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Why Take CoQ10 With Statin Drugs

Approximately 60 million Americans are affected by high cholesterol, and many of them manage it with prescription drugs commonly known as statins. Popular brand names include Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor. CoQ10 supplements are often recommended for patients on statins, as these medicines lower the CoQ10 level in the body.

  1. Statins

    • Statin drugs help keep cholesterol within a healthy range by inhibiting a specific enzyme required by the liver to manufacture it. They also contribute to heart health by lowering triglyceride levels in the blood.

    Depleted CoQ10

    • There are significant risks with this class of drug, however. Paradoxically, statin drugs are prescribed to improve cardiovascular health, yet they dangerously deplete the body's level of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an enzyme catalyst synthesized in the liver. CoQ10 is required to convert the food we eat into cellular energy, and it is one of the most important nutrients for a strong heart and arteries.

    Serious Side Effects

    • Insufficient levels of CoQ10 may result in liver damage, muscle weakness or nerve pain, which are all serious side effects experienced by more than a few individuals taking statin drugs.

    Statin and CoQ10 Combo

    • In the book “Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness,” Jonathan Wright, M.D. relates that Merck & Company, the distributor of Mevacor and Zocor, has held the patent to combining CoQ10 with its statin medications since 1990. Yet they have never actually produced such a drug. He believes they may be holding off on using the combo because doing otherwise could be perceived as an admission that their original formulas without CoQ10 are harmful.

    Supplement Solution

    • Taking a supplement of CoQ10 often reduces the side effects mentioned above or eliminates them completely. Dr. Mehmet Oz recommends 200 mg of CoQ10 daily for anyone using a statin drug.

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