Afib is back, but could COQ10 be the answer?

[teach2learn]

After a second ablation, about 18 months after the first (both very "successful" for a time), my afib returned following about three years of great result. It's not nearly as debilitating as before the first ablation, much milder and can go stretches of time with complete NSR (I'm one of those who can feel every erratic twinge). I had begun a daily minimal dose of liquid COQ10, but following the advice of some online research, thought I'd try the maximum of the daily range, up to two tsp., twice daily. It's not very scientific, but anecdotally, I have noticed a definite decrease in episodes since upping the dose and what seems to be an increase in symptoms if I miss the afternoon dose or delay for too long. Just a thought, but except for the expense, well worth the try, in my case, and no downside that I'm aware of.

[jeanjeannie50]

I find that it's the fillers in a lot of so called health pills that have an effect on my heart rate. So yes I would stop the COQ10 and see if things get better.

[teach2learn in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I guess my wording was confusing. I believe the COQ10 is actually relieving the symptoms

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to teach2learn]

That's good to hear, quite a few people on this forum take COQ10 and have reported less AF. Magnesium Citrate or Taurate gets good reports too.

[secondtry]

Yes I think you are on the right track. My London Naturopath suggested on my last consultation that I could even aim for over the top of the 'normal range'. He advises taking a Mg compound with CoQ10, the former relaxes and the latter strengthens the heart thus I suppose a better beat. It's been good for me for 5 years without any known side effects. After checking levels for 3 years I now take CoQ10 200mgs/weekdays and 100mgs/ weekend days to keep my level at the top of the range.

[wilsond in reply to secondtry]

Hello how do you test your levels please?

[teach2learn in reply to wilsond]

I have no idea how someone would do that, but I don't think it's necessary. From what I have found online about COQ10, it would take quite a bit for toxicity, so I just take the two tsp. twice daily (200 mg) as that seems to do the trick. Apparently, even 400 mg isn't dangerous, though (according to my online reading...ask your doc). Liquid is absorbed better, so the form you take may make a difference. My electrocardiologist agreed that the help I seem to be getting from it could be correlated.

[secondtry in reply to wilsond]

Blood test done by BioLab London through a medical or alternative practitioner. I receive the kit, the blood is taken at my GP surgery and I post it off. Results sent via practitioner 10 days later.

[teach2learn in reply to wilsond]

Hope you saw response from secondtry.

[wilsond in reply to teach2learn]

Got it! Thank you xx

[Hidden]

Instead of upping the dose of your medication, try lowering the dose of sugar you eat each day. Plus keep hydrated. Here is what I found after 9 years of trying different foods:

After 9 years of trying different foods and logging EVERYTHING I ate, I found sugar was the culprit. Doctors don't want to hear this - there is no money in telling patients to eat less sugar. Each person has a different sugar threshold - and it changes as you get older, so you need to count every gram of sugar you eat every day (including natural sugars in fruits, etc.). My tolerance level was 190 grams of sugar per day 8 years ago, 85 grams a year and a half ago, and 60 grams today, so AFIB episodes are more frequent and last longer. If you keep your intake of sugar below your threshold level your AFIB will not happen again. It's not the food - it's the sugar (or salt - see below) IN the food that's causing your problems. Try it and you will see - should only take you 1 or 2 months of trial-and-error to find your threshold level. And for the record - ALL sugars are treated the same (honey, refined, agave, natural sugars in fruits, etc.). I successfully triggered AFIB by eating a bunch of plums and peaches one day.

Also, in addition to sugar, if you are dehydrated - this will trigger AFIB as well. It seems (but I have no proof of this) that a little uptick of salt in your blood is being treated the same as an uptick of sugar - both cause AFIB episodes. So you have to keep hydrated, and not eat too much salt. The root problem is that our bodies are not processing sugar/salt properly and no doctor knows why, but the AFIB seems to be a symptom of this and not the primary problem, but medicine is not advanced enough to know the core reason that causes AFIB at this time. Good luck! - Rick Hyer

[teach2learn in reply to Hidden]

Could be. Sugar is certainly the reason for a lot of my other problems! I'm not exactly a sugar junkie by any means, eat healthy and exercise, but always feel better and hurt less if I avoid it.

[teach2learn]

It seems there are as many "cures" and "causes" as there are afib sufferers! Thanks all for your input.

[Hidden]

G'day T2L,

I have been using this COQ10 since Sept 2011 on the advise of a nutritionist I consulted about using diet/ food plans (as a method of controlling my AF events). I found AF kicked in after eating certain foods. Going down this track with COQ10 was of course in addition to my meds, NOT replacing my meds.

The following is an extract of a letter from my Nutritionist to my GP at the time "...........

discussed the use of the supplement CoQ10/Ubiquinone in relation to its links to energy-dependant processes which also include heart muscle contraction. John suffers with feelings of fatigue and tiredness which be supported by dietary changes, but may benefit from being supported further with the use of CoQ10. The links with a deficiency of CoQ10 potentially exacerbating heart disease and the use of statins inhibiting the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutary (HMT)-CoA reductase, which is responsible for the biosynthesis of cholesterol and CoQ10, are apparent, therefore the use of statins may compromise CoQ10 status........

Just to repeat, I began using this to supplement my NHS GP prescribed meds NOT in any way to replace them. So, everything I was on NHS prescribed meds, I am still on and still take the CoQ10 too. No side effects. I take it in 100 mg capsule form at breakfast, along with my other morning meds.

I am fine. I might add that although I have had some digestive system eruptions in recent months, which I am working on, I have only had one AF event since April 2015.

I would add, that part of my food plan was to do two things - eliminate added salt and added sugar from my diet. I had already eliminated salt, decades ago, at least 20 years. I have eliminated added sugar in the last few years. ( 2 maybe 3 years I think). I knocked the sugar because as a result of an eyesight test the optician found my blood sugar levels excessively high and bordering in pre diabetic. Given that my father died from outta control diabetes it was a 'no brainer' as to what I had to do. So I am now added sugar and added salt free.

May the force be with you.

John

[teach2learn in reply to Hidden]

Hope your regimen continues to benefit!

[Hidden]

Dr. Stephen Sinatra writes about the importance of CoQ10 and other important micronutrients in his book, "Metabolic Cardiology." I wrote about it in prior posts. Very helpful information.

In my own explorations with CoQ10, I have settled on taking a morning dose of CoQH by Klaire Lab (klaire.com/cqh1-coqh-100-mg)

This is a form that was recommended to me by my homeopath/physician's assistant. It's better absorbed (ubiquinone).

I found that taking a second dose later in the day was too energizing for me and would often trigger episodes.

You might consider just taking a morning dose or take the second dose in the early afternoon.

[teach2learn]

I guess everyone is different in their response. I don't have any "energizing" or negative response to my second dose, which is usually around 3 pm, when I am often reminded by increasing "flutters" that it seems to calm. Thanks for your observation, though.