Sunday Aug 31, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study suggests coenzyme Q10 can be used as an adjuvant therapy to help patients with heart failure who are receiving the standard treatment atorvastatin.

Scientists at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Isfahan, Iran compared the combinational coenzyme Q10 CoQ10)/atorvastatin therapy with the standard congestive heart failure treatment, atorvastatin and found the combinational therapy more effective than atorvastatin as a mono-therapy.

Enrolled in the study were 62 patients who received either 10mg atorvastatin daily plus 100 mg CoQ10 pearl supplement twice daily or 10 mg atorvastatin daily for four months.

The study found the combinational therapy increased ejection fraction and improved the New York Heart Association Function Class, compared to use of atorvastatin alone in  patients with heart failure.

Heart failure which is often times chronic occurs when the heart fails to pump sufficiently to maintain normal blood flow to meet the needs of the body.   Heart failure which results from several cardiovascular diseases is a major cause of deaths.  

In addition to Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin D, potassium supplements, testosterone supplements, whole grain products, dark chocolate, physical activity and marine n-3 fatty acids can help prevent heart failure or improve the outcome of the health condition, while obesity, physical inactivity, chemotherapy, diabetes mellitus drugs, and processed meat are linked with high risk of heart failure and worse prognosis of this condition.

Pourmoghaddas M, Rabbani M, Shahabi J, Garakyaraghi M, Khanjani R, Hedayat P.  Combination of atorvastatin/coenzyme Q10 as adjunctive treatment in congestive heart failure: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.  ARYA Atheroscler. 2014 Jan;10(1):1-5.