CoEnzyme Q10 Fights Heart Failure

The antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 has been promoted for years as a way to treat heart failure. Studies gave conflicting results, but a new meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials shows modest benefit in the ejection fraction, a measure of how well the heart pumps blood.
There were 13 studies included in the analysis, and the dose of CoQ10 ranged from 60 to 300 mg per day. The primary side effect reported was digestive distress. The investigators urge further research on this supplement to see whether its benefits are limited to people with milder heart failure conditions.
[American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online Dec.5, 2012]