Co enzyme Q may prevent heart disease in people with a low birth weight

Promising new research involving rats suggests that if you were born at a low birth weight, supplemental co-enzyme Q (CoQ) may lower your risk for heart disease. This enzyme, which is naturally made in the body, is required to ensure the proper functioning of cell mitochondria and also protects cells from oxidative damage. Feeding low birth weight rat offspring extra CoQ prevented the age-associated damage that causes heart disease. Additionally, the reports shows that CoQ is reduced in white blood cells from low birth weight offspring, and levels of CoQ in the blood can be an indicator of how much damage to the aorta has already occurred.