Q: When should I take Co-Q-10 and what form of Co-Q-10 works best?
Dr. Henry Cheng: It is known that cholesterol lowering drugs (statins) depletes our bodies of CoQ10 which is essential for muscle function. People taking statin drugs may develop muscle soreness and weakness. Bear in mind the heart is also a muscle. So by taking statin drugs to save the heart you might be weakening the heart muscles. If you are on statin drugs, take CoQ10 100 mg a day to prevent this side effect. The Vitaline 400 mg and the Enzymatic Therapy brand of Smart Q 10 are chewable forms that are proven to penetrate the cell membrane and the blood-brain barrier better than the water soluble or oil suspension preparations.
Henry Cheng is a medical graduate of the University of London, England and is now Natural Products Consultant at Pharmasave Health Centre Downtown Cloverdale.
