Readers often e-mail us health related questions. Although we do not provide medical advice or consultation through Heart MD Institute, we do post general answers to such inquiries with hopes of helping others who may have similar concerns. Do you have a question about nutritional supplementation that you'd like answered on our site? E-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we'll post an answer on this page.

Q: Is it safe for women with hypothyroidism to take L-carnitine?

A: Low-dose carnitine – up to 1 gram per day - should be absolutely no problem; however higher does -  3 to 4 grams per day -  may accentuate the hypothyroidism.

Q: My father has been diagnosed via heart muscle biopsy with amyloidosis of the heart. He is at home with a dobutamine pump. He is 84 years old and is getting increasingly weak. I would like him to try D-ribose, coenzyme Q10 and L-cartinine but don't know what doses to start with and work up to. Thanks for your input.

A: Amyloidosis is a tough situation, especially when a person is on dobutamine. A good place to start would be to take 5 grams of D-ribose 3 times per day, 100 mg coenzyme Q10 twice a day (and perhaps double this dose in 2 to 3 weeks), and 1 g L-carnitine 2 to 3 times per day. Providing that renal failure is not an issue, 100 to 200 mg of magnesium per day would also be helpful in giving your father a metabolic advantage.

Q: Can you recommend a dosage of Coenzyme Q 10 for my dog who has has cancer? She is 45 pounds. Also, what dosage of Poly-MVA do you suggest? If I recall, this cannot be given with antioxidants… Can we avoid surgery by using these two products?

A: For dogs with cancer (as well as aging dogs without cancer) 100 mg coenzyme Q10 per day, preferably in the morning with food, can be helpful. As for PolyMVA (for pets), we generally suggest 1 tsp a day with food. Although, yes, there is reason for concern when administering PolyMVA with other antioxidants, we believe CoQ10 is fine. Cooking regularly (chicken, vegetables, eggs, etc.) for your dog is also a measure you can take to help fight cancer. If the cancer is detected early enough, you may very well prolong a beloved pet’s life for a few years with PolyMVA, CoQ10 and good food without resorting to surgery; however, as with humans, there are no guarantees with cancer… you do your best with integrative therapies and maintain steadfast hope that the situation will improve.

© 2011 Heart MD Institute, PA