Every day the some 100 trillion cells in the body work hard. They ingest and digest nutrients, remove waste, and reproduce. Healthy cells provide the energy that ensures that we wake up in the morning, get to work, enjoy different types of recreation, and make it to bed at night. To perform all the tasks that they must, cells create their own energy. The production of energy at the cellular level is commonly known as bioenergetics. Considering how active the human body is-remember that an average person uses 60 percent of his or her daily energy on base metabolism-we can see how important bioenergetics is.

Bioenergetics is dependent on food because cells manufacture their own energy by burning the substances found in foods. To do this, the foods we eat are broken down into smaller and smaller components, which include a number of carbon atoms. Eventually, the bonds between the carbon atoms are broken down into the electrons that make them up. These electrons contain energy which is converted into a substance called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). One of the bonds holding ATP together has great energy potential. When it is broken, it releases the equivalent of 7,000 calories. This is the energy our cells use to keep us alive.

A steady production of ATP is necessary because only about three ounces of ATP are stored in the body at one time; the amount that will sustain a strenuous activity, such as running as hard as you can, for about five to eight seconds. You can see then, that it is important that our bodies have the most efficient means possible to produce this valuable substance. Coenzyme Q10 is a key in the formation of ATP; if we are lacking in coenzyme Q10, we cannot produce ATP efficiently.

Coenzyme Q10 acts as a shuttle, carrying important, energy-laden electrons and protons around the mitochondrion, to eventually be turned into ATP. Without this shuttle, ATP would not be created, and cells would not be able to create the energy needed for both everyday and special energy needs. According to a 1990 article in the American Journal of Cardiology, "Coenzyme Q10 is necessary for the mitochondria [components of cells] to perform their functions and is essential for human life."

What are the implications of bioenergetics and coenzyme Q10 for health? As stated, all of our cells must produce energy for us to stay alive, and coenzyme Q10 is an essential part of this energy production. It is thus logical that a deficiency in coenzyme Q10 in any of the body's cells would affect body functions.

How to use ^AIMCellSparc 360^TM

• Take 1-2 softgel capsules every day. Although the inclusion of the fish oil diluent helps improve absorption of the coenzyme Q10, it is still recommended that you take the capsules with meals. Some people feel immediate benefits; others notice results after 6 to 8 weeks.
• Shelf life is 3 years, unopened. Store in a cool, dry place (70-75 °F; 20.1-23.8 °C). Do not refrigerate.
• Store away from heat sources and out of direct sunlight. Avoid high humidity.
• If pregnant or lactating, consult a health practitioner.
• Diabetics should consult a health practitioner

Coenzyme Q10 and human nutrition

Coenzyme Q10 is found in the foods we eat, but not often in large amounts. The best sources of coenzyme Q10 are animal organs, some types of fish, and vegetable oils such as soybean, rapeseed, and sesame. It is found in lesser quantities in rice bran and wheat germ and in soy and other beans. It is also found in vegetables, in particular spinach and broccoli. Coenzyme Q10 is easily destroyed in the cooking process, and in refined grains much of the coenzyme Q10 is removed.

However, the body does not necessarily need a direct source of coenzyme Q10 to maintain adequate levels. The body can also manufacture coenzyme Q10 from other members of the coenzyme Q family. Coenzyme Q10 is but one of ten, and possibly more, members of the coenzyme Q family.

Coenzyme Q is a circle of chemical elements that form a single coenzyme Q molecule. This is the most basic form. This coenzyme Q molecule can have side chains that contain five carbon atoms. It is the number of side chains that is the basis for the number assigned to each member of the coenzyme Q family. For example, coenzyme Q1 has one side chain of five carbon atoms. Coenzyme Q2 has two side chains of five carbon atoms each, for a total of 10 carbon atoms. In coenzyme Q10, there are 10 side chains and a total of fifty carbon atoms. Human tissue contains only coenzyme Q10.

To change other coenzyme Qs into coenzyme Q10, the liver breaks down the side chains from the basic coenzyme Q molecule. It then reassembles them to form coenzyme Q10. For example, a meal consisting of shellfish, vegetables, and mushrooms provides coenzyme Q9 and coenzyme Q7. The liver tears these coenzymes down and manufactures coenzyme Q10 out of their components.

The creation of coenzyme Q10 by the body is a complex process. To make this change, at least three different classes of starting molecules are required, at least 15 different reactions are necessary (each begun by an enzyme), and there are many cofactor substances. This means that coenzyme Q10 is difficult for the body to produce because all the component parts must be available in sufficient quantities at the same time. Some of the essential cofactors are not created by the body. A deficiency in any of these-vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, C, and folate-would make it difficult for the liver to produce enough coenzyme Q10. Unfortunately, the older you get, the less ability you have to produce coenzyme Q10 from other members of the coenzyme Q family.

Our lives and environment also affect coenzyme Q10 levels, in that stressful lives and polluted environments can deplete coenzyme Q10 from body tissue. According to Dr. Folkers, these factors-nutrient deficiencies, age, stress, and pollution-could lead to a deficiency of coenzyme Q10. By some estimates, as many as 75 percent of people over age 50 in the United States could be deficient in coenzyme Q10.

Suggested Reading