==================
The “Awesome Foursome,” which includes Coenzyme Q10,
L-Carnitine, D-Ribose, and Magnesium, assists our hearts to
better metabolize energy and protects them from the stress of
cardiovascular disease. This combination goes straight to the
basic biochemistry of cellular energy metabolism. In order to
see how Coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine, D-Ribose, and magnesium work
together to promote cardiovascular health, we must first the
affects of each one in particular.
Coenzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect the
mitochondrial membrane, mitochondrial membrane, mitochondrial
DNA, and cell walls from free-radical attack, is most important
in the body for its central role in energy metabolism. About
ninety percent of the ATP is used by the cells for food and
oxidized in the mitochondria. Fatty acids, carbohydrates, and
proteins enter the Krebs’ cycle and move from step to step
spinning off electrons after being carried across the
mitochondrial membrane. These electrons are sent to the
electron transport chain where the energy is captured as a
phosphate group is added to ADP, forming ATP. By recycling
ATP, CO2 and water are produced in the process called oxidative
phosphorylation. Through this, Coenzyme Q10 makes sure that the
electrons are carried to just the right place to pass on their
energy. Without Coenzyme Q10, the electron transport chain
would completely break down. Because the electron transport
chain is the largest contributor to cellular energy turnover,
losing it would be catastrophic to the body. It is necessary
for there to be an excess of Coenzyme Q10 in the mitochondria
to be maximally effective. Only having enough is not
sufficient in order for the job to be done properly, while a
deficiency greatly affects the mitochondria’s ability to supply
the cell with energy. Coenzyme Q10 deficiency can be caused by
cellular stress, as it places a great deal of strain on
Coenzyme Q10 availability. Those with heart disease,
hypertension, gingival disease, and Parkinson’s disease are
known to be deficient in Coenzyme Q10. Although it is not
determined whether the deficiencies are the cause or the effect
of these medical problems, the result is that they sap the life
out of the mitochondria and reduce energy supplies. Coenzyme
Q10 cannot function properly if there are no electrons coming
out of the Krebs’ cycle and the Krebs’ cycle does not work
without the fuel transported into the mitochondria by
L-carnitine.
Because fatty acids are the preferred energy fuel for hearts
and most other cells in the body, L-carnitine is necessary for
its ability to facilitate beta oxidation of fatty acids as
energy fuel. This action is critical to cell and tissue
function because fatty acids are the preferred fuel for energy
recycling in cells. L-carnitine is deficient in people with
heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, lipid metabolic
disorders, mitochondrial disorders, which disrupts the normal
metabolism of fatty acids and reduces available energy supplies
and leads to the accumulation of toxic by-products from fatty
acid metabolism. Through L-carnitine supplementation, fatty
acid metabolism can be revived and normal mitochondrial
function can be restored. However, this improvement in
cellular energy metabolism can’t make up for the energy drain
that comes from the loss of energy that is caused by low oxygen
delivery to the tissue. But, D-Ribose can make up for the
energy drain.
As long as there is enough L-carnitine and Coenzyme Q10 in the
body, the process of energy utilization and supply can proceed,
allowing cells and tissues to have plenty of oxygen and leaving
the pool of energy substrates in the cell high. The cellular
supply of oxygen can be restricted by acute or chronic heart
disease, peripheral vascular disease, many skeletal or
neuromuscular diseases and even high-intensity exercise. Cells
that are deprived of oxygen cause the mitochondrial energy
turnover to become inefficient. Because oxygen is required to
let the oxidative pathway of energy recycling to work properly,
the cellular energy supply cannot keep up with the demand if the
mitochondria can not recycle energy efficiently. However, the
cell has a constant need for energy, causing it to use all its
ATP stores and then continue to break down the by-product ADP,
leaving AMP which is quickly broken apart by the by-products
and washed out of the cell. This results in depletion in the
cellular pool of energy substrates. Ribose is the only
compound that is used by the body to refill the energy pool.
It is made naturally in the cells from glucose. Although every
cell in the body has the capacity to make ribose, the heart,
muscles, and most other tissues lack the metabolic machinery to
make ribose rapidly when the cells are stressed from oxygen
depletion. When oxygen deprivation is chronic or when energy
metabolism is disrupted by disease, there may be so much strain
on the energy supply pool that the pool cannot refill without
the assistance of supplemental ribose. With supplemental
ribose, the cell is able to keep up with the energy drain.
Magnesium, an essential mineral that is critical for energy
requiring processes, protein synthesis, membrane integrity,
nervous tissue conduction, neuromuscular excitation, muscle
contraction, hormone secretion, maintenance of vascular tone,
and intermediary metabolism, can lead to changes in
neuromuscular, cardiovascular, immune, and hormonal function;
impaired energy metabolism, and reduced capacity for physical
work when there is a deficiency. A deficiency of magnesium may
reduce the activity of important enzymes that are used in energy
metabolism. Without adequate levels of magnesium in our cells,
the cellular processes of energy metabolism can not function.
Even the slightest changes in magnesium levels can have a great
effect on heart and blood vessel function. Although magnesium
is found in most food, deficiencies are increasing due to
softened water and a trend in lower vegetable consumption.
Each member of the “Awesome Foursome” is fundamental to energy
metabolism on its own, playing a vital role in supplying the
heart with the energy needed to preserve its contractile force.
Each is effective independently in helping hearts work through
the stress of disease, but together they are unbeatable. In
order to fuel all its metabolic functions, the cell needs a
large, healthy pool of energy. To keep the pool vibrant and
healthy, the cell needs ribose. Even with supplemental ribose,
the cell needs the efficient turnover of its energy stores to
balance ongoing energy utilization and supply, which is where
Coenzyme Q10 and L-carnitine come in. These two nutrients keep
mitochondrial operations running at peak efficiency. Magnesium
acts as the glue, holding energy metabolism together by turning
on the enzymes that drive metabolic reactions. Together, these
four nutrients reduce suffering and improve the quality of life
for thousands of people. Coenzyme Q10, L-Carnitine, D-Ribose,
and Magnesium can be found at your local or internet health
food store.
About The Author: Visit VitaNet Health Foods at
http://vitanetonline.com/ VitaNet sells high quality vitamins
like d-ribose for heart health at discount prices and name
brands like Source Naturals and Solaray. Please link to this
site when using this article.
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=153477
==================