Swedish seniors that took coenzyme Q10 and selenium during a four-year study were still benefiting 12 years later with a reduced cardiovascular mortality risk of more than 40 percent. In the original study, Linköping University researchers gave 443 independently living seniors over 70 years old either a placebo or 200 milligrams of CoQ10 and 200 micrograms of selenium per day. Those on the supplements showed a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, improved heart function, less hospitalization, more vitality and a better quality of life. Twelve years later, the researchers examined autopsies and death certificates, and found the supplement-takers had a lower risk of death compared to the placebo group, even if they had diabetes, high blood pressure or ischemic heart disease.

This article appears in the May 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.