This time last year I was suffering from what I can only describe as chronic fatigue. No matter what I did, I always felt like all my energy had been drained from me. I knew something was wrong when this feeling started on waking up, before I even got a foot out of bed!
Those who have known me for a while know that I have often been compared to a Duracell battery. Do you remember in one advertisements years ago, the pink rabbit who won the race leaving all the other rabbits behind was the one running on Duracell batteries? That was me. After a day spent outdoors walking or shopping, I would come home and get on my exercise bike. Most of my current long-time friends, whom I met as an adult, I met at my local gym, where after a full day’s work, I would put in 2 hours of exercise and still go home with enough energy to dedicate to my various evening hobbies (all well away from my very comfortable sofa and home!). So this feeling was strange to me. I might be no spring chicken nowadays but I hope I still have a few decades left in me yet! So what was going on?
I went through the checklist of the usual culprits:
1. Lack of sleep – the body usually self regulates and I have never had trouble in this area. I’ll usually go to bed and sleep eight straight hours and naturally wake up without the need for an alarm clock. In fact, during this time I seemed to be sleeping closer to 9 hours per night so lack of sleep could definitely be ruled out!
2. Stress levels – like for most of us in this fast-paced world my stress levels tend to be high, and permanently so, but no more than before. In fact, summertime tends to be the quieter time of the year. Last summer I had enough “free time” on my hands to write and illustrate a recipe book and set up a website, plus start this blog….so roll over culprit number 3
3. Anaemia - I have always tended to have low iron levels in my blood and a tendency towards anaemia if left unchecked, but I take the necessary supplements and control what I eat. In fact blood tests showed I was doing fine, and much better than other times….Could it be 4?
4. Age-related – I might not be as young as I feel, but as I said I am (I hope) far from the grave so, yes, energy does drop with age but so much? I appeared to have less energy than all of the people twice my age I know! So that could not possibly be the real cause.
5. Adrenal Fatigue – this was suggested by a visit to a Naturopathic doctor, and some ad-hoc supplements helped but didn’t solve the fatigue even after the usual three month therapy, so obviously there was more to it than that!
6. Overexertion – hardly the case since I had problems rolling out of bed and to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I was definitely not making it as far as the gym. If anything under exertion might be to blame.
7. Lack of exercise – I tried to continue my life as normal whenever possible, but a trip to the supermarket would send me to the nearest armchair to recover for the next two hours. Besides, exercising sensibly should increase energy levels and I seemed to be running constantly on an empty tank.
8. Thyroid issues – a distinct possibility since this is common in women especially as they near menopause, as well as for those with a family history. Yet the thyroid levels came back at a reasonable level after tests.
Facing all of the above my family doctor, whose many specialisations includes Mitochondrial medicine, suggested we test for what she referred to as “oxidative stress”. Step in Co-enzyme Q10, usually abbreviated to CoQ10.
Co-enzyme Q10
The scientific name for Co-enzyme Q10 (or CoQ10 for short) is ubidecaquinone. This enzyme is found in all animals including humans. It is found in virtually all cell membranes and lipopotreins, and since it can be synthesized in the body it is not considered an essential vitamin. It plays two major roles in our bodies (although it has a long list of important functions).
- The Q10 molecule in its oxidized form known as ubiquinone, acts as a natural anti-oxidant in the cells (the mitochondria) and helps break down free radicals (which are responsible for early signs of ageing and a host of other things)
- The Q10 molecule in its reduced form known as ubiquinol, helps convert the food we eat into energy.
And herein lay the root of my lack of energy. CoQ10 levels should be somewhere in the range of 0.80 to 1.50 mg/l in a healthy individual. Mine were much below the minimum level so I was put on supplementation by my doctor and was tested again two more times in the course of a few months while I continued the supplementation until they came back within an acceptable range.
Symptoms of low CoQ10
The symptoms of low CoQ10 are similar to those of adrenal fatigue and can include any or all of the following:
- Since about 75% of the body’s energy levels are produced using CoQ10, the main symptom is low energy or fatigue
- Mental fatigue also goes hand in hand with physical fatigue
- Headaches, migraines, muscles and joint pain
- Weak immune system leading to frequent colds and flu, and even gum infections
- Heart palpitations
- Problems losing weight
The health risks of low CoQ10
Although it is normal for levels of CoQ10 to decrease as we age, it is important to monitor the levels as it can lead to a host of serious medical conditions.
- Heart disease, such as heart failure and ischaemic heart disease
- Lowered immune function
- Diabetes
- Degenerative neurological diseases
- Low energy levels and lowered metabolic function
- Headaches and migraines
- Prevents blood clots
Who should be taking CoQ10?
As you have seen above CoQ10 is important for overall good health and there are certain groups of people who should consider taking a supplement:
· those over 40-45 (see dietary sources below)
· People suffering from chronic heart failure
· Those on statin medications
· Those suffering from high blood pressure
· Athletes and those exercising strenuously every day
Since CoQ10 was discovered in 1957 supplementation had always been in the form of Ubiquinone. It was only in 2006 that Ubiquinol made its appearance commercially. This opened up a long running debate as to whether one form is better than the other.
The body can make ubiquinol from ubiquinone and vice versa, and has the capacity to switch back and forth between the two forms many times per second until there are reserves. It has been therefore been suggested that the form you take does not make a lot of difference as long as it is good quality.
Ubiquinol is a hydrosoluble milky white substance and is usually much more expensive than ubiquinone, which appears yellowish, because the manufacturing process is more costly. For proper absorption the important thing to bear in mind is that, either form needs to be processed properly and it should be blended with vegetable oils in a soft gel capsule that can withstand the damaging effects of exposure to light. As long as this is respected then either supplement, ubiquinone or ubiquinol, is fine to take. However, before embarking on a course, you should visit your doctor who can test your levels and recommend the daily dosage, usually to be taken twice a day. Since good ubiquinol supplements in particular can be very expensive, it will also be useful to check whether your health plan will cover all or part the cost.
Supplementing with Foods
If you want to increase your CoQ10 as a preventative measure and you are not a fan of supplements in pill form, you can also choose to increase the CoQ10 levels through your diet. The following are some of the foods high in Coq10:
1. Oily fish : salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel
2. Organ meats: liver and kidneys
3. Vegetables: spinach, broccoli, cauliflower
4. Legumes: peanuts, soybeans
These might not be enough if you have serious CoQ10 deficiencies, however, although they might help alongside the prescribed supplements.
I am happy to say that after three months of supplementation and rest, I got my Duracell powers back, although I can’t honestly say I am as bouncy as I was in my twenties, at least I no longer feel like a premature old age pensioner! I cannot promise you miracles by eating CoQ10 rich foods or supplementing with Ubiquinol, but for once it appears there is such thing as a magic pill involved in staying younger at heart in more ways than one!
