The benefits of Coenzyme Q10 for cancer patients

I originally started looking into CoQ10 to help protect my wife's heart from doxorubicin toxicity. Go to any knowledgeable health practitioner (ND, nutritionist, alternative doctor) and they will insist that you take CoQ10 to protect against doxorubicin toxicity. My wife, being a cell biologist did some research by Kenneth Conklin and thought that it made sense.

That said, I am now seeing small studies and anecdotes claiming that "high-dose" CoQ10 can even reverse cancer. There is also evidence that CoQ10 levels are lower in cancer patients.

So I'm going to research this more. Here are some interesting links I've found thus far:

• http://www.life-enthusiast.com/exsula/ingredients/ing_coenzyme_q10.htm
  "Dr. Judy suggests a way to improve the absorption of CoQ10 capsules into the blood stream. Put the capsules of CoQ10 in hot tea which
  melts them. CoQ10 needs fat to get improved absorption. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil preferably but butter will also work. Drink the tea warm or hot."
• http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/09/10/coq10-canc...
• http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2003/07/31/cq10_coenzyme_q10_and_c...

Tips

• Some people don't metabolize the standard form of CoQ10 (ubiquinone). They should look into Ubiquinol instead.
• CoQ10 should be taken with meals and some fat (It's fat soluble).
• See the tip in the links section above where Dr. Judy suggests a way to improve absorption.
• There are various formulations out there that claim superior absorption. One of them is Xymogen CoQMax. They claim around 500-600% better bioavailability.

Research links

• http://www.immed.org/JAN08Updates/NicolsonCCTR2.pdf
• http://ict.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/4/2/110
• http://www.cancer.duke.edu/btc/docs/patient_education/CAM.pdf
• http://www.leaonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15327914NC3701_1?cookieSet=1&j...
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15911925
• http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/Chemotherapy.htm
• http://www.springerlink.com/content/l7w834478g220312/
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17610809
  Cardioprotection against the toxic effects of anthracyclines given to children with cancer: a systematic review.
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7752832
  Protective effect of coenzyme Q10 on anthracyclines cardiotoxicity: control study in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17242696
  Clinical and cost-effectiveness of cardioprotection against the toxic effects of anthracyclines given to children with cancer: a systematic review.