ANTIOXIDANTS

Potential Health Benefits of CoQ10

Adequate CoQ10 maintains good health and prevents/reduces the risk for numerous chronic degenerative and metabolic diseases

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 (heart unable to pump /distrubute enough blood to body)-

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.    COQ10 may be all that is needed in mild cases. 46 male and 37 female hypertensive patients (mean age ~70) received 120mg/day CoQ10 in a study by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. Systolic blood pressure was reduced by an average of 17.8 mmHg.

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.

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