CoQ10 and K2 for Heart Health

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone or ubiquinol, is a vitamin-like nutrient used by every cell in our body for energy production, growth and maintenance. It is heavily concentrated in the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas.

Health conditions like heart disease, brain disorders, diabetes and cancer have been linked to low levels of CoQ10.

Researchers say CoQ10 may have significant cardiovascular health benefits, while also promoting antioxidant activity, enhancing cellular energy production and physical performance and helping maintain healthy blood sugar levels already within the normal range

In a study of 420 people with heart failure, treatment with CoQ10 for two years improved their symptoms and reduced their risk of dying from heart problems.

It seems that treatment with CoQ10 could assist with restoring optimal levels of energy production, reduce oxidative damage and improve heart function, all of which can aid the treatment of heart failure.

As we age, our body begins to show a decrease in energy metabolism. This decrease takes place within many body tissues but is most prominent in the heart, liver and skeletal tissue. Accompanied by this decline are reduced CoQ10 concentrations. Thus we have to eat more of food containing CoQ10 in our daily diet.

The following foods contain CoQ10:

• Organ meats: Heart, liver and kidney
• Some muscle meats: Pork, beef and chicken
• Fatty fish: Trout, herring, mackerel and sardine
• Vegetables: Spinach, cauliflower and broccoli
• Fruit: Oranges and strawberries
• Legumes: Soybeans, lentils and peanuts
• Nuts and seeds: Sesame seeds and pistachios
• Oils: Soybean 

Meanwhile, vitamin K2 is also a critical nutrient for hearth health

Atherosclerosis—hardening of the arteries— is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease is the number-one killer globally. In this connection, vitamin K2 helps to inhibit arterial calcification and has the ability to improve arterial stiffness. 

Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble nutrient that is commonly found in fermented foods like sauerkraut and animal sources such as high-fat dairy products, egg yolks, liver and other organ meats.

Foods that are rich in vitamin K2 include:

• Natto, fermented soy.
• Goose liver.
• Cheese.
• Egg yolks.
• Dark chicken meat.
• Butter.