To prevent myocarditis, coenzyme Q10 is snapped up! Who is behind the sudden popularity?

Produced by | Eye Health is Real

Author | Chen Zhenzhen

1. In order to prevent myocarditis and relieve heart discomfort, coenzyme Q10 was snapped up by Yang Kang Hou. The rush to buy led to a shortage of the drug for those who really needed it.

2. The sudden popularity of coenzyme Q10 is inseparable from the "promotion" of merchants and product promoters.

3. Coenzyme Q10 can only be used as an auxiliary treatment. It is not a drug, let alone a specific medicine. Stockpiling should be rational. *

Coenzyme Q10 probably didn’t expect that it would become popular because of the new coronavirus.

Driven by the demand for "Yangkang Myocarditis", it suddenly became another product to be stockpiled after ibuprofen, antigen test kit, blood oximeter, montmorillonite powder, and immunoglobulin G.

Recently, on major e-commerce platforms, the search volume of coenzyme Q10 has skyrocketed by 2,500%, and sales have surged. Many online and offline channels are sold out. Bloggers on Xiaohongshu and Douyin have been promoting the product and sharing their experience of taking coenzyme Q10. Although cardiologists have personally explained that most people do not need coenzyme Q10, it still cannot dampen the public's enthusiasm for buying it.

1. Coenzyme Q10 is popular, but there is no medicine for those who really need it

Like most people, 32-year-old Zhang Min (pseudonym) failed to advance to the "Yang Circle" finals. One night in early to mid-December, she felt pain all over her body, shivering, and her body temperature soared to 39°C. However, apart from the fever, her symptoms were not serious, with neither "blade cut throat" nor "cement nose". The fever lasted intermittently for 2 days and 2 nights, and then it subsided. After 5 days, the coughing symptoms basically disappeared. "At the time, I thought the new crown was just like a cold."

Unlike the common cold, although she had no respiratory symptoms, she continued to experience palpitations, heart palpitations, and chest tightness. "My resting heart rate occasionally soared above 90 during the day, and my heart often felt pounding."

Zhang Min's resting heart rate is very high

She registered for an online consultation at the cardiology department of a tertiary hospital in Beijing, provided her electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood oxygen and other monitoring data, and spoke to the doctor. "The doctor looked at the data and felt that there were not many problems. He said that many people had similar symptoms recently, but none of them had myocarditis. He suggested that coenzyme Q10, vitamin C and other drugs could be used to protect the myocardium."

After listening to the doctor's advice, she immediately bought a bottle of coenzyme Q10 health supplement, spending more than 200 yuan. "There are 240 capsules in a bottle. I took 1-2 capsules a day according to the instructions. After a few days, I felt that it did work. At least my heart beat less violently. I don't know if it was a psychological effect," Zhang Min said.

There are many people like Zhang Min who buy Coenzyme Q10 because of heart discomfort after Yangkang. The author searched on e-commerce platforms such as Taobao and JD.com and found that the monthly sales of Coenzyme Q10 of multiple brands exceeded 10,000. In the product review area of ​​Coenzyme Q10, many people said that they bought it to protect their hearts after "Yangkang", and some bought it for the elderly at home to prevent heart disease. As for the effect, some consumers said "not bad", while others said "you have to keep eating it".

Various Coenzyme Q10 products are selling well

Mostly purchased by "Yangkang" patients to prevent myocarditis

Although the sales of coenzyme Q10 are booming, it has not yet been out of stock on a large scale like ibuprofen and antigens, and the supply on e-commerce platforms is relatively sufficient. However, according to the author's investigation, coenzyme Q10 prescription drugs are really hard to buy.

In my country, coenzyme Q10 has the dual identity of prescription drugs and health products. If you go to the hospital for treatment, the doctor will usually prescribe a prescription drug for the patient to take. "Nengqilang" is the most common coenzyme Q10 prescription drug, which can also be bought in ordinary pharmacies. However, this drug is out of stock both online and offline platforms.

The author searched on Dingdang Express Pharmacy and found that Nengqilan Coenzyme Q10 Tablets were "restocking". On the Ali Health platform, Nengqilan showed that it would be shipped before January 31, and each person could not purchase more than 3 boxes.

Dingdang Express Pharmacy Platform is "restocking", while Ali Health Platform has delayed delivery

The author personally visited several pharmacies in Beijing. When asked if they had Nengqilang, the pharmacy staff said it was out of stock. "Before, it was the middle-aged and elderly who came to buy it, but recently many young people have also come to ask."

Coenzyme Q10 health supplements are relatively expensive, usually 200-300 yuan per bottle, while Nengqilang is cheap, only about 30 yuan per box, and one box can be taken for about 10 days, so it has become the first choice for many "Yangkang" to stock up on medicine. However, this situation has caused some people who were originally taking the medicine to have no medicine to use. On the Xiaohongshu platform, a netizen said that his mother had a bad heart and the doctor prescribed this medicine, but after taking it, he went to the pharmacy and couldn't buy it because it was out of stock.

2. Is the popularity of coenzyme Q10 a real need or a “healthy” economic strategy?

Unlike masks, antigens, and antipyretics, coenzyme Q10 is not a key commodity during the epidemic. Its sudden popularity and panic buying are not only due to the active search for treatment for heart discomfort by "healthy people", but also inseparable from the "fueling" of merchants and sellers.

Luo Yu (pseudonym) learned about coenzyme Q10 in a group buying group. In this group buying group, the group owner often shared some daily necessities. When the policy was just adjusted, the group owner's sharing gradually turned to epidemic prevention supplies, such as disinfectant, N95 masks, disposable gloves, etc., and the group was often closed quickly.

"I used to be very quick to grab an N95 mask, but after me, many people in the group had their shipments delayed." So this time, when she saw the group owner sharing coenzyme Q10, claiming that it can protect the myocardium and prevent myocarditis, and the price was good, she followed suit. "I've seen a lot of sudden deaths from myocarditis recently, and I feel a little scared. Someone in the group bought it, so I placed an order too. And it's a health product, so there's no harm in taking it."

In the details page of the coenzyme Q10 purchased by Luo Yu, this small health product is promoted as being able to deal with symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and palpitations after Yang Kang. The copy is also very eye-catching, "The virus can invade the myocardium, and coenzyme Q10 can reduce myocardial damage. If you have elderly people at home, you must prepare it! This is the daily version of the quick-acting heart-saving pill, a lubricant for the heart, which can maintain it in advance and enhance immunity."

Promotional copy of a certain brand of coenzyme Q10

Liu Jian, deputy director and chief physician of the Department of Cardiology at Peking University People's Hospital, once told the media that coenzyme Q10 health products are only a dietary supplement, not a medicine, and cannot be used to treat diseases. If you suffer from heart disease, the key is to follow the doctor's advice and actively treat and take medication.

Luo Yu also found that the titles of the group purchases of various coenzyme Q10 products shared by the group owner were often filled with hunger marketing gimmicks, such as "900 bottles without supplements", "95% of the total orders will be shipped around 1.15", and "limited 3-day event".

Screenshot of group buying information provided by Luo Yu, in which the number of people following a Coenzyme Q10 group purchase reached 8,346

"Whenever I see this kind of title, I do get a little anxious. On the one hand, I worry that the price will go up in the future, and on the other hand, I worry that the product will not be shipped after I buy it. So when there is a good price, I think about rushing to buy it," said Luo Yu.

In addition to the group buying groups, "Yanjianweishi" found that on the Xiaohongshu platform, many young people who had recovered from the disease shared their experiences of taking coenzyme Q10, and said that the discomfort in their hearts did improve after taking it. Some notes such as "After recovering from the disease, you must supplement with coenzyme Q10" and "After recovering from the disease, I feel that I should buy coenzyme Q10" have collected more than a thousand comments, and many netizens discussed the brands and methods of taking coenzyme Q10 in the comments. However, the author found that many contents about coenzyme Q10 were highly repeated, and the recommended brands were similar, which inevitably raised the suspicion of bringing goods.

3. Is it necessary to take coenzyme Q10?

In the past, the recommended users of Coenzyme Q10 were patients with cardiovascular diseases, hepatitis, cancer, etc., and if there was a need for medication, it should be used under the guidance of a professional doctor. After the COVID-19, some patients experienced mild myocardial damage, and doctors would prescribe Coenzyme Q10 for auxiliary treatment after evaluation.

But do I need to take Coenzyme Q10 if I have heart problems? Can Coenzyme Q10 really prevent myocarditis? To this end, many experts answer no.

"Some of Yang Kanghou's heart problems are not entirely caused by myocarditis or myocardial damage. After being infected with the new coronavirus, some people will experience symptoms of heart discomfort due to anxiety and tension, affected sleep, or fatigue from immediately going to work. Most people can get the symptoms relieved by resting and relaxing, and do not need medication." said a cardiologist at Wuhan No. 1 Hospital.

In addition, some cardiology experts also said that in the treatment of myocarditis, coenzyme Q10 is just "icing on the cake" and is not crucial. If the myocardium is really damaged, coenzyme Q10 can only be used as an auxiliary treatment, not a drug, let alone a specific medicine.

Chinese registered dietitian Wu Jia also said that if you are taking warfarin, large doses of coenzyme Q10 may affect the efficacy of the drug. Taking coenzyme Q10 may also cause stomach discomfort, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, rash, etc.

However, as a health supplement, if you really stock up on coenzyme Q10, you can continue to take it. In December 2020, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Health Commission jointly issued an announcement on the efficacy of coenzyme Q10, identifying its efficacy as enhancing immunity and anti-oxidation. As a health supplement, it has an effect, and additional supplementation can bring some small health benefits.

The heart discomfort caused by the new coronavirus has left many people at a loss, and they can only hope that some medicines and health products can make them feel a little better. As for coenzyme Q10, not so many people need it, but it can be confirmed that coenzyme Q10 has become widely known from a not-so-"daily" health product, and some people hope that it will become popular.