Antioxidants - Fighters against free radical damage
GSE
COQ10 Health Benefits
Potential Health Benefits of CoQ10
Supported by a large body of data, the following list indicates health problems
that are associated with CoQ10 deficiency, and where CoQ10 supplementation has
been found to be beneficial:
On this page:
• CVD
• Neurodegenerative
Diseases
• Neuromuscular
Diseases
• Skin Health
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Renal
Failure
• Other
Health Problems helped by CoQ10
Cardiovascular Disease
(CVD)
CoQ10 has an important role as an antioxidant
in
maintaining cardiovascular health by protecting LDL from oxidation.
Mohr D et al, 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;
Alleva R et al, Oxidation of LDL and their subfractions: kinetic aspects and
CoQ10 content. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 1997.
Congestive heart
failure / Heart failure
Soja AM, Mortensen SA, Treatment of congestive heart failure with coenzyme Q10
illuminated by meta-analyses of clinical trials. Mol aspects Med 1997;
- Substantial evidence
supports the therapeutic role of CoQ10 supplementation in heart failure.
By increasing cellular energy production
Cardiomyopathy
Angina pectoris
Arrhythmias
Mitral valve prolapse
Hypertension. .
Burke BE et al, Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of CoQ10 in
isolated systolic hypertension. S Med J Nov. 2001.
Similar results were obtained by Australian researchers with a daily dose of 200
mg CoQ10 in 74 hypertensive diabetics
Hodgson
JM et al, CoQ10 improves blood pressure and glycaemic control: a controlled
trial in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002 Nov.
Atherosclerosis
Cardiotoxicity
(drug-induced)
Other references related to CoQ10's beneficial
role in various conditions related to the heart and the cardiovascular system
Littarru GP, Energy and Defense. C.E.S.I., Rome, 1995;
Sinatra ST,The Coenzyme Q10 Phenomenon. Keats Publishing, New Canaan, CT, 1998;
Pepping J. Coenyzme Q10. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy 1999;
Overvad K et al, Coenzyme Q10 in health and disease. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999;
Greenberg S, Frishman WH. Co-enzyme Q10: a new drug for cardiovascular disease.
J Clin Pharmacol 1990;
Langsjoen HA et al, Usefulness of coenzyme Q10 in clinical cardiology: a
long-term study. Mol Aspects Med 1994;
Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen AM. Overview of the use of coenzyme Q10 in
cardiovascular disease. Biofactors 1999.
Neurodegenerative Diseases
CoQ10 has a recognized beneficial role in any
neurodegenerative disease characterized by impaired mitochondrial function
and/or excessive oxidative damage
Beal MF. Coenzyme Q10 as a possible treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.
Free Rad Res 2002, 36:455-460;
Beal MF, Shults CW. Effects of Coenzyme Q10 in Huntington's disease and early
Parkinson's disease. Biofactors. 2003;18:153-6.
Beal MF,
Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
diseases and coenzyme Q10 as a potential treatment. J Bioenerg Biomembr.
2004;36:381-6 .
Brain cells that suffer continued oxidative stress will
eventually die. Oxidative
stress causes inflammation, and CoQ10 is a player in reducing the inflammatory
marker
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in animals
Wang XL et al, Stocker R. Cosupplementation with vitamin E and coenzyme Q10
reduces circulating markers of inflammation in baboons. Am J Clin Nutr .
September 2004;80(3):649-55.
High dose CoQ10 supplementation has been found protective against neuronal
toxins in animal models, particularly in Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, and also ALS. Also,
note that sufficient CoQ10 supports a healthy blood flow from the heart, which
provides needed nutrients for the brain.
Huntington's Disease
Beal, M.F. CoQ10 as a possible treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Free
Radic Res 2002; Kieburtz K (The Huntington Study group), A randomized,
placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 and remacemide in Huntington's disease.
Neurology 2001;
Ferrante RJ et al,Therapeutic effects of coenzyme Q10 and remacemide in
transgenic mouse models of Huntington's disease. J Neurosci 2002
Parkinson's Disease. Recent
clinical trials in these disorders demonstrate that supplemental CoQ10 can slow
functional decline. In a large, multi-center study, 80 subjects with early
Parkinsons were administered CoQ10 doses of 300, 600 or 1200 mg per day and
followed for 16 months. Those who received CoQ10 experienced less disability
than those who received the placebo, and the benefit was greatest in those who
received the highest dosage
Shultz C.W et al (Parkinson Study Group), Effects of CoQ10 in early Parkinson
disease: evidence of slowing of the functional decline. Arch Neurol 2002
Oct.;59(10):1541-50;
Shultz C.W, CoQ10 in neurodegenerative diseases. Curr Med Chem 2003
Oct.;10(19):1917-2
These
results were confirmed by scientists in Germanygiving 360mg doses for 4
weeks to 28 Parkinson's patients.
Alzheimer's Disease
Neuromuscular Diseases
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS
/ Lou Gehrigs Disease)
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular dystrophy
Skin Health
Including melanoma and topical cosmetic use
Hojerova J, Coenzyme Q10—its importance, properties and use in nutrition and
cosmetics. Ceska Slov Farm 2000;49(3):119-123;
Rusciani L et al, Low plasma coenzyme Q10 levels as an independent prognostic
factor for melanoma progression. J Am Acad Dermatol . Feb
2006;54(2):234-41;
Hoppe U et al, Coenzyme Q10, a cutaneous antioxidant and energizer.
Biofactors. 1999;9(2-4):371-8; Passi S et al. Lipophilic antioxidants in
human sebum and aging. Free Radic Res . April 2002;36(4):471-7
Diabetes
CoQ10 supplementation has been reported to reduce insulin requirements in
diabetes mellitus -
Australian researchers reported a reduction of HbA1c (an indicator of blood
sugar control) in a large group of hypertensive diabetics who received a daily
CoQ10 dosage of 200 mg per day.
Hodgson, J.M et al, CoQ10 improves blood
pressure and glycaemic control: a controlled trial in subjects with type 2
diabetes. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002.
Healthy individuals have more than a 90% ubiquinol ratio in their plasma,
whereas individuals with Type 2 Diabetes have as little as 25% - This decrease
correlates to lower energy levels.
Blood Glucose(mmol/l)
<=5.5
(n=60)
5.6 -6.9
(n=63)
>=7.0
(n=69)
Ubiquinol Ratio (%) Male
93 ±6
43 ±25
24 ±11
Lim, S. C., et al. Abstract of 2005 American Diabetes Association
Cancer
Two dramatic case studies published in 1994
confirm CoQ10's role in reducing/removing cancer tumors
(1) A 59-year-old woman who
had intraductal carcinoma (cancer) of the left
breast, which resolved completely on a daily dose of 390 mg CoQ10
(2) A second patient, after
breast surgery, was found to have residual intraductal carcinoma in the tumor
bed - She refused additional surgery, and
was placed on 300 mg CoQ10 per day. Over a year later, there was no evidence of
residual tumor or metastases. Despite practicing oncology for 35 years, over
which he had treated about 200 cases of breast cancer per year, one of the
authors commented that he had never seen such a spontaneous complete regression
of a 1.5-2.0 cm breast tumor on any conventional anti-tumor therapy.
LockwoodK et al, Partial and
complete regression of breast cancer in patients in relation to dosage of CoQ10.
Biochem Biophys Res Comm 1994, 199: 3, 1504-1508
A more recent study indicated that breast cancer
is associated with a decrease of plasma CoQ10 levels - and the
worse the cancer, the greater the decrease in CoQ10.
Jolliet, P. et al. Plasma CoQ10 concentrations in breast cancer: prognosis and
therapeutic consequences. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 1998;36(9):506-509
Renal Failure
COQ10 improves renal function - Dr.
Ram B. Singh of the Heart Research Laboratory and Center for Nutrition in
Moradabad, India, reported on a new indication for CoQ10 therapy, in a patient
with acute glomerulonephritis, renal failure and high levels of lipid peroxides.
He administered 180 mg per day of CoQ10, with a resultant lowering of lipid
peroxides and significant improvement in renal function.
Singh, R.B. and Singh, M.M. Effects of CoQ10 in new indications with antioxidant
vitamin deficiency. J Nutr Environ Med 1999; 9:223-228
In a follow-up study of 11 patients with chronic renal failure (serum creatinine
levels were 5 mg/dL or above) who were on intermittent dialysis, Dr. Singh again
administered CoQ10 at a dosage of 180 mg per day. After 4 weeks of treatment,
the patients experienced significant reductions in serum creatinine and blood
urea and significant increases in creatinine clearance and urine output, and
fewer subjects required
dialysis.
Singh, R.B., Khanna, H.K., and Niaz M.A. Randomized, double-blind
placebo-controlled trial of CoQ10 in chronic renal failure: Discovery of a new
role. J Nutr Environ Med 2000; 10:281-288
Periodontal Disease
CoQ10 is dramatically effective in treating periodontal disease
-
a common malady of aging. In an early study 8 patients received
CoQ10 at 25 mg. twice a day, versus a placebo group. Results showed a reduction
in pocket depth with photographic evidence of improved gingival health.
Wilkinson, E.G. et al,
Bioenergetics in clinical medicine VI. Adjunctive treatment of periodontal
disease with CoQ10. Res Comm Chem Pathol Pharmacol Aug. 1976; 14(4): 715-719.
In a more recent study, CoQ10 was used topically with significant improvement.
Hanioka T et al, Effect of topical application of CoQ10 on adult periodontitis.
Mol Aspects Med 1994;15(Suppl):s241-s248.
Other Health Problems helped by CoQ10
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Asthma
• Migraine
• Immune Disorders
• Male Infertility
• HIV/AIDS
• Mitochondrial Cytopathies(E.g.
MELAS, MERRF, etc)
• MELAS, MERRF,
etc.
• Ataxias
