Overview of Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, ubidecarenone, or just simply CoQ10, is a substance present primarily in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. It is part of the electron transport chain and its primary function is to generate energy in cells. It is produced naturally in the human body.
This vitamin-like nutrient furthers essential biochemical reactions in the body. Not only does it produce energy in cells, it also functions as a powerful antioxidant.
Although Coenzyeme Q10 occurs widely in food, it is not always present in significant amounts. And although Coenzyme Q10 is manufactured in the body, it is not always produced very efficiently.
Coenzyme Q10 Throughout History
In 1957, Frederick Crane, Ph.D., discovered Coenzyme Q10. In 1961, Peter D. Mitchell, Ph.D., of the University of Edinburgh discovered the energy producing effects of Coenzyme Q10 at the cellular level. For this discovery, Dr. Mitchell won the 1978 Nobel Prize for chemistry.
The role of Coenzyme Q10 in the heart muscle was first recognized by Japanese scientists in the mid 1960s.
The first study in the treatment of cardiomyopathy, a type of progressive heart failure, was conducted by Karl Folkers, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Biochemical Research at the University of Texas, and Per H. Langsjoen, M.D. in the early 1980s, with very promising findings including “extraordinary clinical improvement” of subjects expected to die from heart failure, according to the report.1
Coenzyme Q10 Health Benefits
Coenzyme Q10 is an enzyme that has strong antioxidant effects in the body and is essential for immune function. It acts as a catalyst for energy production in cells.
CoQ10 benefits have included treatment for, among others:
- Heart and lung disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Migraine headaches
In various case studies, Karl Folkers, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Biochemical Research at the University of Texas noted that following supplementation with CoQ10, the heart function of patients dramatially improved and subjects were able to resume their athletic or active lifestyles.2
The human body produces CoQ10 and it is necessary for the basic functioning of cells. With age, CoQ10 levels decrease.
CoQ10 levels are reported to be low in patients with some chronic diseases, including heart conditions, muscular dystrophies, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. Some prescription drugs may also lower CoQ10 levels. Levels of CoQ10 in the body can be increased by ingesting CoQ10 supplements.
Clinical Studies of Coenzyme Q10
CoQ10′s antioxidant effects were noted in an Australian study in 1992 whereby the authors concluded that oral supplementation with CoQ increased the resistance of low-density lipoprotein to radical oxidation.3
Studies have found that among Co Q10′s benefits is a beneficial effect regarding migraine headaches.4-5
One research study concluded that coenzyme Q10 has the potential in hypertensive patients to lower systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure without significant side-effects.6
Longer lifespans were noted in rats and roundworms following CoQ10 supplementation.7-9
Co Q10 benefits in rats were also shown in a 2002 study to include the reduction of radiation damage in the blood.10
A 2010 study noted CoQ10`s role in improving circulatory system function, as well as CoQ10`s role in mitigating headache symptoms.11
In a 2010 Swedish study, mice treated with CoQ10 showed a significantly prolonged swim times, suggesting that CoQ10 improves physical endurance, as well as has an anti-fatigue effect.12
A 2010 Italian study found that there was a deficit in CoQ10 status in a number of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders.13
In a 2009 study out of Belgium, major depression was found to be accompanied by a lowered antioxidant status. Accordingly, plasma CoQ10 was signficantly lower in depressed patients than in normal controls. The study concluded that lower CoQ10 plays a role in the pathophysiology of depression and stated that “[i]t is suggested that depressed patients may benefit from CoQ10 supplementation.”14
CoQ10′s potential neuro-protective effects were found in studies of toxicity of nerve cells and neurodegenerative disorders.15
A Japanese study suggested that CoQ10 protected the skin against oxidative stress and enhanced the production of components of the epidermal basement membrane.16
In one study, heart failure patients used 50 to 150 milligrams of CoQ10 daily for three months. Following this period, 80 percent of the subjects were found to have some type of improvement.17
The results of a 2010 study where subjects used CoQ10 supplementation showed some performance enhancing effects.18
Safety of Coenzyme Q10
According to a study published in 2009, CoQ10 is “very well tolerated with minimal adverse effects.”19
A 2009 report concluded that “[t]he published reports concerning safety studies indicate that CoQ10 has low toxicity and does not induce serious adverse effects in humans. … Overall, these data from preclinical and clinical studies indicate that CoQ10 is highly safe for use as a dietary supplement.”20
According to Karl Folkers, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Biochemical Research at the University of Texas, CoQ10 is safe and has no negative side effects, though it may decrease the need for other heart medicines.
Dosage of Coenzyme Q10
A dose ranging from 10 milligrams up to 400 milligrams is considered effective and safe. A dose up to 12 mg/kg/day is considered safe and at the limit of the no-observed adverse effect level.21
Each serving of HerbalMana, which is 5 capsules, contains 80 milligrams of Coenzyme Q10.
References:
1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (June 1985;82:4240-4).
2. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (Jan 15, 1993;182:247-53).
3. Mohr D, Bowry VW, Stocker R., Dietary supplementation with coenzyme Q10 results in increased levels of ubiquinol-10 within circulating lipoproteins and increased resistance of human low-density lipoprotein to the initiation of lipid peroxidation. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1992 Jun 26;1126(3):247-54. Biochemistry Group, Heart Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.
4. Rozen T, Oshinsky M, Gebeline C, Bradley K, Young W, Shechter A, Silberstein S (2002). “Open label trial of coenzyme Q10 as a migraine preventive”. Cephalalgia 22 (2): 137–41.
5. Sándor PS, et al. (2005). “Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: A randomized controlled trial”. Neurology 64: 713–715.
6. Rosenfeldt FL, Haas SJ, Krum H, Hadj A, Ng K, Leong J-Y, Watts GF. Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of hypertension: a meta-analysis of the clinical trials. J Human Hypertension 21: 297-306, 2007.
7. Coles L, Harris S (1996). “Coenzyme Q-10 and Lifespan Extension.”. Advances in Anti-Aging Medicine. 1 (1): 205-215.
8. Ishii N, Senoo-Matsuda N, Miyake K, Yasuda K, Ishii T, Hartman PS, Furukawa S (2004). “Coenzyme Q10 can prolong C. elegans lifespan by lowering oxidative stress.”. Mech Ageing Dev. 125 (1): 41-6. PMID 14706236.
9. Quiles JL, Ochoa JJ, Huertas JR, Mataix J (2004). “Coenzyme Q supplementation protects from age-related DNA double-strand breaks and increases lifespan in rats fed on a PUFA-rich diet.”. Exp Gerontol. 39 (2): 189–94.
10. A. S. Koryagin, E. V. Krylova, and L. D. Luk’yanova (June 2002). “Effect of Ubiquinone-10 on the Blood System in Rats Exposed to Radiation”. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine (6): 562-564.
11. Littarru GP, Tiano L., Clinical aspects of coenzyme Q10: an update. Nutrition. 2010 Mar;26(3):250-4. Epub 2009 Nov 22., Department of Biochemistry, Biology and Genetics, Polytechnic University of the Marche, Ancona, Italy.
12. Fu X, Ji R, Dam J., Antifatigue effect of coenzyme Q10 in mice., J Med Food. 2010 Feb;13(1):211-5., Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
13. Mancuso M, Orsucci D, Volpi L, Calsolaro V, Siciliano G., Coenzyme Q10 in neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders. Curr Drug Targets. 2010 Jan;11(1):111-21., Department of Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Italy.
14. Maes M, Mihaylova I, Kubera M, Uytterhoeven M, Vrydags N, Bosmans E., Lower plasma Coenzyme Q10 in depression: a marker for treatment resistance and chronic fatigue in depression and a risk factor to cardiovascular disorder in that illness. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2009;30(4):462-9. Maes Clinics, Antwerp, Belgium.
15. Spindler M, Beal MF, Henchcliffe C., Coenzyme Q10 effects in neurodegenerative disease. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2009;5:597-610. Epub 2009 Nov 16. Department of Neurology.
16. Muta-Takada K, Terada T, Yamanishi H, Ashida Y, Inomata S, Nishiyama T, Amano S., Coenzyme Q10 protects against oxidative stress-induced cell death and enhances the synthesis of basement membrane components in dermal and epidermal cells. Biofactors. 2009 Sep-Oct;35(5):435-41. Shiseido Research Center, Yokohama, Japan.
17. Langsjoen, PH, Klinische Wochenschrift, 1988;66:583-90, Clinical Investigator, Aug. 1993;71S:145-9.
18. Gökbel H, Gül I, Belviranl M, Okudan N., The effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on performance during repeated bouts of supramaximal exercise in sedentary men. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Jan;24(1):97-102. Department of Physiology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
19. Spindler M, Beal MF, Henchcliffe C., Department of Neurology, Coenzyme Q10 effects in neurodegenerative disease. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2009;5:597-610. Epub 2009 Nov 16.
20. Hidaka T, Fujii K, Funahashi I, Fukutomi N, Hosoe K., Safety assessment of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Biofactors. 2008;32(1-4):199-208.
21. Hidaka T, et al., supra.