The findings of these combined studies were consistent with other data concluding that diets high in fish demonstrate a reduced occurrence of death from coronary heart disease. This is especially true in relation to deaths that are of a non-sudden nature. That is not to conclude, however, that fish consumption does not inversely affect risk of sudden cardiac death. Other studies have verified that such a relationship exists. Those studies are, however, beyond scope of this essay.

But why does fish consumption improve heart health? It could just be fact that people who eat fish eat less of other harmful foods. To focus a little more closely on beneficial causes of fish consumption it is important to consider at least one study that isolated omega-3 intake via dietary supplements regardless of diet. The interesting thing about this study is that it was concerned with effects of omega-3 and vitamin E supplementation on patients who had already experienced a heart attack.

The GISSI-Prevenzione trial, as it is known, hoped to establish any relationship that might exist between omega-3 and vitamin E as combined agents in fight against heart disease. It was a randomized trial involving 11,234 patients who had survived a heart attack within previous three months at time study began. The participants were divided into four groups. Group one received one gram of omega-3 supplements daily. Group two received 300mg of vitamin E every day. Group three received both while control group received neither. Each participant received clinical examinations with blood samples taken and were asked to fill out diet questionnaires at outset of experiment and at six, twelve, eighteen, thirty and forty-two months.

The data were analyzed using two methods. A two-way analysis was made comparing omega-3 supplementing and no omega-3, as well as vitamin E intake compared to no vitamin E. A four-way analysis was also conducted comparing combination of omega-3 and vitamin E with omega-3 alone and vitamin E alone. The effects of combined supplements were also compared with group that took no supplements.

The results of test demonstrated a 14% decrease in death from any cause for two-way analysis and a 20% drop in death rate for four-way analysis. Concerning only death due to cardiovascular disease, two-way analysis showed a 17% reduction of risk while four-way analysis revealed a 30% decrease. Though vitamin E is known to be a powerful antioxidant, group that supplemented with combination of omega-3 and vitamin E showed no life-expectancy advantage over group that supplemented with only omega-3.

The overall conclusion of GISSI-Prevenzione trial was that supplementing with omega-3 provided long term benefits in lowering risk of death for patients who had experienced a myocardial infarction.

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But if CoQ10 is biosynthesized in our bodies why do we often suffer from deficiency? There are at least three causes. The first is an insufficient diet. Dietary intake of CoQ10 is an important factor in total blood and tissue levels of compound. If we do not consume enough of foods that contain CoQ10 then body must make up difference. Further, biosynthesis of Coenzyme Q10 is a complex 17-step process involving a whole string of B vitamins, vitamin C and pantothenic acid. Diets deficient in these compounds make CoQ10 synthesis impossible. This is not place to discuss condition of average diet and vitamin deficient nature of many of our food sources. Suffice it to say that most of us do not get nearly enough CoQ10 or other vitamins necessary for optimal synthesis.

The second cause of deficiency is linked to first, and that is impairment of CoQ10 biosynthesis. In addition to inadequate intakes of compounds necessary to make CoQ10 there are other biological reasons for inadequate production of it. These might include physiological conditions and chronic diseases that cause failure in production. The treatments of diseases can also be a factor. For instance use of statins to control cholesterol levels has been implicated in depletion of CoQ10 levels. The catch-22 is, in treating heart disease we use drugs that deplete natural compounds that in turn are necessary to fight heart disease.

The third cause of CoQ10 deficiency is excessive use of compound by body. This again can be related to medications, aging or other causes such as excessive exertion, hypermetabolism, and acute shock states.

The real cause of CoQ10 deficiency is usually a combination of these three influences. It is likely that average CoQ10 levels which have been observed in humans are suboptimal. In other words, normal levels of CoQ10 that have become standard for comparisons are very likely less than optimal. That would mean that extremely low levels observed in connection with chronic diseases are just worse case scenarios and that other less serious maladies are connected with lesser levels of deficiency.

If this sounds too much like laboratory theory, it isn’t. Patients who suffer from chronic diseases and also demonstrate extreme low levels of CoQ10 are not laboratory specimens. They are people who, in many cases, have been greatly helped by CoQ10 supplementation. If chronic disease is only tip of iceberg when it comes to CoQ10 deficiency one is forced to wonder what better diets and CoQ10 supplementing could do for eradication of diseases and other chronic conditions.

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/coq10.html