Coenzyme Q10 helps woman lower blood pressure, blood sugar
Q: I recently started taking CoQ10 at my daughter’s suggestion. (Her doctor is also a naturopath.) To my surprise, my home blood pressure readings, which had been in the 160/80 range, dropped to 130/80 or lower almost immediately. In addition, my daily blood sugar readings are lower without any change in diet.
My primary care provider has never objected to any of my supplements, which include a multivitamin for women over age 50, krill oil, vitamin B complex, garlic, tart cherry extract and aloe vera capsules. In addition to low thyroid and high blood pressure, I have chronic kidney disease, diabetes and gout. All of these developed after I took prescribed “preventive” statin drugs at age 55.
The statins caused agonizing pain and partial paralysis. I was in a wheelchair
until I stopped taking them.
I also have osteoarthritis but no heart problems. That’s what I learned from a recent cardiologist exam. He did not object to any of my supplements, nor did he want to see me again. My cholesterol numbers are only 1 point over the normal range without any statin. He agreed that I cannot take statins due to my adverse reaction to them.
A: Your fascinating testimonial sent us to the medical literature. There we found research confirming that Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can lower blood pressure in people with cardiometabolic disorders (Advances in Nutrition, Sept. 20, 2022).
We were somewhat surprised to find that CoQ10 supplements can also assist in blood sugar control and lower triglycerides in Type 2 diabetes (International Journal of Endocrinology, Sept. 16, 2018).
The body makes Coenzyme Q10, a compound crucial to the energy factories of cells called mitochondria. This fat-soluble molecule, also known as ubiquinone, has a structure somewhat similar to that of vitamin K. That is why people taking the anticoagulant warfarin should not take CoQ10 supplements. If they did, these might reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
Statins are known to lower CoQ10 levels (Journal of the American Heart Association, Oct. 2, 2018). Since your body reacted so strongly to statins, you may be especially susceptible to this effect.
You don’t need to lower your cholesterol, but other readers may be interested in statins and nondrug approaches
to reducing blood lipids. We have written about these in our eGuide to Cholesterol Control & Heart Health. This online resource is located under the Health eGuides tab at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q: I hate sitting on a damp toilet seat. People who leave public restrooms in this condition
are selfish and thoughtless. They don’t want to sit down themselves but don’t have the decency to clean up their own mess.
I have never been able to “hover” over the seat, so I’ve just put up with this unpleasantness. Fortunately, I’ve never caught anything this way.
A: There is actually a medical condition called toilet phobia. However, we know of no reason why people should worry about sitting down in a public restroom. A disposable paper seat cover makes this more comfortable. While they are available for free in some restrooms, a concerned person could also carry a few in a handbag. Some people choose to clean the seat with a disposable alcohol wipe before using it.
According to Dr. Charles Gerba, microbiologist at the University of Arizona, toilets can spread germs all over the bathroom when they flush. That affects much more than the seat. As a result, people might want to carry their own soap or hand sanitizer if the dispensers in the restrooms they frequent aren’t always well stocked.