Hydrogenated Oils

Hydrogenated oils. We’ve heard they aren’t great for our health but are they really that bad? Well, let’s talk about what hydrogenation entails. We know that many vegetable oils start out as unsaturated. A catalyst, usually nickel, is used to cause hydrogen molecules from a hydrogen gas to bond with the unsaturated bonds in the oil creating and increasing the fat’s saturation. The main benefit of this process is that the oil in question will have a higher melting temperature and will be more stable. The complete hydrogenation of oil used to be used to create candles and soap but now, partially hydrogenated oils are used in a variety of processed foods. 

This process has the added effect of creating trans fat. We’ve learned that it takes quite a bit of harm for the FDA to actually prohibit the use of something in the US but the FDA has actually recognized the harm that trans fat causes to the cardiovascular system and is phasing it out of production. Right now, a lot of products already claim to be “trans fats free.” However, you have to remember that nutritional percentages are still based on the serving size of a product. If there are less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, that product can be considered trans fat free according to the current labeling standards. 

So, the main issue with hydrogenated oils is trans fat. It’s important to note that this is a risk with partially hydrogenated oil and not fully hydrogenated oils. Unfortunately, it is often so difficult to distinguish which type of hydrogenated oil was used, they are both avoided. The risk of consuming trans fat is serious enough that it is worth the precaution. Trans fat not only raises the detrimental cholesterol in your body, it also lowers the beneficial cholesterol. This has the expected result of increasing a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. 

While some fats are very good for the health of your brain and the normal processing of your body, trans fat is not needed at all in the body and is actively detrimental to the processing of one’s body. Partially hydrogenated oils should therefore be minimized as much as possible. They are commonly found in fast food, from foods like TV dinners and pizzas, some ice cream and pudding, margarine and a lot of desserts. Donuts, cookies, pies, cakes and non-dairy creamers often all have partially hydrogenated oils and thus, trans fat. This is just one more reason to maximize the amount of fresh, unprocessed foods in your diet! The closer you can get to plucking your food from the earth, the better. 

Tea Time

As summer rolls in with a vengeance, the last thing you might be thinking of drinking is hot tea. However, the various health benefits may outweigh the heat. Teas derived from Camellia sinensis, like green teas, black teas, and the like are known for having a high antioxidant content, specifically flavonoids. You might remember from an earlier article that flavonoids, also present in dark chocolate, can mitigate the impact of free radicals, reducing some cancers and cardiac complications and improving arterial health.

Green tea is thought to reduce the risk of neurological diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. It has the highest  flavonoid content in this group of teas and can lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s also anti-inflammatory and promotes healthy skin! Matcha is a powder made from green tea and is thought to deliver even more of the same benefits as it is much more concentrated. 

Black tea is made from the dried and fermented leaves of the same plant but the process produces a much richer taste. With black tea you get some of the same benefits as green tea and it can also be used as a compress for dermatitis to alleviate inflammation.

Oolong tea is another Camellia sinensis tea and is partially fermented, though not as completely as black tea. The Oolong benefits package is very close to that of black and green tea and the caffeine content is also somewhere in between the first two teas. All three teas are sometimes referred to as true teas; drinking them is considered overall beneficial. It’s important to consider the fact that all of these teas have some amount of caffeine. 

If you are looking for something without the caffeine kick, you might try herbal tea instead. A few common ones include dandelion tea, which is great for kidney and urinary tract health. Echinacea tea is a common and effective way to boost your immune system. Chamomile tea is not only relaxing but may be preventative of diabetes, kidney damage and cancer. Ginger tea is great for digestive health and may also be helpful with inflammation of the joints. This makes it a great choice for those that suffer from arthritis. The possible benefits are honestly endless when you start looking into the herbal options. Tea might not be as integral in American life as, say, coffee has become, but it might be a habit we consider adopting if supporting our health is number one!

Resources: 

The Hidden Health Benefits of Tea | Penn Medicine

Types of Teas and Their Health Benefits 

Oolong Tea vs Black Tea: Which One is Healthier? – Sencha Tea Bar 

Are Bubbles Bad for Your Bite?

Hydration is so important especially as we head into the boiling hot summer months. Over the years, we’ve learned so much about how much water each person should drink. We are no longer stuck to the idea that you always need 8, 8oz cups no matter your size or typical exertion level. It’s better to consider all the individual factors and drink water accordingly. To the dismay of some, the average need is often a little more than the previously pushed 64 ounces. Many struggle with drinking so much plain water. They say it's tasteless and boring. Others even say it’s impossible to get down and they just can’t drink that much throughout the day. They’d honestly rather drink anything else. 

Tea, coffee and soda unsurprisingly cannot replace pure, plain water. What about sparkling water? You’ve probably heard someone say, usually to a kid, that soda will rot your teeth. This sounds like an “old school” exaggeration but it’s actually pretty spot on. The high sugar content of soda and the way it coats every surface in your mouth will encourage the growth of bacteria and without mitigating steps being taken, it may indeed lead to tooth decay. However, this is true of pretty much any sugary beverage and not just sodas. Additionally, this effect is not on account of the carbonation, which is a viewpoint many have held. Carbonation on its own does not seem to have a significant impact on one’s teeth. Therefore, it follows that without all the additives and sugars found in soda, sparkling water isn't going to be any more detrimental to your teeth than regular water. At least one study found that it in fact did not do any more damage to the enamel than plain water. 

However, not all sparkling water is made the same. Many brands will put coloring, flavoring, sweeteners and more in their sparkling water. This ceases to be just water and the toll it takes on your teeth is closer to that of any other non-water drink. Anything that coats your teeth in some flavor is something you should chase with a toothbrush and some pure water. This is really important to keep in mind as many companies are also selling water “enhancers” that make your water taste like all different things to help encourage people of all ages to drink more. While better than drinking nothing, these flavored waters or specialized water bottles that add flavor (essentially amounting to the same thing) can not replace pure water. It’s like trying to wash a muddy car with dirty water. Sure, you might get some of the really caked on mud off but the car won’t really be clean in the end. You’ll always have a film of grime that needs to be washed away with pure, clean water. As far as dental health is concerned, sparkling water is just as safe as water without all the fanfare. Now, your gastrointestinal tract might have a thing or two to say about replacing half the water you drink with bubbly water but that’s a slightly different story. Your enamel is safe and it’s a green light from the dental health side. Enjoy!

Resources:

Does Drinking Sparkling Water Damage Your Teeth?

Dental trend spotlight: Sparkling water

Enegry Drinks: Safe or Suspect?

What do you typically reach for when you feel that midday slump creeping up on you? Or when you have to write a paper for school and you just need a little more juice to stay awake? Apparently about a third of teens and young adults would reach for their favorite energy drink but this habit might not be as harmless as once believed. 

Energy drinks are typically a mix of water, tons of sugar, and a huge serving of caffeine. They often have a medley of herbs and vitamins as well, though most haven’t been officially approved to improve performance. The trouble with these drinks is that they actually tend to incorporate some of the worst parts of other popular beverages. For example, we’ve talked about the effect of the large amount of caffeine in coffee on the body and the brain. Coffee contains about 60 - 80mg of caffeine. It can contain more if you get that extra shot of espresso which adds as much as 65mg more. In comparison, it’s not uncommon for an energy drink to have 200-350mg of caffeine. A few have even more caffeine and unlike coffee, it’s pretty common for energy drinks to be purchased by the case and consumed similar to soda. Imagine downing two or three of these in one evening! Some of you probably don’t have to. You’ve been there, done that. 

Well, caffeine contributes to a myriad of health issues such as insomnia, anxiety and even hearth complications. The halflife of caffeine is 6 hours so drinking one of these drinks in the afternoon means you will still have a shot of espresso’s worth of caffeine in your system by the time you are ready for bed. Drink two and you will still have a similar amount of caffeine when you wake up the next day! It’s easy to see how this might cause issues with your sleep and exacerbate all the issues caffeine is known for. 

Ironically, these drinks are also thought to cause dehydration. Caffeine encourages the body to expel water and on top of that, energy drinks contain a ton of sugar. Unless you are chasing these drinks with a ton of water, it won’t be long until you end up depleted. 

Speaking of sugar, energy drinks tend to contain even more sugar than your typical soda. This is truly wild as many sodas contain 30 to 35mg of sugar per can! Energy drinks often contain 40mg or more. Just like pop, all the issues of drinking sugar are kicked up a notch in your average energy drink. 

The effects of all of these components are even more potent for kids and teens. Despite this companies tend to market directly and heavily to this demographic. The fact that a couple of teens have had heart attacks linked directly to energy drinks is not slowing that practice down so it’s important to educate those around you on the risks and dangers and to plan accordingly when shopping for your next pick-me-up. 

From Groats to Instant Oats: What's better for you?

Oats are a big win for the health food community as they are incredibly versatile and carry a number of health benefits. They are rich in nutrients and have a high fiber and protein content. They are packed with B vitamins, magnesium, iron and zinc. They also contain a group of antioxidants called avenanthramides which are thought to lower blood pressure by increasing the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide, in turn, enhances blood flow by dilating the blood vessels. This group of antioxidants might also be responsible for the anti-itch element of oats. Every 90s kid who’s had chicken pox or a bad poison ivy rash knows all about oatmeal baths. Avenanthramides may be the reason they are effective!

It’s great that oats are so beneficial but why do there seem to be so many different kinds? You’ve got rolled oats, instant oats, something called groats, steel-cut oats and then quick oats too. You’ve also got Irish Oats and Scottish Oats and Old-Fashioned oats. Whole oats and oat bran, too! What’s the difference between all these different types and do they all carry the same health benefits you might be eating oats for?

Well, the biggest difference between most of these types of oats is the extent to which they have been processed or, as it were, not processed. Let’s take a look. 

1. Whole Oats: Whole oats, or “groats” as they are sometimes called, are the most unprocessed form of oats. The hulls have been removed in most cases but other than that you are getting them in their original form. In preparation they take the most time to cook and the texture has been compared to brown rice or barley. They can be prepared savory or sweet and are probably the healthiest variation of oat simply because you are getting the bran, endosperm and germ still intact. As we’ve noticed before, fiber is incredibly healthy and the balance of fiber you get from whole grains is unmatched. 

2. Steel Cut Oats: Steel cut oats are also called Irish oats and they are really only about one step removed from groats. As the name suggested, they are whole grains of oats, hulled and cut into smaller pieces. This speeds up the cooking time and yields a slightly more chewy texture when cooked. They still require about half an hour or so to cook and probably aren’t your first choice from something like overnight oats or granola. The nutritional profile is going to be pretty much the same as groats since nothing much has been changed. 

3. Scottish Oats: Scottish Oats are whole oats ground into a coarse meal that can be used to make a very creamy porridge. As you might guess, grinding them up makes the cooking time for the oats much shorter and a pot of these oats can be whipped up in about 10 minutes. 

4. Old-fashioned Oat: Old-fashioned oats, or rolled oats, are the champion of granola and energy bits, of cookies and overnight oats. These oats are made by steaming the groat and then, you guessed it, rolling them out into flatter versions of themselves. They are squished into a thinner, more versatile form that can cook in as little as 5 minutes and can be added to an endless number of recipes and dishes. 

5. Quick oat: Quick oats are pretty similar to rolled oats and some might even consider them a subcategory. They are also steamed and then rolled into even thinner oats. Sometimes those oats are then cut into even smaller pieces. They are just versatile though if you’ve ever slightly overcooked quick oats, you know they can get a little soggy. This quality, while perhaps not the best for granola bars, is perfect for smoothies and pancakes! These only take 2 or 3 minutes to cook.

6. Instant Oats: Last, but not least, we have instant oats. You might be pretty familiar with, as a quick, go-to breakfast option, as it often comes in a packet with flavorings and stuff ready to go. Instant oats are not only steamed, rolled, and cut into smaller pieces but they are often pre-cooked! This is why you only need to add a splash of boiling hot water or nuke them in the microwave to be ready to go. The biggest issue with instant oats isn’t that they are pre-cooked, however, it’s all that added sugar and flavoring. 

While all of these variations of oats carry with them a significant health benefit, the additives common on one end of the spectrum and the fiber profile prominent on the other, tend to tip the balance in favor of the whole food. Besides that, the nutritional profile of every category we’ve talked about here is pretty similar right up until quick oats. Even instant oats would be almost identical if they were without the chemicals and additives commonly added to make them more popular. At the end of the day, preference plays a major role in what kind of oats you decide to incorporate into your diet. What is your family’s favorite way to make oats? Share it with us below!

Resources:

https://www.mashed.com/187156/are-steel-cut-oats-really-healthier-than-rolled-oats/

What's TBHQ?

It’s the most chocolate-coated holiday of the year and in honor of the “season of love” we are going to touch on one of the most common additives you might want to avoid in your rose-tinted plans. TBHQ, or Tertiary Butylhydroquinone, is a synthetic antioxidant used to preserve food. It’s pretty common in shelf stable snacks like microwave popcorn and crackers as well as fast food like French fries or fried chicken. The FDA and USDA have labeled this additive as generally safe but recent studies have pegged this chemical as a carcinogen. Still, the FDA hasn’t adjusted its stance and right now the suggested range for TBHQ is .7mg/kg a day. Even though individual foods are limited by the health department to 0.02 % of the total fat content, we’ve seen serving sizes adjusted before as a means of getting around this type of limitation. Your serving size contains more than the allowed amount? No problem. Just adjust the total fat content and maybe tweak that serving size and voilà! Consumers aren’t going to eat any less of your product but who cares? You’ve met the health department’s requirements.

This is pretty scary as this chemical can cause a wide range of serious health side effects and there is a strong argument for it not being allowed in our food at all! Testing showed an increased risk of convulsions, liver enlargement, tumors and neurological impacts similar to that of a neurotoxin. Not only that but TBHQ is said to negatively impact the proper functioning of your immune system and there is some evidence to suggest that TBHQ reduces the effectiveness of the flu vaccine. Additionally, there is an added risk to women as it has been recorded to mimic estrogen, causing an estrogen dominant state which can impact one’s risk of female reproductive system specific cancers, such as breast cancer. Even at a glance, we can see that it’s worth our time to limit if not eliminate TBHQ from our diet, particularly if you are a woman.

We mentioned chocolate because it is a very common category of food for this additive to hide in. Reece, Ghirardelli and Dove commonly contain this chemical but plant-based meats, frozen pizza, and nearly every flavor of cheez-its do too. Take your time and steer clean of the fast food this weekend as processed snacks seem to harbor this additive more than almost anything else. This Valentine’s Day, do a little research and make sure you aren’t giving your loved one a candy flavored health problem. 

Resources: 

TBHQ: Carcinogen, toxins, processed foods, & side effects - FactDr

This One Ingredient in 1,250 Snack Foods May Harm Your Immune System, New Study Says — Eat This Not That 

Complete Guide to The Ingredients In Chocolate | Dame Cacao 

IJERPH | Free Full-Text | Investigating Molecular Mechanisms of Immunotoxicity and the Utility of ToxCast for Immunotoxicity Screening of Chemicals Added to Food | HTML 

PROCESSED FOODS WITH THE PRESERVATIVE TBHQ

Identification of In Vitro Metabolites of Synthetic Phenolic Antioxidants BHT, BHA, and TBHQ by LC-HRMS/MS 

Ractopamine: An Issue Near and Far

If you are keeping an eye on global food news, you might have heard about the impacts of Ractopamine on the import and export trade from the US to Taiwan. Right now, the US is allowed to supply Taiwan with pork but the Taiwanese people are not happy about it. Why, when the US is one of their biggest allies? Ractopamine. Ractopamine is a food additive that is given to pigs shortly before they are slaughtered to increase their growth and lean meat production. The pigs mature in a shorter amount of time and thus require fewer resources meaning, in short, that this additive saves pork suppliers money. However, this benefit comes at a steep cost. Ractopamine has caused more illness in livestock than any other additive used in the US. It has a significant impact on pigs, causing cardiovascular issues as well as musculoskeletal, reproductive and hormonal issues. Additionally, it has been documented to drive up the stress level in animals and cause “downer” syndrome.  The drug works by maintaining that high level of stress and inducing rapid muscle production. As one might imagine, this impacts the quality of the meat and even changes the flavor. It is no surprise that these complications often lead to death. 

When consumed through meat, ractopamine can cause cardiovascular issues in people, driving up chronic cardiac illnesses, high blood pressure, and heart attack frequency. Additionally, research also suggests that while evidence is limited to suggest that ractopamine causes cancer, there is evidence to suggest that those who have already developed the initial stages of cancer or a small mass might see a measurable increase in cancerous growths due to the consumption of ractopamine. Put simply, though it may not cause cancer directly, it does make cancer a whole lot worse very quickly. 

The US has said that there isn’t enough evidence that ractopamine is harmful to human beings to motivate them to ban it here altogether but 160 countries around the world, including Russia, the EU, and China, disagree. Only 25 countries including the US are still allowing ractopamine to be used so freely. It is true that pork is a huge part of the meat industry and that we even treat beef and some poultry with ractopamine as well but considering that the alternative is a safer, better quality product, why might the US continue to use an openly harmful product. It’s killing the pigs and making people sick so there must be another motivation. There might be another explanation but the only one obvious to those taking note of the US’s priorities is money. Ractopamine saves time and time is money. Perhaps, we should let our policy makers know that in this case, we would like to put the health of the American people first. 

As for what to do with this knowledge as a consumer, consider switching to either an organic pork product for your cooking at home or supporting a supplier that has decided to removed ractopamine entirely from its supply line. The US is already feeling the pressure of other countries disallowing the use of ractopamine treated pork. Let’s increase that pressure and let the industry know that we don’t want this harmful chemical here at home either. As always, shop locally when you can and vote with your dollar either way! 

Check out our feature In the News Article about Ractopamine Here. 

Resources:

Consumption of meat containing ractopamine might enhance tum... : European Journal of Cancer Prevention

The Effects of Ractopamine on Behavior and Physiology of Finishing Pigs Introduction Materials and Methods

Ractopamine Factsheet

Vitamin C Mega Loads: Are They Worth Anything?

Each year when the flu rolls around a lot of us reach for our favorite way to try and boost our immune systems. A popular one especially among the elementary and high school population is Emergen-C or similar products comprised of huge doses of Vitamin C. Now, while we’d never tell you not to take something that you are getting some benefit from, it’s important to note that the recommended amount of Vitamin C for men and women is between 75 and 90 mg. Now, if you have a deficiency, taking more may be beneficial for you but the average person will simply excrete any excess Vitamin C during their next trip to the bathroom. Is Vitamin C even essential then? Let’s see. 

According to the National Institute of Health, Vitamin C is necessary for the production of collagen, L-carnitine (which is instrumental in the production of energy within the cell), a variety of neurotransmitters and the metabolism of protein. It is also thought to give some protection against free radicals and the damage they cause. Damage that often leads to diseases like cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Free radicals can be caused by a variety of environmental sources. Sunlight, air pollution, or even something intentional like smoking, can cause free radicals that can cause damage to the cells as they seek to stabilize pirating electrons within the body. Antioxidants like Vitamin C are capable of neutralizing this process and counteracting the damage free radicals cause. 

So, Vitamin C might not be a quick fix to preventing the flu or the common cold but it does support the immune system overall and facilitate healing within the body. It also helps to mitigate environmental damage and protect us from developing the chronic illnesses commonly developed from the buildup of free radicals. 

Additionally, there is some evidence that Vitamin C is most effective when combined with other nutrients such as Zinc or in the case of skin health, Vitamin E. We could obviously take a number of supplements to get a suitable amount of these nutrients everyday but the best way to gain all the benefits from these vitamins and minerals is to eat a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is also water soluble and may be undercut by processing or even cooking some foods so the best way to get the most potent dose of Vitamin C is to include a number of raw fruits and veggies in your daily diet. Bottom line, Vitamin C is foundational to good health but isn’t a flu time cure. However, prioritizing it year round may allow your body to deal with any sickness more easily and with great efficiency! Eat well!

Resources:

Vitamin C in Disease Prevention and Cure: An Overview

Understanding antioxidants - Harvard Health

5 Ways To Avoid Getting Sick This Semester

The Benefits of Vitamin C 

Vitamin C - Health Professional Fact Sheet  

Is Enriched Flour Better for You?

If you’ve read many of our articles, you may be picking up on the fact that unless you know what an ingredient is and what it does, it can seem innocuous or even healthy and truly be neither. Label Reading isn’t anyone’s favorite pastime but it is the only way to really understand what you are putting in your body, especially when it’s a pre-processed product. Even if you do make a lot of things from scratch, basic ingredients like flour are not free from deceptive labeling. One such example is the use of “enriched” when referring to wheat flour. Enriched sounds like it would be a healthy alternative to white flour or even more full of beneficial ingredients than plain wheat flour but let's take a closer look. 

We’ve discussed before the benefit of fiber as opposed to highly processed foods lacking fiber. Fiber slows down the digestion and really allows the body to gain energy and nutrients as needed and over a longer time. It regulates the use of sugar and helps prevent spikes in blood sugar. It also plays a big role in what makes you feel full so you tend to eat less food when it’s fiber rich. In wheat or wheat flour, the fiber is packed into the bran and germ along with most of the nutrients naturally occurring in wheat. With the endosperm, these three parts make up a whole grain. Based just on the name, you might think enriched flour would just be this whole grain with some vitamins and minerals added in but that is not the case. Enriched flour is flour that has been stripped of the bran and germ, leaving only the endosperm behind. This is often done to make the flour more fine in texture and more palatable to the average American. Manufacturers then try to add back some nutrients specifically, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folic acid and Iron. This is now required of food manufacturers because the rise of the practice of removing the germ and bran correlated with a rise in certain illnesses linked to malnutrition. We also know that even with the added vitamins, the endosperm based flour lacks the fiber to moderate the use of sugar and will instead quickly be broken down and cause a major sugar spike in the blood. The addition of these vitamins is then more of an empty gesture than a true fix.

The bottom line here is that while it sounds healthy, enriched flour is actually pretty bad for you.The empty calories don’t fill you up and you will continue to eat but gain very little in the way of nourishment. You might not be surprised to learn that unfortunately it is in EVERYTHING. Donuts, snack foods, cereal, pizza dough, cake mix, pancakes and, of course, bread are all commonly full of enriched flour. There are, of course, healthier alternatives! When you shop, check the label for enriched flour or even just “wheat flour” without the indication that it is 100%. This might be enriched flour too. When you bake, pick up all purpose whole wheat flour instead of the enriched variety to make sure the things you bake include the germ and the bran. Avoid a diet that relies heavily on processed goods as the more processed a baked good or wheat-based snack is, the more likely it is that it was made with highly processed, enriched flour. If you really want to get back to the basics, you may even be able to find locally ground flour from a farmers’ market or a local CSA! So shop locally if you can and be aware of what’s in your favorite foods so that you can make the best choices about what to put into your body. 

Resources: 

Flour Enrichment | Baking Processes | BAKERpedia

Find a CSA Community Supported Agriculture - LocalHarvest 

CoqQ10: Sidestep the Scam

CoQ10 is a pretty popular supplement added to everything from energy drinks to “brain boosting” pills but is there really any proven benefit to orally taking this supplement? 

Short answer: Maybe, at best. So far the evidence seems to suggest that usually the average person produces enough CoQ10 to gain all the benefits it yields. Taking it orally is not shown to guarantee any sort of advantage but let’s back up. What is CoQ10? 

CoQ10 is a fat-soluble compound that is made in the body as well as obtained from a balanced diet. It is credited with facilitating the production of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. It’s also helpful in the creation of other necessary compounds from ATP or mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Additionally it’s an antioxidant so, overall, great stuff. Taking CoQ10 orally seems to show the most benefit when the issue it is addressing is directly connected to a genetic mutation limiting the production of CoQ10. This makes sense as the body would be producing an abnormally low amount of CoQ10 so the supplemental CoQ10 would help bridge that gap, if imperfectly. 

CoQ10 is popping in a ton of products but perhaps most commonly in exercise-related products however, the research doesn’t suggest that there is a measurable increase in energy or mental clarity from consuming CoQ10. In fact, the research doesn’t tie CoQ10 to a measurable benefit in the treatment of most chronic health issues such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, etc. 

There is some evidence that it might be helpful in mitigating the harm that treatment for some forms of cancers causes, specifically chemo. Additionally, it may increase the success of traditional congestive heart failure treatment for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.  In fact, in one study, supplemental CoQ10 seemed to reduce the mortality rate of bypass patients when compared with a control group. Even so, more research is needed to really say conclusively that CoQ10 alone caused this reduction. 

At best, if a person has low levels of CoQ10, it might suggest that there is a deeper health issue at play. Low levels of naturally occurring CoQ10 may be an early warning sign for a number of other issues but according to the current research there are only a few select situations in which taking CoQ10 supplementally might actually be beneficial. The bottom line is that the increasingly popular inclusion of this compound in energy drinks has not been conclusively proven valuable. As always, this article is for informational purposes only, not prescription or diagnostic use and you should always talk to a health professional about your specific medical background before taking any supplemental ingredients like CoQ10. For the average person, we hope this might help you sidestep some of the more pervasive scams surrounding CoQ10 and be better equipped to make a decision for yourself about its usefulness!

Resources: 

• In Depth Article Summary of CoQ10 Studies

• https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/coenzyme-q10

• https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-coenzymeq10-coq10#1