Cardiac insufficiency (with its plethora of symptoms, including arrythmias, pulse abnormalities, pressure on the chest, difficulty breathing, and a sense of something being wrong in the area of the heart) is a condition which, if left untreated, will result in a heart attack. Although there are many causes of cardiac insufficiency (i.e., atherosclerosis, ischaemia, vasospasm), the ultimate biochemical defect is an insufficient supply of cellular energy (i.e., ATP). The combination of L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and vitamin E (CCME) is an extremely effective treatment for cardiac insufficiency, as the nutrients provided cover most of the known mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction.
CCME: L-Carnitine, Coenzyme Q10, Magnesium, And Vitamin E CCME stands for L-Carnitine, Coenzyme Q10, Magnesium, and vitamin E - a combination of the most important energy-generating nutrients. This quartet of nutrients regulates the most remarkable process in life, because the process is life, at least multicellular life. Of all the nutritional factors required for life, L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and vitamin E must be ranked among the most important for optimizing mitochondrial energy production. Other nutrients are essential, to be sure, and the emphasis on CCME should not be interpreted as diminishing the cardiovascular benefits of niacin (as NAD), riboflavin (as FAD), pantothenic acid (as coenzyme A), thiamin (as TPP), and many other nutrients and food factors.
L-Carnitine, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and vitamin E all interact in the mitochondrial generation of energy. Carnitine carries fats across the inner membrane for beta-oxidation. Coenzyme Q10 is the key factor in the electron transport system. Magnesium is an essential cofactor for many of the enzyme systems which support energy production. Moreover, it is required for ATP stability, as ATP is synthesized as the magnesium complex. Vitamin E is in the membrane where it can scavenge the free radicals generated by the electron transport system.
L-Carnitine
L-carnitine (the rate determining factor in beta oxidation) increases ATP generation via its effects on beta oxidation, as well as its role in the removal of acetyl units from the mitochondria. The latter process is important because accumulation of acetyl units is known to inhibit various parts of the respiratory process. Other important actions of L-carnitine include vasodialation of the blood vessels and increased ability to sustain cardiac contractions. Finally, supplemental L-carnitine has been well- documented to reduce blood and tissue lipids, which is associated with a reduced risk of developing heart disease.
Lipids provide 60-80% of the metabolic energy required by the heart, which explains why such high levels of L-carnitine are stored in cardiac muscle. Moreover, interference with fatty acid oxidation can have dire consequences on myocardial function. Cognizance of L-carnitine?s import has led to numerous investigations, the results of which have documented its cardiovascular benefits in both animals , and humans , , Carnitine is perhaps best known for its lipid-lowering activity, specifically, its ability to rapidly and markedly decrease plasma triglycerides and increase HDL-cholesterol.
