Pharma Nord CoQ10 used in major clinical trial
In a trial which will run across 12 months the University of Bristol is to explore how coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) could alleviate symptoms of heart failure and improve quality of life.
Heart failure is a long-term condition which affects over 900,000 UK residents, typically causing breathlessness, fatigue and swollen legs. But Dr Angus Nightingale, consultant cardiologist at Bristol Heart Institute, and co-investigator in the trial, believes CoQ10 could reduce hospital admissions and improve survival rates in patients with chronic heart failure.
Now, a new £2 million grant awarded by the Department of Health and Social Care will allow Nightingale and his team to determine to what degree the supplement can enhance patients’ quality of life.
Quality assurance
As with previous landmark studies of this size, supplements brand Pharma Nord has been selected to provide the CoQ10 needed for the trials.
Under clinical lead Dr Rachel Johnson, adults with a diagnosis of heart failure with evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction will receive a 100mg dose of ubiquinone (or matched placebo capsule) three times daily for a year, alongside their usual medical protocol.
Additionally, the study aims to assess CoQ10’s potential to ‘ease the socio-economic burden associated with the condition’, building on ground-breaking research already conducted in Copenhagen.
Pharma Nord says what makes the study ‘particularly compelling’ is that although the supplements market is considered to be strong it is often driven by ‘slick marketing’ rather than scientific integrity, with many brands ‘prioritizing cheap, mass-produced products over quality formulations that could genuinely improve people’s health’. The brand hopes the University of Bristol trial will open doors for wider conversations about ‘how poor quality supplements are flooding the market, misleading consumers and ultimately costing them both their money and their health’.
Alan Boag, UK and Ireland country manager, Pharma Nord, comments: “Pharma Nord is delighted to once again be the chosen brand for coenzyme Q10 in cardiovascular research. Our supplements are manufactured under pharmaceutical control and backed by proven bioavailability, setting us apart in the industry. We hope this study will strengthen the evidence for Q10’s role in cardiovascular health, because ultimately, our mission is to help people live healthier lives.”
Once the initial phase of the trial concludes, a follow-up is planned in five years (subject to further funding).
By Rosie Greenaway, editor