Dietary Supplements Best answer on the web
What is the"true story" about CoenzymeQ10 and L-carnitine funmarate?
Are the claims of lowered cholesterol and increased energy and weight
loss real or just hype?
Thank you for allowing me to answer your questions. Since you have multiple questions, I am going to break each one down for you into separate sections to make it easier on both of us.
In answer to your first question, 'what is the truth about conenzyme Q10', I am listing a few informative articles for you to read.
Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10) is a relative newcomer to the skin care industry. Yet, its value for general health and nutrition is rather well known and well researched.
CoQ10 has at least two important roles in the body. First, it is one of the essential cogs in the biochemical machinery that produces biological energy (ATP) inside the cells. Second, CoQ10 is an antioxidant. It helps neutralize harmful free radicals, which are one of the causes of aging. Under perfect conditions, the body can produce as much CoQ10 as it needs. However, various factors, such as aging, stress and some medications, can lower the levels of CoQ10 in the body. As a result, the ability of cells to withstand stress and regenerate declines. Unfortunately, the levels of CoQ10 in the body almost inevitably decline with age. In fact, CoQ10 is regarded as one of the most accurate biomarkers of aging since its decline correlates so well with the aging process. In some studies, rodents treated with supplemental CoQ10 lived up to 30 percent longer than their untreated counterparts. The effects of CoQ10 supplements on human longevity remain unknown. On the other hand, it was proven useful in treating certain human diseases, including heart failure and hypertension.
Theoretically speaking, CoQ10 (in a skin cream, for example) can be helpful. In most people over thirty, levels of CoQ10 in the skin are below optimum, resulting in lesser ability to produce collagen, elastin and other important skin molecules. Besides, CoQ10-depleted skin may be more prone to the damage by free radicals, which are particularly abundant in the skin since it is exposed to the elements. Thus, CoQ10 may boost skin repair and regeneration and reduce free radical damage. Furthermore, CoQ10 is a small molecule that can relatively easily penetrate into skin cells. Based on this rationale as well as the drive to put new products on the marker, some companies introduced skin care products with CoQ10. It is unclear whether these products are effective. Firstly, theoretical effectiveness does not always result into practical benefits. Second, very few real studies indicating possible practical skin benefits of CoQ10 have been conducted so far. Arguably, the most encouraging was a 1999 study by German researchers who reported that long-term use of CoQ10 reduced crows feet (wrinkles around the eye).
Even if CoQ10 can be effective in treating skin aging, it is unclear whether popular CoQ10 products contain sufficient concentration of active CoQ10. (Keep in mind that CoQ10, just like vitamin C, can be inactivated by oxygen from the air.). You can get around this problem, however, by preparing your own CoQ10 cream where you can ensure proper freshness and concentration.
Source: SmartSkincare.com
(http://www.smartskincare.com/treatments/coq10.html )
CoEnzyme Q 10 -- The NEW Fountain of Youth?
Amazing CoEnzyme Mollifies Many Conditions
Ubiquinone, another name for coenzyme Q10, was formed from the word ubiquitous because the enzyme was found in all of the cells of the body. It is a naturally occurring molecule that resembles the chemical structure of vitamin E in molecular appearance.
Studies in the United States and in foreign countries, such as Japan and Germany, show that coenzyme Q10 is important for generating energy; protecting the soundness of gums and teeth; prventing heart disease, obesity and cancer, guarding the viability of sperm cells; and delaying the aging process.
Strangely, although coenzyme Q10 exists in many foods, research has shown that patients with a variety of serious medical conditions are often coenzyme Q10 deficient.
Many people are deficient in coenzyme Q10 because it is present in live foods, and most of us subsist on processed foods. Coenzyme Q10 can be synthesized in the body from tyrosine and phenylalanine, two amino acids, vitamins E and three B vitamins (B1, B6, and folic acid) as well as its relatives -- Q1 and Q9. It cannot be synthesized from any simple nutrient. As we age, many of us have a diminished ability to synthesize this important coenzyme.
Foods richest in Q10 are beef heart, muscle and organ meats, egg yolks, liver, codfish, milk fat, wheat germ and various whole grains.
The immune system of the body is generally thought of as consisting of the thymus gland, the lymphatic system, the long bones of the body, the spleen, and the various products they manufacture.
Many illnesses are associated with abnormalities of the immune system. Attempts to improve the immune function of the body are standard therapy in the treatment of cancer, chronic infections, candidiasis, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Just as important but seldom thought about is the energy needed by the immune system to perform its job. Since immunity demands a constant supply of first-grade energy, Q10 must be in constant and adequate supply.
There have been a number of studies concerned with the immune-enhancing effect of coenzyme Q10 in animals. For instance, a study by Emile G. Bliznakov, scientific director of the Lupus Research Institute in Ridgefield, Connecticut, showed that supplementation with the enzyme increased phagocytic activity of macrophages, the germ-killing ability of the white blood cells. Also, supplementation increased the number of granulocytes (other killer cells) in response to experimentally induced infection. Coenzyme Q10 also prolonged the life of mice which had been infected with a number of pathogenic organisms.
In some human studies conducted at the University of Texas in Austin by Karl Folkers and Y. Yamura, patients with various diseases, including diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular problems, were given coenzyme Q10 over a long period of time. The dosage was 60 milligrams daily. Significant increases in the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) were found in the serum of these patients after three weeks to twelve weeks of supplemental treatment. This increase represents a correction of the immunodeficiency or an increase in immunocompetence.
Immune function appears to decline with advancing age. Older mice show thymic atrophy and a marked deficiency of the enzyme. Along with that is a pronounced depression of the immune system. This depression is partially reversed when the enzyme is given on a supplemental basis. Thus, it is probable that regular supplementation with coenzyme Q10 will help to prevent or even to reverse age-related immunosuppression.
People who suffer from fatigue or exhaustion and have tried and failed to correct this condition with the best known therapies often find relief by taking a coenzyme Q10 supplement. Coenzyme Q10 is needed to produce energy in the cells' mitochondria, the so-called "biochemical furnaces."
Perhaps the most exciting application of coenzyme Q10 is for many types of heart and artery disorders, including high blood pressure, deficient heart energy, and low oxygen conditions threatening the integrity of heart tissue when blood-delivery is deficient due to clogged arteries or during a heart attack. It also reduces the pain of angina and regularizes an irregular heartbeat.
Until recently, the only hope for most cardiomyopathy patients was a heart transplant. Per H. Langsjoen, then cardiologist of the Scott and White Clinic in Temple, Texas, tried giving advanced cardiomyopathy patients 100 mg. of coenzyme Q10 daily for 12 weeks and noted "remarkable" improvement. In his double-blind, cross-over study, Dr. Langsjoen reported increased volume of blood pumped, improved heart strength, and diminished shortness of breath, all with no side effects. These benefits have continued for three years.
Several studies were run concerning the use of coenzyme Q10 and congestive heart failure. In one study, patients from mild congestive heart failure were given 30 milligrams of coenzyme Q10 daily. After four weeks results were tabulated. All patients improved, with 53 percent no longer showing any symptoms of the disease.
Another study included patients with congestive heart failure due either to ischemic (local or temporary deviciency of the blood supply due to obstruction of the circulation to the heart) or hypertensive heart disease. Treatment included 30 milligrams of coenzyme Q10 daily for one to two months. Fifty five percent of the patients reported subjective improvement. Fifty percent showed a decrease in New York Heart Association classification. Thirty percent showed a "remarkable" decrease in chest congestion, as proven by chest x-rays. The milder the disease, the greater the improvement, although those patients with a more severe problem showed improvement, as well.
Results were consistent with a positive inotropic effect of coenzyme Q10, although the effect was not as powerful as that of the cardiac digitalis. In addition, coenzyme Q10 prevented the negative effect of beta-blocker therapy without reducing the beneficial effects of the beta-blockers on myocardial oxygen consumption.
Digitalis has been used in severe cases of congestive heart failure, but the chance of digitalis toxicity at the dose necessary to attempt to correct the problem is always present. There is a distinct possibility that a combination of digitalis and coenzyme Q10 might reduce the needed dosage of digitalis and the accompanying risk.
The remarkable safety of coenzyme Q10 and the almost total lack of toxicity at the dosages prescribed appear to suggest that it might one day replace conventional therapy and become the treatment of choice for mild congestive heart failure. Coenzyme Q10 might also be an adjunctive therapeutic agent to be used along with beta-blockers to prevent the impairment of cardiac functions that sometimes appear during this therapy.
According to nutritional science, we should live to the ripe old age of 125 or more. We, all of us, are being cheated out of many enjoyable and productive years because of degenerative diseases common to aging.
For a longer life, nutritional intervention can be the answer. The biogenic potential for a longer life is a possibility for those who decide to take matters into their own hands and investigate the body and its systems: cell food, cell environment, cell exercise, and cell communication.
This article pertains to coenzyme Q10 and its involvement with the generation of energy. The heart and liver contain the largest number of mitochondria (fuel cells) per tissue concentration; therefore, they have the greatest amount and need of the enzyme. The mitochondria contain a large number of enzymes organized and grouped together according to function, e.g., electron transport enzymes, citric acid cycle enzymes and fatty acid alteration enzymes.
These enzyme systems require coenzymes to function properly. The important cofactor in the electron transport chain and mitochondria is coenzyme Q10. It plays the critical role in the pumping of protons across the mitochondrial membrane. As we age, the amount of coenzyme Q10 in the body declines.
In humans, coenzyme Q10 serves the following purposes that may be connected to the aging process:
Increases energy and exercise tolerance. Most aging people claim they do not have the energy to exercise or even to do more moderate amounts of walking. Research suggests this may be a result of a deficiency of the enzyme.
Corrects age-related declines in the immune system which can leave the body easy prey to bacterial and viral infection. Coenzyme Q10 appears to be a significant immunologic stimulant.
Has considerable healing effect on age-related peridontal disease. When people can keep their teeth longer, they are able to eat better and maintain theit nutrition at peak level.
Defuses peroxide from within and without the body. Coenzyme Q10 has a chemical structure similar to that of vitamin E, which may account for its potent antioxicant ability. Coenzyme Q10 is able to inhibit lipid peroxidation in the membrane of the mitochondria; peroxidation which would attack the cell membrane and severely limit its energy-making potential.
We can assume that aging is the way nature limits the number of lives on earth to make room for new generations. Life extension requires many nutrients, and research is proving that coenzyme Q10 can play a fundamental role in decelerating aging.
Source: CoEnzyme Q 10 -- The NEW Fountain of Youth?
(http://asktom-naturally.com/naturally/coenzq10.html )
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For your second questions, What is the truth about L-carnitine, please read the following:
L-Carnitine is not an amino acid in the strict sense (it is not used as a neurotransmitter or in protein synthesis), however L-Carnitine bears many resemblance's to amino acids and is usually grouped under this heading. L-Carnitine (the "L" refers to its chemical polarity) is used by the body to transport long chain fatty acids to the mitochondria in your cells, where they are burned for energy. Since this fat burning is such a major source of muscular energy, deficiencies in L-Carnitine are manifested as low energy levels and muscular weakness. L-Carnitine deficiencies can also appear as mental confusion or cloudiness, angina (heart pain) and weight gain.
L-Carnitine can be manufactured in the body provided the requisite vitamins and minerals are also present. These vitamins and minerals are B1, B6, C, and iron. The amino acids lysine and methionine are also needed for L-Carnitine synthesis. L-Carnitine is also present in meats and other animal foods, so if you are a vegetarian or vegan you may want to consider supplementing with L-Carnitine. This would be especially important if you are an athlete, since you are using lots of L-Carnitine during periods of exertion.1,2
We know already that L-Carnitine deficiency, by denying the mitochondria the needed fatty acids, decreases energy output, but let's look at the other side of this energy equation. If you aren't burning fat, you must be storing it. This obviously leads to a variety of health problems, namely fatty build-ups. L-Carnitine supplementation can help prevent fatty build-ups in the heart and liver (especially likely if you are a regular consumer of alcoholic beverages). Putting it all together, L-Carnitine emerges as a great supplement: it helps increase energy, burn fat (making it excellent addition to a weight loss program), and supports heart and liver health all at the same time!
Athletes, vegetarians and vegans, and anyone who wants to increase muscle strength and energy, and burn fat more efficiently can benefit - either to help lose weight or improve heart and liver health by preventing fatty buildups. L-Carnitine deficiency may also be implicated in diabetic cardiomyopathy,3 and seems to help people who have suffered congestive heart failure.4,5, L-Carnitine is well known to help in the treatment of angina pectoris, or heart pain (usually induced by physical stress).6-10
Source: L-Carnitine: Natural Health Care Products
( http://www.health-pages.com/lc/ )
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"Are claims about their benefits supported by credible research or just hype".
Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) has been the focus of scientific study for years and has become one of the most popular dietary supplements. This vitamin-like compound, it has been proposed, may help treat, or possibly even prevent, many disorders, including heart disease, hypertension, AIDS, asthma, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, certain cancers, lung disease, gum disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines, and allergies. It's supposed to improve memory, boost immunity and energy, enhance exercise performance, and combat aging. Such sweeping claims should always arouse suspicion. Though in recent years scientists have learned a lot about CoQ-10, the clinical research is still in its infancy-and thus the marketing claims remain overblown.
Discovered in 1957, CoQ-10 is also called ubiquinone because it belongs to a class of compounds called quinones, and because it's ubiquitous in living organisms, especially in the heart, liver, and kidneys. It plays a crucial role in producing energy in cells. And it acts as a powerful antioxidant, meaning that it helps neutralize cell-damaging molecules called free radicals. Manufactured by all cells in the body, CoQ-10 is also found in small amounts in foods, notably meat and fish.
CoQ-10 is one of many substances in the body that tend to decline as people age or develop certain diseases (such as some cardiac conditions, Parkinson's disease, and asthma). But that doesn't mean that lower levels of CoQ-10 cause disease, or that supplemental CoQ-10 will combat disease or reverse the effects of aging. Some drugs, including certain cholesterol-lowering statins, beta-blockers, and antidepressants, can reduce CoQ-10 levels in the body, but there has been no evidence that this causes any adverse effects.
Interest in CoQ-10 grew in the early 1970s when researchers found that patients with congestive heart failure had much lower levels of it in their hearts and suggested that CoQ-10 supplements could help improve their heart function. Since then studies have yielded inconsistent results, and many have been poorly designed. However, three years ago two good studies on CoQ-10 and heart failure, one in Australia and one in Maryland, found no benefit. The research on CoQ-10 and hypertension remains sketchy, though one small study in 2001 did find it could significantly lower blood pressure in half of older people with hypertension. While not approved for any therapeutic use in the U.S., CoQ-10 is an accepted treatment for cardiovascular disease in Japan.
In a promising study on CoQ-10 and early-stage Parkinson's disease published in October, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that very large doses of CoQ-10 (along with vitamin E) appeared to slow the progression of the disease. It reduced the decline in neurological function and improved daily life. The study was small, however, and the researchers said that its findings would have to be confirmed by a larger trial before they would recommend CoQ-10.
Research into other potential benefits of CoQ-10 supplements-for HIV, cancer, or other diseases-is more theoretical and/or preliminary. So far studies suggest that CoQ-10 does not improve exercise performance or fight gum disease.
Source: Subscriber's Corner
(http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/ds/dsCoenzymeQ10.php )
Additionally, "In 2002, we showed for the first time that oral L-Carnitine supplementation stimulated fatty acid metabolism in healthy adults," Ulla Held, manager of scientific affairs for Lonza's nutrition division, told NutraIngredients. "We wanted to investigate these results using an improved method, namely by labeling a mixture of fatty acids and the amino acid glycine."
The researchers used a combined 15N-, 13C-tracer technique to study the effects of oral L-Carnitine supplementation (3x1.5 g L-Carnitine L-Tartrate/day for 10 days) on long chain fatty acid oxidation in slightly overweight adults.
After oral administration of the labeled fatty acids and the amino acid glycine, the enrichment of 15N- and 13C- in the patients' breath was measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry.
The researchers observed a significant increase in 13CO2 exhalation after L-Carnitine supplementation, which indicated an increase in fatty acid oxidation.
L-Carnitine, a vitamin-like nutrient, occurs naturally in the human body and is essential for turning fat into energy. The dietary supplement is generally used by physically active people to help with post-exercise recovery. Lonza, which claims to be the world's largest manufacturer of L-Carnitine, said that extensive scientific research shows L-Carnitine to promote cardiovascular health and studies also suggest the nutrient may be useful in weight management.
L-Carnipure L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (US Patent 5,073,376 and other international patents) consists of 68 per cent L-Carnitine and 32 per cent L-tartaric acid. The supplement was GRAS in 2002, along with L-Carnitine L-Tartrate. Both products are crystalline, white, water-soluble and heat stable and can therefore be used in food and drink applications.
The research was carried out in conjunction with the University of Rostock, Germany, under the leadership of Prof. Klaus Wutzke, and is published in the journal Metabolism (vol 53, no 8:1002-1006, 2004).
Source: NutraIngredients.com
(http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=53974-new-survey-confirms )
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"Are the claims of lowered cholesterol and increased energy and weight loss real or just hype?"
is a spectacular brain energizer in both animal and human tests. Leading researcher Bruce Ames, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, finds that acetyl-L-carnitine produces amazing revivals of mental and physical activity in laboratory rats, especially when combined with alpha lipoic acid. Memory is rejuvenated. Indeed, the old animals have the energy of young rats again. It's like a 75-year-old having the energy of a 40-year-old, says Ames.
A new analysis of 21 controlled studies concludes that ALCAR decidedly improved memory and intellectual performance in those with mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimers. Remarkably, the mental boost from ALCAR kicked in after only three months of use, and increased over time. Acetyl-L-carnitine boosts brain energy by supplying more fuel to the tiny metabolic furnaces (mitochondria) of the brain's cells. ALCAR also protects brain cells from destruction by free radical chemicals.
CoQ-10 is a mighty brain energizer that scientists call the cellular sparkplug. Cell concentrations of coQ-10 decline with age. Consequently, the brain's tiny energy factories, the mitochondria, churn out less of the vital chemical ATP (adenosine triphosphate) that fuels all cell activity. Less coQ-10 and ATP cause aging brains to become sluggish. It's like running on empty, says leading researcher Lester Packer, Ph.D., at the University of Southern California. Memory and learning abilities decline and the brain becomes more vulnerable to age-related neurodegenerative. diseases, including Alzheimers, Parkinsons and ALS.
Feeding old animals coQ-10 restores brain cell levels to those of much younger animals, rejuvenating brain functioning, and even reversing brain degeneration. Remarkable proof of coQ-10s brain-energizing power comes from new studies showing very high doses actually slowed the progression of Parkinsons disease symptoms, including loss of mental acuity and motor abilities. Replenishing coQ-10 helped prevent and/or repair brain cell damage.
Source: Stop Aging Now
(http://stopagingnow.com/newsletter.php?nlID=21 )
Please be advised that I am not a doctor nor a scientific researcher so I am not able to give you any professional advise on whether these supplements will work for you. If you seek professional advice concerning your health, please consult your family doctor.
I hope this information is useful and should this answer require a further explanation, please request clarification before rating it, and I will be happy to look into this further.
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