Cholesterol, High Cholesterol

Taking statins (atorvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin), prescribed to lower a person’s cholesterol level, have been demonstrated to lower the amount of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the blood, in as little as 3 months on standard doses. Forty-two participants being treated for high cholesterol were administered atorvastatin 10 mg (n = 10) and 20 mg (n = 7), simvastatin, 10 mg (n = 5) and 20 mg (n = 10), or pravastatin, 20 mg (n = 5) and 40 mg (n = 5). At the end of the study, these drugs not only inhibited the body’s internal production of cholesterol but also the body’s production of coQ10. (91)

Coenzyme Q10, cholesterol, and blood pressure:

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may be effective in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. In this study 26 individuals with high blood pressure were supplemented with CoQ10 at a dose of 50 mg twice daily for 10 weeks. At the end of the treatment with CoQ10, CoQ10 levels increased by 0.94 mcg/ml, systolic blood pressure decreased from an average of 164.5 mmHg to 146.7 mmHg, while diastolic blood pressure decreased from an average of 98.1 mmHg to 86.1 mmHg. Average total cholesterol decreased slightly, from 222 mg/dL to 213 mg/dL, while there was no significant change in HDL cholesterol levels (41.1 mg/dL to 43.1 mg/dL). (92)