CoQ10 Reduces Heart Failure-Related Mortality

Clinical trials that evaluated CoQ10 in heart failure patients found that it improved exercise capacity and survival.*

A systematic review and meta-analysis included 16 randomized controlled trials that evaluated CoQ10’s effect on mortality, exercise capacity, or left ventricular ejection fraction in people with heart failure.

Among the eight trials that evaluated mortality, there were 65 deaths among the 1,049 participants who received CoQ10 and 116 deaths among 1,087 participants who received a placebo, resulting in a 40% lower risk of premature mortality among those who received CoQ10.

Among the five trials that evaluated exercise capacity the results showed that CoQ10 supplementation resulted in significant improvements compared to placebo.

Editor’s Note:There was no significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction in the group that received CoQ10 compared to the placebo, suggesting that CoQ10 may benefit people with heart failure through mechanisms other than increasing ejection fraction.

*Future Cardiol. 2024 Mar 11;20(4):221-228.

Coffee, Tea, Caffeine May Protect Against Multiple Diseases

A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that consuming moderate amounts of caffeine, tea and coffee was associated with a reduced risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity, which was defined as having at least two of three diseases: coronary heart disease, stroke, or type II diabetes.*

Researchers analyzed data from 188,091 UK Biobank participants to determine the relationship between coffee and tea intake and the risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity.  A similar analysis of 172,315 UK Biobank participants evaluated the effects of caffeine intake on cardiometabolic multimorbidity risk.

All amounts of coffee or caffeine intake were associated with a lower risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases during follow-up. Moderate caffeine intake, defined as 200–300 mg caffeine per day, was associated with a 40.7% lower risk of new onset cardiometabolic multimorbidity compared with consuming less than 100 mg caffeine.

Editor’s Note: Drinking three cups of coffee daily was associated with a 48.1% lower risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases than not drinking coffee, the researchers found.

*J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024 Sep 17:dgae552.

Magnesium-L-Threonate Improves Sleep Quality, Daytime Alertness

Sleep quality and daytime functioning significantly improved among people who received a type of magnesium known as magnesium-L-threonate, compared with a placebo, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm study found.*

The study included 80 men and women, aged 35-55, who reported poor sleep quality. For 21 days, 40 participants received 1,000 mg magnesium L-threonate per day, and 40 subjects received a placebo. Sleep quality and daytime mood and activity were assessed weekly using questionnaires, and daily by means of diaries, and wearable sleep and activity trackers.

Compared to those receiving a placebo, the magnesium-L-threonate-supplemented individuals had better deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep scores. They also reported improvements in behavior after waking, with better mood and mental alertness compared with the placebo group.

Editor’s Note: Daily diary entries documented better perceived energy and daytime productivity.

*Sleep Med X. 2024 Aug 17:8:100121.

40% of Cancer Cases and 44% of Cancer Deaths Attributed to Avoidable Risk Factors

A study led by American Cancer Society researchers found that in 2019, 40% of cancer cases and 44% of cancer deaths in adults 30 years and older in the U.S. were attributed to potentially modifiable risk factors.*

The researchers examined data for 30 cancer types from 1,781,649 men and women aged 30 years and older, in 2019. The risk factors evaluated included smoking, second-hand smoke exposure, excess weight, alcohol intake, dietary factors, physical inactivity, ultraviolet radiation, and more.

Smoking cigarettes was the number one avoidable cancer risk factor, which was associated with 19.3% of cancer cases and 28.5% of cancer deaths. Being overweight was associated with 7.6% of cancer cases and 7.3% of cancer deaths.

Editor’s Note: “For 19 of 30 evaluated cancer types, more than one half of the cancer cases and deaths were attributable to the potentially modifiable risk factors considered in this study,” the researchers stated.

*CA Cancer J Clin. 2024 Sep-Oct;74(5):405-432.