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In 1978, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Peter Mitchell for one of the most important discoveries in nutritional science. The citation for this award stated: u.a.: “Q10 is an essential factor for the release of energy from nutrients in the mitochondria, the power plants of the body’s cells.”
- It is an amino acid derivative (dipeptide) made from phenylalanine and tyrosine.
- Q10 can be synthesized by humans
- Ring-shaped compounds (in quinone structure) made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms (can absorb and release electrons)
- Belongs to the group of so-called ubiquinones; these occur ubiquitously (“ubi” = everywhere) in all living cells in nature
- There is ubiquinone 1-10 (= coenzyme Q1-10), whereby in humans v.a. Q10 is active. Q1-Q9 come v.a. in animals and plants and can be converted into Q10
- Q10 is a redox system – the reduced and oxidized forms are converted into each other:
- Reduced form = “Ubiquinol”
- Oxidized form = “ubiquinone”
What does “coenzyme Q10” actually mean?
Coenzyme: A coenzyme is not a true enzyme, but rather a type of enzyme helper that is nevertheless crucial for the work of enzymes. They are molecules that play a key role in enzymatic reactions. They work together with enzymes to enable or facilitate biochemical reactions in the body. Coenzymes are often essential for the conversion of nutrients into energy or for other important metabolic processes.
Q10: The "Q" stands for "quinone," which refers to the chemical structure of the molecule. Quinones are compounds that can transfer electrons in enzymatic reactions. The "10" in "Q10" refers to the number of isoprenyl units in the side chain of the molecule.
Coenzyme Q10 as ubiquinone or ubiquinol?
Both forms are part of the same redox system: The oxidized ubiquinone is needed to produce energy in the form of ATP, while the reduced ubiquinol acts as an antioxidant. This means that the reduced Q10 donates electrons, while the oxidized Q10 absorbs electrons.
Ubiquinone must first be converted into ubiquinol in the cells, which requires energy, to be effective. Therefore, it may be beneficial to administer ubiquinol directly, as it is absorbed two to four times better by the small intestine (see Hosoe K (2007): Study on safety and bioavailability of ubiquinol after single and 4-week multiple oral administration to healthy volunteers. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol; 47(1):19-28 and Ikematsu H (2006): Safety assessment of coenzyme Q10 (Kaneka Q10) in healthy subjects: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, Regul Toxicol Pharmacol; 44, 212-218).
Ubiquinol has only been able to be produced in large quantities in such a way that it remains stable for about 20 years. Ubiquinol is highly reactive—which is why it is such a powerful antioxidant. The difference between ubiquinol and ubiquinone is also visible: Ubiquinol is a white powder, while the oxidized version of ubiquinone is yellow. This is similar to a cut apple: It also turns yellow as soon as the cut surface is exposed to oxygen—this is also due to oxidation.
Occurrence in humans
- In all cells with high energy turnover (z.B.Heart, kidney, liver)
- Q10 concentration decreases with age - dietary intake is therefore important!
Coenzyme Q10 in food
- Alimentary intake approx. 5 - 10 mg/day
- Particularly rich in Q10 are:
- Soybeans, walnuts, almonds and their oils
- Meat, mackerel, sardines
- Nuts, wheat germ,
- green beans, spinach, garlic
- Q10 concentration per 100 grams:
- Sardines: 6.40 mg/100 g
- Beef: 3.30 mg/100 g
- Pork: 3.20 mg/100 g
- Poultry: 1.80 mg/100 g
- Butter: 0.60 mg/100 g
- Cheese: 0.40 mg/100 g
- Onion 0.1 mg/100 g
- Potato 0.1 mg/100 g
- Cauliflower 0.14 mg/10 g
- White cabbage 0.16 mg/100 g
- Eggplant 0.21 mg/100 g
- Chinese cabbage 0.21 mg/100 g
- Lettuce 0.22 mg/100 g
- Paprika 0.33 mg/100 g
- Spinach 0.36 mg/100 g
- Broccoli 0.86 mg/100 g
- Sunflower oil 0.7 mg/100 g
- Olive oil 3.0 mg/100 g
Possible causes of deficiency
- Nutritional errors (z.B. Reduction diets, low-fat diet)
- Absorption disorders (z.B. gastrointestinal disorders, disorders of biliary function)
- Reduction of the body's own synthesis
- Age (physiological)
- Deficiency of B vitamins, vitamin E, amino acids or selenium
- Taking statins, β-blockers or L-dopa
- Phenylketonuria, liver disease, gene mutations
- Increased need, e.g. due to heart failure, exercise, stress, smoking, oxidative stress
Possible deficiency symptoms
- Restriction of ATP formation
- High blood pressure, heart muscle disorders, heart failure
- Arteriosclerosis
Decrease in Q10 levels with age
- Decrease in the amount of Q10 with age in various organs (especially heart and kidneys)
- Compared to 20-year-old
a) for 40-year-olds approx. 32%
b) in 80-year-olds approx. 58%
less coenzyme Q10 in the heart - Causes:
- reduced biosynthesis
- insufficient Q10 intake with food
- increased consumption of Q10 due to increased oxidative stress
Effects of coenzyme Q10/current studies
energy
All of our body's cells contain mitochondria – the "powerhouses" of our cells that produce the cellular energy "ATP" (adenosine triphosphate). Macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) from food are converted into ATP with the help of oxygen and numerous enzymes and cofactors. Because oxygen is required for this energy conversion, this process is also called the respiratory chain. Q10, as oxidized ubiquinone in the inner mitochondrial membrane, plays a crucial role in the final step of the respiratory chain:
In hydroelectric power plants, river energy is converted into electrical energy via a turbine. In power plants of human cells, energy from food is converted into the body's own energy (= ATP). Coenzyme Q10 plays the role of the turbine in this analogy: it helps the cell power plant to convert food components into energy for the cell.Coenzyme Q10 doesn't provide energy to the cell, but rather enables it to activate energy from food. 95% of the body's energy is thus activated by Q10.
If the body does not have enough Q10 available, it cannot produce enough energy in the form of ATP.
antioxidant
Since a large number of free radicals are constantly produced in the mitochondria as a “by-product” of energy production, a coenzyme Q10 deficiency has a further negative effect, as Q10 is a powerful antioxidant.
Due to its localization in the mitochondria, Q10 has a particularly effective and rapid local effect on oxygen radicals. It is also involved in the reduction of oxidized vitamin E.
The reduced form of Q10 – ubiquinol – acts as an antioxidant. It reduces oxidative stress, which u.a. can be the cause of arteriosclerosis, cancer, aging, etc.
skin
The body's own production of coenzyme Q10 decreases with age, which also increases the production of free radicals. Free radicals cause our skin cells to age faster, which is why, conversely, a sufficient supply of Q10 through food or supplements can slow down skin aging. (see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17482886/ ).
cardiovascular system
Coenzyme Q10 provides the necessary energy in a healthy heart and can significantly improve energy supply and therapy success in a diseased heart.
The results of a study (cf. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20604917/ ), published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, showed that antioxidants such as Q10, vitamin E, vitamin C and selenium can significantly improve risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, poor vascular elasticity and even poor cholesterol levels.
Annoy
Aging symptoms of the nerves are almost always associated with a disruption in energy supply caused by impaired mitochondrial function. A 2002 study (see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12374491/ ) the progression of Parkinson's disease could be slowed with the help of Q10. In this study, various amounts of Q10 were tested on Parkinson's patients in the early stages of the disease over a period of 16 months. With the highest dose tested, 1.2g of coenzyme Q10 per day, a significant improvement in the disease was observed. However, even the lower amounts of Q10 led to an improvement in the condition of all patients.
However, a more recent study from 2014 showed no improvement in Parkinson's symptoms after taking Q10. However, this study did not use Q10 alone, but rather a combination of Q10 and vitamin E. Thus, Q10 alone could be helpful in Parkinson's disease, but the combination with vitamin E is not (see [see context]. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/1851409 ).
Chronic inflammation
Q10 appears to regulate the release of NF-kappaB, which is responsible for the activation of inflammatory processes (cf. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16679553/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19096114/ ).
immune system
There are numerous studies that show that Q10 can significantly strengthen our immune system, not only through its anti-inflammatory properties. For example, it has been shown that Q10, together with vitamin E, makes a significant contribution to the defense against viruses and bacteria by supporting our natural killer cells (see [link missing]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10648276/ ).
In another study (cf. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8503942/ ) it has been shown that coenzyme Q10 and vitamin B6 allow our immune system to react more quickly to invaders, as these two micronutrients activate the production of antibodies and certain immune cells.
Another study (cf. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3382410/ ) showed that the severity of AIDS is related to a deficiency of Q10. Some AIDS patients were even able to suppress their symptoms in the early stages of the disease with the help of Q10.
Muscles/Fibromyalgia
In studies (cf. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8550248/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18272335/ ) with healthy middle-aged men, Q10 was able to increase muscle strength. However, coenzyme Q10 can also lead to improvement in people with muscle problems or even diseases (see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10416038/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7599221/ ). For example, patients with the muscle disease fibromyalgia have been helped by Q10. This is because people with fibromyalgia have about 40% less Q10 in their cell membranes than healthy people (cf. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009912008006346 ). In a scientific experiment (cf. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12025528/ ) the symptoms of the disease could be improved in 64% of the participants with the help of Q10.
PCOS
A 2019 study involved women suffering from PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome. It is the most common hormonal disorder in women of childbearing age. Affected women can suffer from, among other things, insulin resistance, high blood sugar levels, high testosterone levels, obesity, acne and hair loss. The participants received either CoQ10 (200 mg) or vitamin E (400 IU), a combination of both, or a placebo for 8 weeks. Supplementation with coenzyme Q10 alone or in combination with vitamin E had significant effects on fasting blood sugar compared to placebo. Vitamin E alone had no effect on fasting blood sugar. Coenzyme Q10 alone and the combination with vitamin E also had a positive effect on insulin resistance. All three supplement variants were also able to lower serum testosterone levels. SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) levels increased significantly in the combination group compared to the other groups. SHBG binds free testosterone and renders it inactive. In PCOS, SHBG levels are usually too low (see https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/104/2/319/5091457?login=false ).
lipid metabolism
Fat burning is apparently activated by consuming 90 mg of coenzyme Q10 per day (cf. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18318910/ To understand this connection between Q10 and increased fat burning, you should first know a little about so-called brown adipose tissue.
Brown adipose tissue differs greatly from normal white adipose tissue, which primarily stores excess fat. Brown adipose tissue is crisscrossed by numerous nerves and blood vessels and contains an enormous number of mitochondria, hence its brownish color and, consequently, its name. This adipose tissue apparently plays a role in adaptation to colder temperatures. The special feature of brown adipose tissue is that, unlike normal cellular energy production, it is capable of converting 100% of our calories into heat. This is due to certain proteins – the so-called UCPs (uncoupling proteins) – which are found only in brown adipose tissue.These proteins effectively decouple the normal cellular energy supply, allowing 100% of calories to be converted into heat. The UCPs in brown adipose tissue can be activated by various factors. In one study (see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11171965/ ) it has been shown that Q10 can also activate these proteins and thus fat burning.
Risk of muscle problems when taking statins
Since statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) also lower blood Q10 levels, this can lead to muscle problems (myopathies) – the most common side effect of statins. While not all studies have demonstrated a connection, some studies have shown an improvement in symptoms, making it worthwhile to try, especially since Q10 has no known side effects. Studies have shown that the optimal dose of Q10 to alleviate statin side effects is at least 200 mg per day.
Q10 – Indications
- Cardiovascular diseases (z.B. heart failure)
- improves cardiac performance and rhythm
- reduces heart muscle damage caused by oxygen deficiency
- reduces lipid peroxidation (antioxidant effect)
- Hypertension: Blood pressure reduction at high doses
- Diabetes mellitus
- possibly reducing insulin resistance
- Q10 levels usually reduced
- Periodontosis/periodontitis: significant improvement, especially when combined with vitamin C and bioflavonoids (90 mg Q10 + 3000 mg vitamin C)
- Statin therapy for lipid metabolism disorders
- reverses reduction in Q10 production
- reduces muscle pain (statin side effects)
- Muscle weakness: in muscular dystrophy due to oxygen deficiency
- Neurological diseases
- Parkinson's disease
- Migraine and tinnitus
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS
- Huntington's disease
- Alzheimer
- ADHD and autism
- Renal insufficiency
- Cancer
- B. Leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Q10 contributes to cancer prevention and therapy:
- Energy generation
- Membrane fluidity (and cell communication)
- Antioxidant effect or reduction of oxidative stress (lipid-soluble)
- Immune system effect
- Reduction of therapy side effects (toxic effects of chemotherapy, especially protection of heart muscle cells)
- Psyche (z.B. Stress, depression)
- Obesity: Optimization of cell metabolism, improves weight loss during diets
- Sport (competitive sport): especially endurance sports require optimal O2 supply
- Mitochondrial disorders
Side effects & overdose
No significant side effects
- when taken over a longer period of time in dosages up to 50 mg/day
- Daily doses of up to 300 mg are usually well tolerated
At high doses
- mild gastrointestinal complaints (z.B.Loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea)
- Headache
- insomnia
- rash
- dizziness
- Promotes blood clotting similar to vitamin K (caution when taking anticoagulant medication: INR monitoring during high-dose Q10 therapy)
Requirements & dosage
- The exact Q10 requirement in addition to diet and self-synthesis is not exactly known and depends on many factors (such as intake, synthesis, individual situation)
- Dosage for prevention: 30 - 120 mg (-250 mg) per day (60 - 100 mg doubles the plasma level without suppressing endogenous synthesis)
- Therapeutic use: in sick patients, studies recommend up to 12 mg/kg body weight for ubiquinone (lower dose of ubiquinol)
Therapy example: Mitochondrial performance
| Active ingredients | dosage |
| L-carnitine | 1-3 g |