The synergy of the combination of Acetyl L- Carnitine and COQ10 vitamins is linked to the role they have in the biochemistry of energy. Both are naturally occurring substances that are found in virtually all cells of the human body and represent important factors in metabolic energy enhancement. This best combination of L-carnitine and CoEnzyme COQ10 vitamin supplement not only supports the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, supports the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the "energy of life". A deficiency of L-Carnitine and CoQ10 may be associated with deficiencies in energy.
Quite simply, L-Carnitine delivers the fuel and CoQ10 helps burn it. By combining these supplements together, the best utilization of effeciency of CoQ10 increases significantly, up to three times the effectiveness.
As we age, the production of both CoQ10 and L-Carnitine decrease and relative deficiencies may appear overtime. Although abundant in grains, legumes and most meat, CoQ10 is often destroyed through processing and cooking. L-Carnitine, while available in meats, must be synthesized by the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine, and B1, B6, niacin, vitamin C and iron.
Dosage Directions for use:
Take one or two Coq10 with L-Carnitine Capsules daily with a meal. Best absorbed if the meal contains good fats. Well absorbed if taken with an oil such as cod liver oil or flaxseed oil.
Coq10 Benefits Review
1. What is COQ10 - Coenzyme Q10?
Coenzyme Q10 (also known as Co Q10, CoQ10, Q10, vitamin supplement, ubiquinone, or ubidecarenone) is a compound that is made naturally in the body. A CO Q10 enzyme is a substance needed for the proper functioning of an enzyme, a protein that speeds up the rate at which chemical reactions take place in the body. The Q and the 10 in coenzyme Q10 refer to parts of the compounds chemical structure.
Coenzyme Q10 is used by cells to produce energy needed for cell growth and maintenance. CO Q10 is also used by the body as an antioxidant. An antioxidant is a substance that protects cells from chemicals called free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that can damage important parts of cells, including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). (DNA is a molecule inside cells that carries genetic information and passes it from one generation to the next.) This damage may play a role in the development of cancer.
Co-Q10 may prove to be the ultimate weapon against aging, a growing number of scientist believe that the aging process is the result of a slowdown in energy production of the cells. as mitochondria age, it shows wear and tear over time, just like the rest of your body.Some scientist beleive that taking Coq10 with a combination of L-Carnitine, may increase energu production in cells helping to prevent age related slowdown.
Possible CoQ10 Health Benefits
Helps to maintain energy production.
Good for the heart.
May slow down the aging process
Acetyl L-Carnitine-ALCAR Benefits Review
Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) a natural remedy super antioxidant, occurring form of L-carnitine that specifically benefits the brain. ALCAR helps supply the brain with energy by improving energetics in the mitochondrion, the cell's energy generator. ALCAR promotes biosynthesis of acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter for brain and nerve function. Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown in clinical studies to benefit cognitive ability, memory and mood.
Possible L-Carnitine Health Benefits
May Increases energy and endurance
May Help Speed Recovery after intense workout
May help prevent heart disease
2. What is the history of the discovery and use of CoQ10 as a complementary or alternative treatment for cancer?
Coenzyme Q10 was first identified in 1957. Its chemical structure was determined in 1958. Interest in coenzyme Q10 as a potential treatment for cancer began in 1961, when a deficiency of the enzyme was noted in the blood of cancer patients. Low blood levels of coenzyme Q10 have been found in patients with mycelia, lymphoma, and cancers of the breast, lung, prostate, pancreas, colon, kidney, and head and neck.
Studies have yielded information about how CoQ10 works in the body to produce energy and act as an antioxidant. Some studies have suggested that coenzyme Q10 stimulates the immune system and increases resistance to disease. In part because of this, researchers have theorized that Co Q10 may be useful as an adjuvant therapy for cancer. (Adjuvant therapy is treatment given following the primary treatment to enhance the effectiveness of the primary treatment.)
3. How is Co Q10 administered?
Proper dosage for Coenzyme Q10 is usually taken by mouth as a pill ( Co Q10 Vitamin Supplement complex). It may also be given by injection into a vein (IV). In animal studies, coenzyme Q10 is given by injection.
4.Have any preclinical (laboratory and animal) studies been conducted using coenzyme Q10?
Laboratory studies of Coq10 have focused on describing its chemical structure and how it works in the body. Animal studies have found that coenzyme Q10 stimulated the immune system and increased resistance to disease. Coq10 helped to protect the hearts of animals given the anticancer drug doxorubicin, which can cause damage to the heart muscle.
5. Have any clinical trials (research studies in humans) been conducted with co Q10?
The promising results from animal studies of Coq10 and the anticancer drug doxorubicin led researchers to test coenzyme Q10 in a randomized clinical trial with 20 patients. (A randomized clinical trial is a study in which the participants are assigned by chance to separate groups that compare different treatments; neither the researchers nor the participants can choose which group.) The researchers examined whether coenzyme Q10 would protect the heart from the damage caused by doxorubicin. The results of this trial and others have confirmed that coenzyme Q10 decreases the effects of doxorubicin on the heart. However, no report of a randomized clinical trial of co Q10 as a treatment for cancer has been published in a peer-reviewed, scientific journal.
6. Have other studies of co Q10 been conducted in people?
Three other small studies were conducted using coenzyme Q10 as a dietary supplement in patients undergoing conventional cancer treatment. In these studies, the researchers explored the potential use of coenzyme Q10 as an adjuvant therapy for cancer.
The first study, which was conducted in Denmark, involved 32 breast cancer patients. All of the participants received coenzyme Q10 and several other dietary supplements, in addition to their standard treatment. Six of the patients were reported to show some signs of remission (disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer). However, the data were not complete, and information that suggested remission was presented for only three of the six patients. All of the participants reported decreased use of painkillers, improved quality of life, and absence of weight loss during treatment.
In a followup study, one new patient and one of the patients who had a reported remission were treated with high doses of Coq10 for 3 to 4 months. Both of the patients had breast cancer remaining after surgery. After the period of high-dose coenzyme Q10 supplementation, both patients appeared to experience complete regression (decrease in the size or extent) of their remaining cancer. However, it is not known which of the six patients with a reported remission in the first study took part in the followup study.
In a third study conducted by the same researchers, three breast cancer patients were given high-dose coenzyme Q10 and followed for 3 to 5 years. One patient had complete remission of cancer that had spread to the liver, another had remission of cancer that had spread to the chest wall, and the third had no evidence of breast cancer remaining after surgery.
There have also been anecdotal reports that coenzyme Q10 has increased the survival of patients with cancers of the pancreas, lung, colon, rectum, and prostate. (Anecdotal reports are incomplete descriptions of the medical and treatment history of one or more patients.) The patients described in these reports also received treatments other than coenzyme Q10, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
7. Have any side effects or risks been reported from coenzyme Q10?
No serious side effects have been reported from the use of coenzyme Q10. Some patients using CoQ10 have experienced mild insomnia (inability to sleep), elevated levels of liver enzymes, rashes, nausea, and upper abdominal pain. Other reported side effects have included dizziness, visual sensitivity to light, irritability, headache, heartburn, and fatigue.
Patients should talk with their health care provider about possible interactions between coenzyme Q10 and prescription drugs they may be taking. Certain drugs, such as those that are used to lower cholesterol or blood sugar levels, may reduce the effects of CoQ10. Coenzyme Q10 may also alter the body�s response to warfarin (a drug that prevents the blood from clotting) and insulin.
8. Are there any other potential drawbacks to taking coenzyme Q10?
As noted in question 1, coenzyme Q10 is used by the body as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from free radicals, which are highly reactive chemicals that can damage cells. Some conventional cancer therapies, such as anticancer drugs and radiation treatment, kill cancer cells in part by causing free radicals to form. Researchers are studying whether using coenzyme Q10 along with conventional therapies is positive (i.e., does not interfere with the effects of the conventional therapies, or increases the therapies beneficial effects on cancer cells while protecting normal cells) or negative (i.e., interferes with the therapeutic effects).
Study Suggests Coenzyme Q10 Slows Functional Decline in Parkinson's Disease
Results of the first placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial of the compound CoQ10 suggest that it can slow disease progression in patients with early-stage Parkinson's Disease(PD). While the results must be confirmed in a larger study, they provide hope that this compound may ultimately provide a new way of treating Parkinson's Disease. The phase II study, led by Clifford Shults, M.D., of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, looked at a total of 80 PD patients at 10 centers across the country to determine if coenzyme Q10 is safe and if it can slow the rate of functional decline. The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and appears in the October 15, 2002, issue of the Archives of Neurology1. "This trial suggested that coenzyme Q10 can slow the rate of deterioration in Parkinson's disease," says Dr. Shults. "However, before the compound is used widely, the results need to be confirmed in a larger group of patients."
Parkinson's Disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disease that affects about 500,000 people in the United States. It results from the loss of brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine and causes tremor, stiffness of the limbs and trunk, impaired balance and coordination, and slowing of movements. Patients also sometimes develop other symptoms, including difficulty swallowing, disturbed sleep, and emotional problems. PD usually affects people over the age of 50, but it can affect younger people as well. While levodopa and other drugs can ease the symptoms of PD, none of the current treatments has been shown to slow the course of the disease.
The investigators believe CoQ10 works by improving the function of mitochondria, the "powerhouses" that produce energy in cells. Coenzyme Q10 is an important link in the chain of chemical reactions that produces this energy. It also is a potent antioxidant a chemical that "mops up" potentially harmful chemicals generated during normal metabolism. Previous studies carried out by Dr. Shults, Richard Haas, M.D., of UCSD and Flint Beal, M.D., of Cornell University have shown that CoQ10 levels in mitochondria from PD patients are reduced and that mitochondrial function in these patients is impaired. Animal studies have shown that coenzyme Q10 can protect the area of the brain that is damaged in Parkinson's Disease. Dr. Shults and colleagues also conducted a pilot study with Parkinson's Disease patients which showed that consumption of up to 800 mg/day of coenzyme Q10 was well-tolerated and significantly increased the level of coenzyme Q10 in the blood.
All of the patients who took part in the new study had the three primary features of Parkinson's Disease tremor, stiffness, and slowed movements and had been diagnosed with the disease within 5 years of the time they were enrolled. After an initial screening and baseline blood tests, the patients were randomly divided into four groups. Three of the groups received coenzyme Q10 at three different doses (300 mg/day, 600 mg/day, and 1,200 mg/day), along with vitamin E, while a fourth group received a matching placebo that contained vitamin E alone. Each participant received a clinical evaluation 1 month later and every 4 months for a total of 16 months or until the investigator determined that the patient needed treatment with levodopa. None of the participants or the study investigators knew which treatment each patient had received until the study ended. The investigators found that most side effects of coenzyme Q10 were mild, and none of the patients required a reduction of their dose. The percentage of people receiving CoQ10 who reported side effects was not significantly different from that of the placebo group. During the study period, the group that received the largest dose of coenzyme Q10 (1,200 mg/day) had 44 percent less decline in mental function, motor (movement) function, and ability to carry out activities of daily living, such as feeding or dressing themselves. The greatest effect was on activities of daily living. The groups that received 300 mg/day and 600 mg/day developed slightly less disability than the placebo group, but the effects were less than those in the group that received the highest dosage of coenzyme Q10.
The groups that received CoQ10 also had significant increases in the level of coenzyme Q10 in their blood and a significant increase in energy-producing reactions within their mitochondria.
The results of this study suggest that doses of coenzyme Q10 as high as 1,200 mg/day are safe and may be more effective than lower doses, says Dr. Shults. The findings are consistent with those of a recently published study of patients with early Huntington's disease � another degenerative neurological disorder � that showed slightly less functional decline in groups that received 600 mg/day of coenzyme Q10.
Coezyme Q10 - CoQ10 Migraine Prevention Research
A recent three month open label trial of some 30 subjects with a history of episodic migraine headaches, resulted in the conclusion that Coenzyme Q10 - CoQ10 appeared to be a good for migraine prevention. Of the patients who completed the study, over 60% of the patients had more than 50% reduction in the number of days with migraine headaches.
In this migraine headache test, all participants knew that they were taking Coenzyme CoQ10. There were no adverse side-effects with the use of coenzyme Q10.
Featured Natural source of CoQ10; Dr. Robert Koch's Vitacel 9 GH9 formula.
Related Resources;
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American Heart Association
Acetyl L-Carnitine-ALCAR Benefits Review
Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) a natural remedy super antioxidant, occurring form of L-carnitine that specifically benefits the brain. ALCAR helps supply the brain with energy by improving energetics in the mitochondrion, the cell's energy generator. ALCAR promotes biosynthesis of acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter for brain and nerve function. Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown in clinical studies to benefit cognitive ability, memory and mood.
L-Carnitine - ALCAR Overview
Introduction
� Sources
� Therapeutic Dosages
Therapeutic Uses
What Is the Scientific Evidence for L Carnitine?
Safety Issues
Interactions You Should Know About
ALCAR Introduction
Acetyl-l-Carnitine is an amino acid the body uses to turn fat into energy. It is not normally considered an essential nutrient because the body can manufacture all it needs. However, supplemental carnitine may improve the ability of certain tissues to produce energy. This effect has led to the use of carnitine in various muscle diseases as well as heart conditions.
ALCAR Sources
There is no dietary dosage requirement for l carnitine. However, a few individuals have a genetic defect that hinders the body's ability to make l carnitine. In addition, diseases of the liver, kidneys, or brain may inhibit carnitine production. Certain medications, especially the antiseizure drugs valproic acid (Depakene) and phenytoin (Dilantin), may reduce carnitine levels; however, whether taking extra carnitine would be helpful has not been determined. Heart muscle tissue, because of its high energy requirements, is particularly vulnerable to carnitine deficiency.
The principal food dietary sources of carnitine are meat and dairy products, but to obtain therapeutic dosages a supplement is necessary.
L-Carnitine - ALCAR Therapeutic Dosages
Typical dosages for the diseases described here range from 200 or 250mg to 1000mg 2-3 times daily. Carnitine is taken in three forms: L-carnitine (for heart and other conditions), propionyl-L-carnitine (for heart conditions), and acetyl-L-carnitine (for Alzheimer's disease). The dosage is the same for all three forms.
ALCAR Therapeutic Uses
Carnitine is primarily used for heart-related conditions. Some evidence suggests that it can be used along with conventional treatment for angina, to improve symptoms and reduce medication needs. When combined with conventional therapy, it may also reduce mortality rates after a heart attack.
Lesser evidence suggests that it may be helpful for a condition called intermittent claudication (pain in the legs after walking due to narrowing of the arteries), as well as congestive heart failure. In addition, a few studies suggest that carnitine may be useful for cardiomyopathy.
Carnitine may also be helpful for improving exercise tolerance in people with chronic pulmonary obstruction disease (COPD), more commonly known as emphysema.
Warning: You should not attempt to self-treat any of these serious medical conditions, nor should you use carnitine as a substitute for standard drugs.
One study found evidence that acetyl-L-carnitine is helpful for Peyronie's disease, a condition affecting the penis.
Some studies have found evidence that one particular form of carnitine, acetyl-l-carnitine, might be helpful in Alzheimer's disease, but the two most recent and largest studies found no benefit. This form of carnitine has also been investigated for treatment of depression in the elderly.
A genetic condition called fragile X syndrome can cause behavioral disturbances such as hyperactivity, along with mental retardation, autism, and alterations in appearance. A preliminary study of 17 boys found that acetyl-L-carnitine might help to reduce hyperactive behavior associated with this condition.
Additionally, a preliminary study suggests that carnitine may be useful for improving blood sugar control in individuals with type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. It also might help prevent diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy (injury to the nerves of the heart caused by diabetes). Weak evidence suggests that carnitine may be able to improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and also help individuals with degeneration of the cerebellum (the structure of the brain responsible for voluntary muscular movement). One very small study suggests carnitine may be helpful for reducing symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. One study suggests that carnitine may be of value for treating hyperthyroidism.
Uncontrolled studies suggest that L-carnitine or acetyl-L-carnitine may be helpful for improving sperm function. Weak evidence also suggests that carnitine may be helpful for decreasing the toxicity of AZT (a drug used to treat AIDS).
Carnitine is widely touted as a physical performance enhancer, but there is no real evidence that it is effective and some research indicates that it does not work. Little to no evidence supports other claimed benefits such as treating irregular heartbeat, Down's syndrome, muscular dystrophy, and alcoholic fatty liver disease.
What are the Scientific Evidence and Facts for ALCAR?
L-Carnitine - ALCAR Angina
Carnitine might be a good addition to standard therapy for angina. In one controlled study, 200 individuals with angina (the exercise-induced variety) took either 2 g daily of L-carnitine or were left untreated. All the study participants continued to take their usual medication for angina. Those taking carnitine showed improvement in several measures of heart function, including a significantly greater ability to exercise without chest pain.70 They were also able to reduce the dosage of some of their heart medications (under medical supervision) as their symptoms decreased.
Another trial that did use a double-blind, placebo-controlled design tested L-carnitine in 52 individuals with angina, and found evidence of benefit. In addition, several small studies (some of them double-blind) tested propionyl-L-carnitine for the treatment of angina, and also found evidence of benefit.
ALCAR and Hardening of The Arteries
People with advanced hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, often have difficulty walking due to lack of blood flow to the legs. Pain may develop after walking less than half a block. Although carnitine does not increase blood flow, it appears to improve the muscle's ability to function under difficult circumstances.
A 12-month double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 485 patients with intermittent claudication evaluated the potential benefits of propionyl-L-carnitine. Participants with relatively severe disease showed a 44% improvement in walking distance as compared to placebo. However, no improvement was seen in those with mild disease. Another double-blind study followed 245 people and also found benefit.
Similar results have been seen in most but not all other studies of L-carnitine or propionyl-L-carnitine. Propionyl-L-carnitine may be more effective for intermittent claudication than plain carnitine.
L-Carnitine - ALCAR Congestive Heart Failure
Several small studies have found that carnitine, often in the form of propionyl-L-carnitine, can improve symptoms of congestive heart failure. In one trial, benefits were maintained for 60 days after treatment with carnitine was stopped.
ALCAR After a Heart Attack
Carnitine may help reduce death rate after a heart attack. In a 12-month placebo-controlled study, 160 individuals who had experienced a heart attack received 4 g of L-carnitine daily or placebo, in addition to other conventional medication. The mortality rate in the treated group was significantly lower than in the placebo group, 1.2% versus 12.5%, respectively. There were also improvements in heart rate, blood pressure, angina (chest pain), and blood lipids. A larger double-blind study of 472 people found that carnitine may improve the chances of survival if given within 24 hours after a heart attack. Note: Carnitine is used along with conventional treatment, not as a substitute for it.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Evidence from three double-blind placebo-controlled studies enrolling a total of 49 individuals suggests that L-carnitine can improve exercise tolerance in COPD, presumably by improving muscular efficiency in the lungs and other muscles.
L-Carnitine - ALCAR and Alzheimer's Disease
Numerous double- or single-blind studies involving a total of more than 1,400 people have evaluated the potential benefits of acetyl-L-carnitine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Early studies found some evidence of benefit, although it was generally quite modest. However, the two most recent and best-designed studies found no benefit.
A double-blind placebo-controlled trial that enrolled 431 participants for 1 year found no significant improvement at all in the group treated with acetyl-L-carnitine. A close look at the results appeared to suggest some benefit in individuals who developed Alzheimer's disease at a particularly young age. However, when this possibility was tested in a 1-year double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 229 patients with early-onset Alzheimer's, no benefits were seen.
L-Carnitine - ALCAR and Mild Depression
A double-blind study of 60 seniors with mild depression found that treatment with 3 g of carnitine daily over a 2-month period significantly improved symptoms as compared to placebo. Positive results were seen in another study as well.
L-Carnitine - Alcar and Hyperthyroidism
Enlargement of the thyroid (goiter) can be due to many causes, including cancer and iodine deficiency. In some cases, thyroid enlargement occurs without any known cause, so-called benign goiter.
Treatment of benign goiter generally consists of taking thyroid hormone pills. This causes the thyroid gland to become less active, and the goiter shrinks. However, there may be undesirable effects as well. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone) can develop, including heart palpitations, nervousness, weight loss, and bone breakdown.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found evidence that use of L-carnitine could alleviate many of these symptoms. This 6-month study evaluated the effects of L-carnitine in 50 women who were taking thyroid hormone for benign goiter. The results showed that a dose of 2 or 4 g of carnitine daily protected participants' bones and reduced other symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
Carnitine is thought to affect thyroid hormone by blocking its action in cells. This suggests a potential concern: Carnitine might be harmful for people who have low or borderline thyroid levels to begin with. This possibility has not been well explored as yet.
ALCAR and Peyronie's Disease
Peyronie's disease is an inflammatory condition of the penis that develops in stages. In the first stage, penile pain occurs with erection; next, the penis becomes curved; finally, erectile dysfunction may occur. Many medications have been tried for Peyronie's disease, with some success. One such drug is tamoxifen (better known as a treatment to prevent breast cancer recurrence.) A 3 month, double-blind study compared the effectiveness of acetyl-L-carnitine (1 gram twice daily) against tamoxifen; the study enrolled 15 men in the first stage of Peyronie's disease and 33 men in the second stage. The result indicated that acetyl-L-carnitine reduced penile curvature while tamoxifen did not; the supplement also reduced pain and slowed disease progression to a greater extent than the drug. Furthermore, while the drug caused various side effectsa and the supplement caused none.
ALCAR and Athletic Performance Enhancement
A 1996 review of clinical studies concluded that no scientific basis exists for the belief that carnitine supplements enhance athletic performance. A few studies have found some benefit, but most have not.
ALCAR Safety Issues
L-carnitine in its three forms appears to be quite safe. However, individuals with low or borderline-low thyroid levels should avoid carnitine because it might impair the action of thyroid hormone.
Individuals on dialysis should not receive this (or any other supplement) without a physician's supervision. The maximum safe dosages for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease have not been established.
L-Carnitine - Interaction Drug Side Effects You Should Know About
If you are taking;
� Antiseizure medications, particularly valproic acid (Depakote, Depakene) but also phenytoin (Dilantin): You may need extra carnitine.
� Thyroid medication: Do not take carnitine except under a physician's supervision
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Vitacel 9 GH9 Plus L-Carnitine + Lycopene + CoQ10
Resources;
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