Excerpted from the Life Extension Foundation magazine

Strengthening the Body’s Immune Response

Because CoQ10 enhances the ability of immune cells to disable invading pathogens, scientists believe it may benefit people confronted with various challenges to the immune system, ranging from allergies to HIV infection.

Some scientists describe allergies as conditions in which the body’s immune system reacts to generally harmless substances as though they were dangerous invaders. Researchers have demonstrated that people with asthma related to allergies have decreased blood levels of CoQ10, leading them to suggest CoQ10 supplementation as a way to modulate allergic conditions such as hay fever. Researchers in Texas similarly encountered low CoQ10 levels in people suffering from rhinitis and other allergies; they believe that further studies may elucidate a role for CoQ10 in managing a wide array of allergy syndromes.

Individuals suffering from active HIV infection are often vulnerable to a range of infections due to their weakened immune function, and typically demonstrate diminished levels of CoQ10. Supplemental CoQ10 at a dose of 200 mg daily has been found to help improve the ratio of beneficial T-helper immune cells to detrimental T-suppressor immune cells.

A recent report suggests another potential role for CoQ10 in patients with HIV. A drug commonly used to treat HIV, called zidovudine or azidothymidine (AZT), is associated with the potential side effect of muscle disorders. In 2005, Australian researchers reported a case history in which CoQ10 treatment relieved zidovudine-associated muscle disease. The resolution of the patient’s myopathy allowed him to continue receiving treatment with zidovudine.

These studies suggest that CoQ10 may provide valuable assistance to people battling various allergic conditions, as well as enhanced immune support for HIV-infected individuals.

This article also discusses how CoQ10 can help melanoma, photoaging, prostate and breast cancers, blood glucose and diabetes, endothelial dysfunction, Parkinson’s and neurodegenerative diseases, migraines, vision, dental health, and male fertility. Click here for the full article.

For hay fever sufferers, European clinical studies have demonstrated that butterbur, a flowering herb, can be as effective as the leading allergy drugs Zyrtec® and Allegra®.

This represents a remarkable breakthrough for all allergy patients—they can now be free of the debilitating side effects of traditional antihistamines used to treat allergies, including palpitations, severe drowsiness, and fatigue.

Additional research has identified rosmarinic acid as an aid in normalizing the inflammation and immune response that accompany allergic reactions. Together, these two botanical agents offer great relief for many of the nearly 40 million Americans now suffering from allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

For the complete article and additional supplement information, check out the Life Extension Foundation.