selenium 387 micrograms, plus secondary vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids (1.2 g gamma linolenic acid and 3.5 g n-3 fatty acids) and Coenzyme Q10 (90 mg per day).

The ANICA protocol is based on the concept of testing the synergistic effect of those categories of nutritional supplements, including vitamin Q10, previously having shown deficiency and/or therapeutic value as single elements in diverse forms of cancer, as cancer may be synergistically related to diverse biochemical dysfunctions and vitamin deficiencies.

Biochemical markers, clinical condition, tumor spread, quality of life parameters and survival were followed during the trial. Compliance was excellent. The main observations were:

(1) none of the patients died during the study period. (the expected number was four.)
(2) none of the patients showed signs of further distant metastases.
(3) quality of life was improved (no weight loss, reduced use of pain killers).
(4) six patients showed apparent partial remission.

Author: Lockwood-K. Moesgaard-S. Folkers-K.

Title: Partial and complete regression of breast cancer in patients in relation to dosage of coenzyme Q10.

Source: Biochem-Biophys-Res-Commun.
1994 Mar 30. 199(3). P 1504-8.

Journal Title: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS.

Abstract: Relationships of nutrition and vitamins to the genesis and prevention of cancer are increasingly evident.

In a clinical protocol, 32 patients having -"high-risk"-breast cancer were treated with ; antioxidants, fatty acids, and 90 mg. of CoQ10.

Six of the 32 patients showed partial tumor regression.

In one of these 6 cases, the dosage of CoQ10 was increased to 390 mg.

In one month, the tumor was no longer palpable and in another month, mammography confirmed the absence of tumor. Encouraged, another case having a verified breast tumor, after non-radical surgery and with verified residual tumor in the tumor bed was then treated with 300 mg. CoQ10.

After 3 months, the patient was in excellent clinical condition and there was no residual tumor tissue.

The bioenergetic activity of CoQ10, expressed as hematological or immunological activity, may be the dominant but not the sole molecular mechanism causing the regression of breast cancer.

Author: Folkers-K. Brown-R. Judy-W-V. Morita-M.

Title: Survival of cancer patients on therapy with coenzyme Q10.

Source: Biochem-Biophys-Res-Commun.
1993 Apr 15. 192(1). P 241-5.

Journal Title: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS.

Abstract: Over Ca. 25 years, assays in animal models established the hematopoietic activities of coenzyme Q's in rhesus monkeys, rabbits, poultry, and children having kwashiorkor.

Surprisingly, a virus was found to cause a deficiency of CoQ9.