I don't usually take supplements, but I was with a friend the other night who's on statins because of heart issues, and he said that in other countries (can't remember which) if you're put on statins then they automatically offer you CoQ10 as well to offset a downside effect of the statins.
I haven't a clue what I'm talkng about, but just wondered what others do, or have you heard of this.
I have started taking coQ10 x 100mg daily just to give it a go. Can't feel any change yet and it certainly hasn't improved my golf swing.
Hello Koll, I am sure you know what I am going to say. We would suggest discussing taking any supplementary medications with your doctor or pharmacist to ensure they do not interact with any of your other medications.
Best wishes
Rachel - Patient Services Associate - AF Association
• in reply to
Thanks Rachel, I had not thought of that, but I will discuss with my GP.
Yes, in Hungary q10 is obligatory with statins. Statins blocks an enzime wich produce common precursor for both chloesterol and Ubiquinone synthesis. So you lost yout natural q10 and that should be repalaced.
Yes, my cardio in the US in 2007 advised me take take COQ10 with Lipitor for the reasons you gave. I've been in the UK since 2014 and no EP has ever suggested that take should take it here, but no - one has ever told me not to take it. Lipitor was very expensive then and eventually my insurance plan put me on Atorvastatin, which is the same drug anyway, and I was happy as I did not want to take Simvastatin due to its known issues with dosage,
Yes, I agree, but just to reassure Koll, my EP told me that there are no interactions with Pradaxa
I have been taking CoQ10 for 2+ years now, I found 200mg daily was required to lift my level to the top of the usual range. My Naturopath said this plus partnering it with a Mg compound was his answer to AF. You can get your level tested at BioLab London. I have a note somewhere that it does increase the clotting risk but I expect that may be minimal if true at all. It is also beneficial for a lot of other things (but as you already know excl golf swing) as you get older. My GP and Cardiologist eyes just glaze over when I mention CoQ10.
I have no intention of going on statins (has been offered as I have cholesterol level 7) if I can avoid it but if I was on them, I would look into CoQ10 some more.
It's funny the different approaches countries take. If it non scientific some just don't accept it, I wonder why. For example some places recommend probiotics with antibiotics in the UK it's unheard of.
Thanks for the replies, very interesting. I'm taking CoQ10 along with my statins now and will speak to my doc when I see her next week to make sure there's no conflict with my drugs.
Dr Mandrola in his book "The Haywire Heart" has a couple of pages on CoQ10 and says it plays a key role in heart health. Reducing vascular disease, angina, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia. Typically 100mg per day. Comments that beta blockers and statins reduce blood CoQ10 levels. Meat and fish, vegetable oils and avocados are dietary source of CoQ10.
Mayo Clinic Q and A: Statin use doesn’t always mean coenzyme Q10 supplement is needed.
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have heard that taking coenzyme Q10 is good for people who take statins. There are so many commercials and ads about it. But is it really necessary to take this supplement? How do I know if I need it? And is liquid better than pill form? How much do I take?
ANSWER: Although a coenzyme Q10 supplement may be helpful for some people who take a statin medication, no research studies have confirmed that it has benefits for everyone who takes statins. For most people, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish is enough to keep their coenzyme Q10 at a healthy level, and a supplement is not necessary
Hi Koll there is a supplement called Stat-Guard produced by Bioglan suitable for people on statins which helps replenish CoQ10, zinc, magnesium, vit E & B1. 1 a day is all that is needed. I started taking them as I take statins and also have AF. They are available from Boots.
I take a statin and also take CoQ10 100 mg everyday. I live in the States and was told that statins diminish (as other commenters have noted) the COQ10 in the body. I'm one of those people that have a hard time with statins (they make my joints hurt) so I'm on a low dose of a statin only 3x per week, but take the CoQ10 supplement everyday as it replaces my depleted levels and also benefits the heart.
I did that for a few years, off my own bat. Just took about 3 statin pills a week instead of every day. My cholestorel level was fine. I got muscle spasms and was changed over to another statin which doesn't cause that problem for me. Now I take them every day.
We talked about CoQ10 on this forum a while back and I rushed out and bought some from a health shop. My heart started playing up as soon as I took them and that was when I thought to look at the ingredients list and discovered they contained Maltodextrin which I know is a trigger for my AF. So be aware.
I checked the ingredients on my CoQ10 and it doesn't contain Maltodextrin (unless it's disguised as another name). I use Qunol Ultra CoQ10 100 mg pharmaceutical grade clinical strength. It says it is "in the form that dissolves 100% in both water and fat, providing 3x better absorption, unlike regular CoQ10 which only dissolves poorly in fat." The ingredients listed are Ubiquitone 100mg, Vitamin E 150 IU, and other ingredients: gelatin, polysorbate 80, medium chain triglycerides, glycerin, hydroxylated lecithin, sorbitol, purified water, annato suspension in sunflower oil. free of milk & milk by-products, egg/egg by-products, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts/peanut oil, wheat, gluten starch and yeast. Contains soy.
So, I know some of this stuff, but not all. Anything look like another name for maltodextrin here? Would love to know because I don't want to be ingesting any afib triggers!! Thanks much!
After I posted this I decided to go back and edit because I looked this up myself. Since maltodextrin is a sweetener, and, don't quote me here, but can be an ingredient that can trigger MSG type reactions if you're sensitive, there was a list of ingredients that I found that one should be careful of. Out the ingredients listed above in my CoQ10, it glycerin is on that list as well. Interestingly sorbitol, which is another sweetener, was not on the list. I'm super sensitive, and allergic, to MSG but have never had any sort of reaction to my pills. So, I wonder tho if somehow they might be affecting my heart rhythm in a negative way. Will have to do some research on this. Thanks for bringing this to our attention!
I believe sorbitol is an artificial sweetener and they set my heart off too. Look up on the internet sorbitol and heart. However, we are all different and what affects one person may not affect another. If you can take your CoQ10 with no effect on your heart, then it sounds as though it's ok for you.
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