CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10)

By :Ester N Haindobo
 What is it??
• Coenzyme Q10 (2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone), CoQ 10,
Ubidecarenone, Ubiquinone-10

• Coenzyme Q10 was first isolated in 1957 in beef mitochondria, and is found in
highest concentrations in tissues with high energy turnover such as the heart,
brain, liver, and kidney.

• Coenzyme Q10 is a ubiquitous compound vital to a number of activities related to

energy metabolism. Because dysfunctional energy metabolism has been cited as a
contributing factor for a number of conditions, coenzyme Q10 has been indicated
in the treatment of cardiac, neurologic, oncologic, and immunologic disorders.

Coenzyme Q10 is a member of the ubiquinone family, synthesized by animals and plants. Ubiquinones are fat-soluble molecules with 1
to 12 isoprene (5-carbon) units. (humans, ubidecaquinone or coenzyme Q 10, has a "tail" of 10 isoprene units (a total of 50 carbon
atoms) attached to its benzoquinone "head“)
Chemical components
 Storage
• inner membranes of the mitochondria,and is
crucial for the production of 
adenosine triphosphate (ATP) via electron and
proton transfer.
• Unfortunately, with aging, biosynthesis depletes
and oxidation into ubiquinol is compromised. This
is where CoQ10 supplements come in handy, to
restore the body's ideal CoQ10 levels and alleviate
certain conditions (more on this to come later).
 Food Sources of CoQ10
• •Fish like wild-caught Alaskan salmon and
herring
• •Grass fed beef and organ meats
• •Organic pastured meats
• •Sesame seeds
• •Broccoli
Function of CoQ10
 Indications
Mitochondrial disorders, inherited or acquired disorders that limit
energy production in the cell of the body
Congestive heart failure (CHF), in combination with other medications
Chest pain (Angina)
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Improving the immune system of people with HIV/AIDS
Reducing damage to the heart from doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
Migraines
 Efficacy
According to clinical studies, when coenzyme Q10 was given for six
months, it seemed to reduce the symptoms associated with
mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. However, the onset is slow and
took six months to see maximum effect.
According to clinical studies (pts with NYHA class III and IV disease), there
is conflicting data that coenzyme Q10 is effective on ejection fraction,
exercise tolerance, cardiac output, and stroke volume. There is no
evidence that coenzyme Q10 can help heart failure when taken alone.
However, studies have shown coenzyme Q10 (doses of 100-200mg/day)
to have favorable effects when taken with heart failure drugs.
In one clinical study, coenzyme Q10 showed fewer incidents of angina
pectoris compared to placebo. The findings suggest that coenzyme Q10
can provide rapid protective effects in patients with AMI if administered
within 3 days of the onset of symptoms.
55% of patients who take coenzyme Q10 (doses of 75- 360mg/day) have
shown to have a 25.9 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure with 12
weeks of therapy. One study showed a mean decrease in systolic blood
pressure from 151mmHg to 139mmHg and a mean diastolic blood
pressure decrease from 92mmHg to 84mmHg when adding coenzyme
Q10 to antihypertensive medication regimens.
Patients with HIV/AIDS have shown to have a decline in coenzyme Q10.
Taking coenzyme Q10 supplement (doses of 200mg/day) have shown to
increase plasma levels therefore improve the immune system, which
coenzyme Q10 may have immunostimulatory activity
Patients receiving doxorubicin have a decline in coenzyme Q10 therefore
taking coenzyme Q10 may reduce the cardiotoxicity effects of
doxorubicin.
One studied showed coenzyme Q10 reduced the number of days with
migraine and reduce migraine frequency when compared to baseline
 Contra-Indications
• No absolute contraindications are known for
coenzyme Q10, although reliable information
about its use in pregnant or breastfeeding
mothers or in young children is not available.
 Benefits
• CoQ10 seems to help treat heart failure by improving heart function, increasing ATP
production and limiting oxidative damage. (+selenium)
• Several studies have concluded that supplementing with CoQ10 may improve sperm
quality, activity and concentration by increasing antioxidant protection.
• When applied directly to the skin, CoQ10 can reduce sun damage and increase
antioxidant protection. Supplementing with CoQ10 may also help decrease the risk of
skin cancer.
• Exercise performance can be affected by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.
CoQ10 can help lower oxidative damage, promote exercise capacity and decrease
fatigue.
Antioxidant — CoQ10 can help fight free radicals responsible for cell and DNA damage.
Plus, ubiquinol is a lipid-soluble or fat-soluble antioxidant that works in the lipid portions
of your body, such as the cell membranes. In fact, it's the ONLY fat-soluble antioxidant
that's generated within the body and does not have to be ingested from food (although
you can definitely get your share of CoQ10 or ubiquinol from food sources mentioned
earlier).