Benefits & Features

Benefits

• Increased energy production
• Helps maintain gum health
• Antioxidant for mitochondria
• Helps maintain cardiovascular health

Features

• Highest-quality coenzyme Q10 in the world
• Coenzyme Q10 derived from a plant source
• No harsh solvents used in extraction process
• 60-count capsules

The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels. Through this system, blood circulates throughout the body. All body organs and tissues need a supply of blood to receive nutrition and to remove waste products.

A major factor in cardiovascular disease is lifestyle. A poor diet, lack of excerise, and smoking all contribute to making cardiovascular disease the biggest killer in North America. Changing your lifestyle, and using supplements such as coenzyme Q10, can help you maintain your cardio health.
Every day, the some 100 trillion cells in the body work hard. They ingest and digest nutrients, remove waste, and reproduce. Healthy cells provide the energy that ensures that we wake up in the morning, get to work, enjoy different types of recreation, and make it to bed at night. To perform all the tasks that they must, cells create 0their own energy. The production of energy at the cellular level is commonly known as bioenergetics. Considering how active the human body is-remember that an average person uses 60 percent of his or her daily energy on base metabolism-we can see how important bioenergetics is.

Bioenergetics is dependent on food because cells manufacture their own energy by burning the substances found in foods. To do this, the foods we eat are broken down into smaller and smaller components, most of which are absorbed by the body. Some of these components, after a series of chemical reactions, are converted into a substance called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the body's major form of stored energy. 

All cellular function requires an adequate supply of ATP. Without ATP, the body would not have enough energy to perform its millions of everyday tasks-including such basic tasks as respiration and digestion-not to mention the energy for such things as dancing, cycling, or golfing.
You can see, then, that it is important that our bodies have the most efficient means possible to produce this valuable substance. Coenzyme Q10 is a key in the formation of ATP; if we are lacking in coenzyme Q10, we cannot produce ATP efficiently.

Coenzyme Q10 acts as a shuttle, carrying important, energy-laden electrons and protons around the cell, to eventually be turned into ATP. Without this shuttle, ATP would not be created, and cells would not be able to create the energy needed for both everyday energy and special energy needs. According to a 1990 article in the American Journal of Cardiology, "Coenzyme Q10 is necessary for the mitochondria [components of cells] to perform their functions and is essential for human life."

What are the implications of bioenergetics and coenzyme Q10 for health? As stated, all of our cells must produce energy for us to stay alive, and coenzyme Q10 is an essential part of this energy production. It is thus logical that a deficiency in coenzyme Q10 in any of the body's cells would affect body functions.

Many studies have shown that people suffering from different forms of heart disease are deficient in coenzyme Q10. This makes sense, as congestive heart failure results from the inability of the heart to generate the energy and strength necessary to maintain circulation. There are also studies on the effect of coenzyme Q10 on the gums, on the immune system, and as an antioxidant.

^AIMCellSparc Q^TM

^AIMCellSparc Q^TM contains pure coenzyme Q10. It comes from Japan where initial coenzyme Q10 research was done and where it is used by millions of people on a daily basis. It is derived from a plant source and not buffered with unwanted fillers.

Less expensive brands of coenzyme Q10 contain only small amounts of actual coenzyme Q10 and may include a number of unwanted fillers such as yeast, egg or milk derivatives, artificial flavors, and coloring agents. ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM contains no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.

For this reason, ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM dissolves rapidly for optimum results. Other coenzyme Q10 products are often in tablet form. The binders needed to make these tablets can inhibit the assimilation of the coenzyme Q10, or totally block its absorption, allowing it to pass whole through the digestive system. Because it is a fine powder in easy-to-digest capsules, ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM can be quickly absorbed and utilized by the body.

Q & A

Why should I take coenzyme Q10?

Studies have found that as we age our bodies cannot produce coenzyme Q10 as efficiently and its supply diminishes. It is important to keep adequate levels of coenzyme Q10 in our bodies. However, finding healthy food sources of coenzyme Q10 can be difficult. The best sources of coenzyme Q10 are animal muscle tissues, but many people prefer not to eat these types of food. ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM is produced from plant sources. Using it provides a way to maintain your body's level of coenzyme Q10 without compromising other dietary considerations.

Can I take more than the suggested amount?

^AIMCellSparc Q^TM is nontoxic, so larger amounts are acceptable, depending on your assessment of your nutritional needs.
Why must I store ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM away from heat, humidity, and sunlight?
Because the coenzyme Q10 used in ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM is so pure that it has a relatively low melting temperature. This will not hurt the efficacy of the product.

What is the difference between ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM and ^AIMCellSparc360^TM?

^AIMCellSparc Q^TM is a pure coenzyme Q10 product: It contains only coenzyme Q10 and the rice powder filler. ^AIMCellSparc 360^TM combines coenzyme Q10 with fish oil and tocotrienols, two other substances that help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. For more information, consult the product data sheet for ^AIMCellSparc 360^TM. 

How to use ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM

Take 2 capsules per day. You may take more or less depending on your needs.
For best absorption and assimilation, take ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM with meals.
The results experienced by users of ^AIMCellSparc Q^TM usually vary with each individual. Some people notice benefits immediately. Others see results after 6 to 8 weeks.
Shelf life is 3 years, unopened. Close tightly after opening and store in a cool, dry, dark place (70-75 øF; 20.1-23.8 øC). Do not refrigerate.
If pregnant or nursing, consult a health
practitioner.
If you have diabetes, consult a health practitioner.

See also CellSparc 360 another high quality coenzyme Q10 product.

History of coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is a relatively new substance in the eyes of the American research community. It was first discovered in the United States in 1957 by professor F.L. Crane and his colleagues at the University of Wisconsin Enzyme Institute. In 1958, the chemical structure of coenzyme Q10 was reported by Dr. D.E. Wolf and a research group at Merck Laboratories led by medical researcher Dr. Karl Folkers. Folkers would become a leading research scientist and authority on coenzyme Q10 in the United States.

In 1963, the Japanese began testing the compound. Because of the positive results of these tests, Japanese scientists aggressively pursued further studies of coenzyme Q10, and taking coenzyme Q10 daily soon gained wide acceptance in Japan.

Although many research scientists throughout the world were interested in studying coenzyme Q10, research was hampered due to the cost of producing it. Extracting it from beef heart, the source that Dr. Crane first used, made coenzyme Q10's cost prohibitive. In the 1970s, the Japanese began to find alternative ways to produce coenzyme Q10. They were successful in finding a more cost-effective process, and the price began to come down.

As coenzyme Q10 became more available, research picked up. In 1978, British scientist Peter Mitchell received a Nobel Prize for his hypothesis about the role of coenzyme Q10 and the transfer of energy in the mitochondria. In 1986, Dr. Folkers was awarded the prestigious Priestly Medal of the American Chemical Society for his research on coenzyme Q10.

From 1957 through 1988, there were some 2,300 medical studies on coenzyme Q10. Since then, there have been countless others. 

Coenzyme Q10 and human nutrition

Coenzyme Q10 is found in the foods we eat, but not often in large amounts. The best sources of coenzyme Q10 are animal organs, some types of fish, and vegetable oils such as soybean, rapeseed, and sesame. It is found in lesser quantities in rice bran and wheat germ, and in soy and other beans. It is also found in vegetables, in particular spinach and broccoli. Coenzyme Q10 is easily destroyed in the cooking process, and in refined grains much of the coenzyme Q10 is removed.

However, the body does not necessarily need a direct source of coenzyme Q10 to maintain adequate levels. The body can also manufacture coenzyme Q10 from other members of the coenzyme Q family. Coenzyme Q10 is but one of ten, and possibly more, members of the coenzyme Q family.

The most basic form of coenzyme Q is a circle of chemical elements that form a single coenzyme Q molecule. This coenzyme Q molecule can have side chains that contain five carbon atoms. It is the number of side chains that is the basis for the number assigned to each member of the coenzyme Q family. For example, coenzyme Q1 has one side chain of five carbon atoms. Coenzyme Q2 has two side chains of five carbon atoms each, for a total of ten carbon atoms. In coenzyme Q10, there are ten side chains and a total of 50 carbon atoms. Human tissue contains only coenzyme Q10.

To change other coenzyme Qs into coenzyme Q10, the liver breaks down the side chains. It then reassembles them to form coenzyme Q10. For example, a meal consisting of shellfish, vegetables, and mushrooms provides coenzyme Q9 and coenzyme Q7. The liver breaks these coenzymes down and manufactures coenzyme Q10 from their components.

The creation of coenzyme Q10 by the body is a complex process. To make this change, at least three different classes of starting molecules are required, at least 15 different reactions are necessary (each begun by an enzyme), and there are many cofactor substances. This means that coenzyme Q10 is difficult for the body to produce because all the component parts must be available in sufficient quantities at the same time. Some of the essential cofactors are not created by the body. A deficiency in any of these-vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, C, and folate-would make it difficult for the liver to produce enough coenzyme Q10. Unfortunately, the older you get, the less ability you have to produce coenzyme Q10 from other members of the coenzyme Q family.

Our lives and environment also affect coenzyme Q10 levels; stressful lives and polluted environments can deplete coenzyme Q10 from body tissue. 

According to Dr. Folkers, these factors-nutrient deficiencies, age, stress, and pollution-could lead to a deficiency of coenzyme Q10. By some estimates, as many as 75 percent of people over age 50 in the United States could be deficient in coenzyme Q10.

Suggested Reading
Bliznakov, Emile G., M.D., and Gerald L. Hunt. The Miracle Nutrient Coenzyme Q10. New York: Bantam Books, 1987.

Langsjoen, Per; Peter H. Langsjoen; and Karl Folkers. "Long-term efficacy and safety of coenzyme Q10 therapy for idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy." American Journal of Cardiology 65, no. 7 (February 15, 1990).

Wagner, Eugene S. Coenzyme Q10, The Vital Spark of Life. American Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1992.