Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a compound that is naturally found in the body, has been found to help protect against chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Production of CoQ10 decreases with age, and taking certain medications and other factors can result in low levels of CoQ10. So should you take a CoQ10 supplement?

Chauncey Crandall, M.D., the New York Times bestselling author of "The Simple Heart Cure: The 90-Day Program to Stop and Reverse Heart Disease," tells Newsmax’s Newsline that we should all know about the benefits of CoQ10. “This is a powerful antioxidant,” says Dr. Crandall, who is the director of preventive medicine at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Florida.

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Crandall first discovered the power of CoQ10 when he ran the heart transplant program. He said that patients with a weak heart who were given CoQ10 supplements had improvement in their heart function and heart failure. The reason is that CoQ10 fights toxins in the body ─ free radicals and other substances that destroy the cells in your body, says Crandall, a Yale-trained heart surgeon and editor of the popular "Dr. Crandall's Heart Health Report" newsletter.

Supplementing with CoQ10 has been found to improve many health conditions, explains Crandall, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Crandall says that CoQ10 can help people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, which can damage the heart. “CoQ10 has some protective properties to it,” says Crandall. He says that patients undergoing chemotherapy, and even those with Parkinson’s disease, can benefit from taking CoQ10.

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In addition, research has found that CoQ10 can boost fertility. “The best fertility rates are when people are in their 20s, but most people are getting married in their mid-30s and many men are having fertility problems, women as well,” says Crandall. And CoQ10 has been shown to give some benefit to them, explains Crandall. “If you are having an infertility issue and you’re trying to have a baby, get on that coenzyme Q10. I believe it will help you,” says Crandall.

Who Should Take CoQ10?

The bottom line is, according to Crandall, if you are eating a balanced diet, you are healthy and you have a healthy lifestyle, you may not need to take a supplement. CoQ10 is found in some foods, such as organ meats, pork, beef and chicken, fatty fish, like trout, herring and sardines, legumes (soybeans, lentils and peanuts), sesame seeds and pistachios and soybean and canola oils.

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But many people are under a lot of stress, and want to prevent disease and live a long, healthy life. In that case, CoQ10 supplements, in the typically recommended dosage of 100 mg to 200 mg a day, may be beneficial.

“We know that coenzyme Q10 can help people live a longer life. So, think about it. Review it with your doctor. It might be a good decision for many people out there,” says Crandall.