Description of coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which is closely related to vitamin K in its chemical structure, is also an antioxidant, which means it protects the body from damage caused by free radicals (oxidative stress).
This coenzyme, which acts like a vitamin in the body, activates energy production at the cellular level.
All physiological processes that require energy consumption require CoQ10.
It is also present throughout the body, particularly in the heart, in the mucous membranes of the gums and stomach, in the tissues of all organs involved in the immune system, and in the liver, kidneys and prostate.
Hence its other name, "ubiquinone" (which has the same etymology as the word "ubiquity", meaning "ubiquitous").
Until recently, most commercially available CoQ10 supplements were made in Japan. Now much of it comes from China, where there are several factories.
The manufacturing process developed by the Japanese involves fermenting sugar beet and sugar cane with specific strains of yeast.
The environment created by these yeasts is particularly rich in CoQ10. At the end of the process, everything is heated to inactivate the yeasts, the culture medium is dried and reduced to a powder from which extracts are made.
CoQ10 is considered a food supplement and not a drug, mainly because it is a natural molecule and therefore cannot be covered by a pharmaceutical patent.
Indications
Likely effectiveness
Probable effectiveness
Efficacy uncertain
- Improved exercise performance and recovery
- Diabetes
- Reduced toxicity from cancer treatments
Dosage of coenzyme Q10
The diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure require the supervision of a healthcare professional. Self-medication is not recommended.
Hypertension and heart failure: dosages used in trials ranged from 60 mg to 100 mg, 2 times daily.
Note: As CoQ10 is best absorbed in the presence of fat, it is best taken with a meal or as a fat-based gelatine capsule.
Food sources of coenzyme Q10
In theory, the body is able to synthesise the CoQ10 it needs, so dietary intake of this substance, estimated at 10 mg or less, represents a small proportion of the amounts of CoQ10 found in the body.
Meat, fish, and rapeseed and soybean oils are the best sources of CoQ10.
Nuts and seeds also contain CoQ10.
The dosages required for the therapeutic uses mentioned in this fact sheet cannot be achieved without the use of CoQ10 supplements.
Coenzyme Q10 deficiency
Because the body is able to synthesise CoQ10 as needed, it is not considered an essential nutrient.
As a result, no recommended daily intake of CoQ10 has been established, and it is not common practice to monitor levels in the body.
However, it has been observed that the body produces less of it as we age.
Patients with heart or cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, gum disease, high blood pressure, AIDS, muscle disease or macular degeneration have also shown consistently low levels of CoQ10.
Precautionary measures
Warning
The safety of CoQ10 in pregnant and breastfeeding women has not been established.
People with heart disease who are considering CoQ10 therapy should do so under medical supervision.
People with diabetes. Because CoQ10 can lower blood sugar levels, watch your blood sugar levels closely when you start taking it. If necessary, consult your doctor to adjust the dosage of conventional hypoglycaemic agents.
Contraindications
None known.
Side effects
Rare, mild and usually gastrointestinal.
Interactions
With plants or supplements: none known.
With medication:
The blood pressure-lowering effects of CoQ10 may be additive to those of medications used to treat high blood pressure.
Patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy should consult their doctor before taking a CoQ10 supplement.
Because of its chemical similarity to vitamin K, CoQ10 could theoretically counteract the blood-thinning effects of warfarin. However, no such interaction was observed in a crossover study of 24 people. As the safety margin of warfarin is limited, it is still better to tell your doctor if you are also taking CoQ10.
Some medications can reduce levels of CoQ10 in the body (non-exhaustive list)
- Statins (hypercholesterolaemia)
- Beta-blockers, methyldopa, hydrochlorothiazide, clonidine, hydralazine (high blood pressure)
- Gliburide, fenformin (diabetes)
- Tricyclic antidepressants (eg, imipramine)
- Antipsychotic drugs in the phenothiazine family