On the hunt for ways to keep your heart healthy despite your conditions? Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and tocotrienol may be the right nutrients for you!

CoQ10 and tocotrienol: Your heart-protective antioxidants 

Regardless of age, the human body needs a constant supply of antioxidants, whose primary role is to protect your cells, organs, and tissues from damage, deterioration, and aging. Within your body, there are naturally-occurring molecules called free radicals—unstable atoms that induce oxidative stress—which contributes to the onset and progression of a host of illnesses. 

Antioxidants respond to these free radicals by destroying them, acting as your active guardians against health threats. CoQ10 and tocotrienol are common antioxidants that help your heart stay healthy, as it is especially vulnerable to oxidative stress due to its high energy requirements compared to other organs. 

Although most antioxidants can be found in your body, their levels tend to decrease as you age, which can leave you at an increasingly bigger risk of health complications like chronic inflammation. 

The good news is that CoQ10 and tocotrienol can be absorbed through diet and supplements! Replenish your body’s antioxidant reserves with CoQ10 and tocotrienol—this nutrient duo gives your heart the antioxidant protection it needs to function well. Read on to discover how. 

Together, CoQ10 and tocotrienol could help: 

1. Manage heart failure and its manifestations
   
   
1. A 2014 study from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that following CoQ10 supplementation of 100 milligrams thrice per day in addition to standard treatment for patients with moderate to severe heart failure, deaths in patients with severe heart failure decreased by half compared to the placebo group. The CoQ10 group’s cardiovascular mortality was recorded at 9%, compared to the placebo group at 16%.
2. Another clinical trial from the Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry journal found that patients treated with CoQ10 after a recent heart attack reported less cardiac incidents in the succeeding year.
   
   
2. Lower cholesterol or lipid levels
   
   
1. According to a 2018 meta-analysis of 8 clinical trials, coronary artery disease patients who took CoQ10 supplements exhibited significantly decreased total cholesterol and lipid levels. However, no remarkable changes were observed in triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and lipoprotein levels.
2. A 2002 study from the Atherosclerosis Journal found that tocotrienol showed promise in helping control coronary artery disease risk in hypocholesterolemic patients by lowering total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels.
   
   
3. Slow down the buildup of plaque
   
   
1. CoQ10 is reported to be capable of impeding the oxidation of LDL, which helps slow down atherosclerosis—a condition wherein arteries harden due to plaque buildup—from progressing.
2. A study found that tocotrienol’s molecular mechanism included a potential ability to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis, a condition wherein fats and cholesterols clog up arterial walls—better than tocopherol, the more widely used and common form of Vitamin E.

Clinical implications 

While these and other existing studies do not verify that CoQ10 and tocotrienol co-supplementation will protect you from heart disease or treat cardiovascular conditions,  they point to the nutrients’ potential in helping individuals maintain good heart health. In addition, bear in mind that taking supplements alone will not guarantee optimal or disease-free health. 

Nonetheless, CoQ10 and tocotrienol may still be consumed to supplement your efforts in staying healthy. Get the most out of CoQ10’s and tocotrienol’s potential benefits by making other healthy lifestyle choices such as maintaining a well-balanced diet, constant hydration, regular exercise, and adequate sleep—all of which contribute to your holistic health. 

Recommended dosage 

The typical recommended dosage for tocotrienol ranges from 15 milligrams to 100 milligrams per day, but this may vary depending on the health conditions you wish to manage. It is still highly recommended to consult with a health professional before consuming tocotrienol supplements. 

The National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements advises against exceeding a daily tocotrienol supplement dosage of 1,000 milligrams (or 1 gram), as this may place you at higher risk of internal bleeding.

References: Click here