Can Coq10 cause intermitant diarhea?

[Lesliesmom]

Hi everyone,

My Mom has been getting explosive diarhea every 2 weeks. Does this happen with CoQ10?

Thanks,
Leslie

[Allen1]

Hi there Leslie,

how much q10 is she taken on a daily basis and how many times/doses per day ie 1 x 60 mg 3 times a day for example (180mg) or 1 X 100mg 2 times a day etc.

I don't take a large dosage and so far have not experienced that problem with q10 but I did with L-Carnitine when I upped the dose size too quickly. As far as I am aware, that problem should not happen, could you let us know what else she is taken as someone here may know what is actually triggering this problem. Your Mother is frail enough without this happening to her and it has got to be taking its toll on her strength.

I hope you reply soon and someone like Biologist, Brian, adec, Brooks or Xrn etc can give you some proper advice as they are generally well read in these matters.

All the best to you and your Mother,

Allen.

[Brian C.]

I very much doubt it is CoQ10 that is causing the problem. As Allen said, l-carnitine is the essential (for us) supplement associated with diaorrhea.
My mother experienced extreme distress in this way after taking a certain drug prescribed to regularise her heart rhythm. I cannot remember its name.

Brian.

[Ray Holder]

The only real danger from taking Q10 arises if drugs are also being taken to reduce stomach acid, when a form of yeast can multiply in the low acid level. Some members have reported stomach pains from this source, but it is said to be potentially very harmful if allowed to progress un checked.

Moral---dont take stomach acid neutralisers. On a recent hospital stay, I found that I had been given a proton pump inhibitor, to reduce stomach acid and try to prevent aspirin causing problems, which have not occurred over the many years in which I have been taking them. I refused to take them as soon as I found their action, Q10 is much more important to me.

Ray

[sos_group_owner]

Hello Ray,

Thank you for the info re: CoQ10 and low stomach acid. Would OTC's like Rolaids cause the same (yeast) condition or just the more potent scripts like Prilosec.

Fran

[Brian C.]

I have to take a Rennie occasionally during the day and most nights since acid reflux wakes me most unpleasantly.

Brian.

[Ray Holder]

Hi Fran
The info about alkalized stomachs and candida growth will be found in
*http://faculty.washington.edu/ely/coenzq10abs.html
the fourth paragraph, with a reference to item 39 below, which I have not been able to access.

The accent is on "alkalised", from which I would deduce that FREQUENT use would render that part of the digestive system involved ceaasing to be acidic (ph about 1.0 is normal, very acid), and that the yeast cannot grow in the acid state, but only in the alkaline state.

I do not know the remedies mentioned, but I would suggest that occasional use would be OK, but would not think it advisable to take them regularly.

While in hospital recently, they were most insistent that I take my aspirin, but said I should take a pill to avoid the possible effects of aspirin on my stomach. I have taken aspirin for at least 10 years with no detrimental effect. On coming home. I found that this "protective" drug was a proton pump inhibitor whose function is to reduce stomach acid. As you can imagine, I ceased taking it immediately !!!

Ray

[sos_group_owner]

Thanks again for the info Ray. Will pass on to my support group.
Fran

[Lesliesmom]

Hi Allen,

Sorry I didn't get back sooner. I must have turned off my reply thing.

We are thinking now that it was the antibiotics she was on for Osteomylitis. She was taking 2X 30mg tabs of Coq10. Now she is taking 1 X100 mg. She has been at that for a week with no problems. She does get tired easily, but nothing like before. I had read about the L-Carnitine causing problems so she does not want to try it. Should she be increasing her q10?

She has been battling with two doctors about this Osteomylitis for a year. One feels it's definitaly Osteo and the surgeon claims not. We are awaiting a test that shows the circulation quality of the foot. She has diabetes on top of all this.

Just to make it more confusing, I feel she has been exposed to Lyme disease. I say that because I had a diagnoses ofMS (Multiple Sclerosis) that has since been changed to Lyme disease. I've been on antibiotics for over 2 years, and am getting better. I was deemed with Primary progressive MS, and that does not get better. Our cottage has been found endemic for Lyme. We both spent a lot of time there. Also, the tests in Canada and the U.S are terrible. I've had 10 Canadian negative Elisa's and one Equivicol Bartonella, but one very positive Igenex test. Igenex deals in tick bourne infections. I am getting better so you do the math to which is better.

So you can see how confusing this gets! Thanks for the good wishes!

Now are you asking why did I ask

Take Care Leslie

[Allen1]

Hi there Leslie,

it should really be OK to increase the Q10 your Mother is taking, if you still have some 30mg capsules you could add a couple for a few days and see if it helps ie take the 100mg in the morning and a couple of 30mg or a 100mg capsule in the afternoon. It will be a case of finding what is beneficial and not wasteful by adjusting the amount to what suits her needs, it may be just a little more or it could be a lot. I know that's a cop-out but everyone needs to find their balance as we are all different.

Who would have thought that a wood tick bite could be so harmful, I had to look that up to find the cause of Lyme disease, without the bite mark being found or the actual tick, the symptoms are similar to many other health problems.

Although a lot of us here have had some really horrendously bad experiences, I would say that yours and your Mothers are pretty high on the list, if not the top for multiple sourced ailments. The worst of it is, is that there is nothing you could have knowingly done to prevent any of it.

Thankfully with the statin problems, word is getting out and some people are making a choice as to whether or not to take them, there are still a lot who don't realise the danger though.

I really hope that you and your Mother's health improves soon

All the best,

Allen

[Lesliesmom]

Hi Allen,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I will pass on your suggestion.

Yes Lyme mimics many illnesses. I couldn't believe when I found out it presents itself the same way as MS does on an MRI. The plaques are identical. I'm in the midst of proving all this to my Neurologist.

It's not unlike the statins in that people have a hard time believing that it can do that much harm. That, and people are easily swayed by doctors I have learned that they really are not god

Best of luck to you also!

Leslie

[mojobebop]

yes it can.
i can tolerate only a few milligrams, and still get it at times.

you can find out this info by googling it.
i believe they estimate only 4, or 6% have this problem.
probably unreported.
unfortunate but true.

[Lesliesmom]

Thanks Mojo!