Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a substance that occurs naturally in the body, with the highest levels found in the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas. In some special physiological or disease states, the content of this substance in the human body is reduced especially in some organs, because CoQ10 has an important function in the human body. As a dietary supplement, CoQ10 is recommended as an adjunct to drug therapy for conditions affecting the heart, such as heart failure and fluid buildup in the body (congestive heart failure or CHF), chest pain (angina), and high blood pressure.
Structure And Mechanism
Coenzyme Q10 has three oxidation states, including the fully reduced ubiquinone form (CoQ10H2), the free radical semiquinone intermediate (CoQ10H.), and the fully oxidized ubiquinone form (CoQ10). Compared with vitamins, coenzyme Q10 has a similar structure, but the difference is that it can be synthesized in the body. [1]
CoQ10 is known for its key role in mitochondrial bioenergetics. CoQ10 affects the expression of genes involved in human cell signaling, metabolism, and trafficking, and may be beneficial in several clinical situations. [2] The multiple functions of CoQ10 in mitochondria and cell membranes are shown in the figure. [3]
The role of CoQ10
- CoQ10 helps your cells produce energy. It is involved in the manufacture of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is involved in energy transfer within cells.
- CoQ10 is an antioxidant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Numerous studies have found that CoQ10 has a positive role in a variety of human diseases, as summarized in the figure below. The solid line depicts the well-documented positive role of CoQ10 in mitochondrial syndromes associated with CoQ10 deficiency, inflammation and cardiovascular disease, and delays in some age-related processes. The dotted line depicts other positive effects of CoQ10 in kidney disease, fertility, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases, which require more research to validate. [3]
Precautions
- CoQ10 has fewer side effects, and a very small number of people experience adverse reactions including upset stomach, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- The safety of CoQ10 during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established.
- CoQ10 may interact with anticoagulants such as warfarin, reducing the efficacy.
- CoQ10 has potential synergistic effects on cancer drugs (alkylating agents) and high blood pressure drugs (antihypertensive drugs). Please use it with caution.
Related Research Information
Treating and preventing migraine
Migraine and inflammation are related. CoQ10 has shown useful effects in other diseases as an anti-inflammatory agent. A recent meta-analysis of four randomized clinical trials involving 221 participants showed that CoQ10 supplementation reduced the frequency of monthly migraine attacks without affecting the severity or duration of migraine attacks. [4]
References- Albert E. Raizner. (2019). "Coenzyme Q10," Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. 15(3), 185–191.
- Garrido-Maraver J. (2014). "Coenzyme Q10 Therapy," Molecular Syndromology 5,187-197.
- Juan D. Hernández-Camacho. (2018). "Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Aging and Disease," Front. Physiol. 9, 44.
- Mohammad Parohan. (2020). "Effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on clinical features of migraine: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials," Nutritional Neuroscience 23(11). 868-875.
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