Coenzyme Q10 ubiquinone, ubidecarenone Efficacy Indications with possible efficacy : Coenzyme Q10 deficiency Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy Indications with possible, but poorly documented efficacy : Angina to improve symptoms Congestive heart failure Hypertension Migraine prevention Muscular Dystrophy Myocardial infarction, recurrence prevention Parkinson's disease To improve the immune function in patients with HIV To prevent doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity chemotherapy Indications with no proof of efficacy : Chronic fatigue syndrome Huntington's disease To improve blood glucose control in diabetics Security Risk of Drug Interactions : High Adverse Effects : Rare Description Where it comes from: bacterias, yeast or synthetic Coenzyme Q10 CoQ10 is a potent antioxidant possibly capable of protecting the body against free radicals and carcinogenic substances.

Direction of use Data are limited and insufficient to clearly establish it's usefulness in the treatment of most medical problems. Angina to improve symptoms : May reduce exercise-induced pain and increase the duration of exercise in stable chronic angina.

Used doses: to mg daily Coenzyme Q10 deficiency : To reduce symptoms of weakness, fatigue and seizures. Used doses: mg daily Congestive heart failure : Most users will see their functioning capacity improve.

Those already taking this product for congestive heart failure should not discontinue its use without proper medical supervision. Used doses: 50 to mg daily in divided doses. Doses may be gradually increased to mg daily.

Muscular dystrophy : Taking coenzyme Q10 has been associated with some benefits in people with certain forms of muscular dystrophy. Available data are limited.

Used doses: mg daily, in divided doses, have been used. Myocardial infarction, recurrence prevention : Used doses: 60 mg twice a day. Parkinson's disease : Seems to slow functional decline in people with early disease.

In HIV-positive patients, blood levels of coenzyme Q10 seem to gradually decrease during the course of the disease. Used doses: mg daily, in divided doses, have yielded encouraging results. To reduce doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity chemotherapy : Used doses: 50 mg daily have been used, but available data are still limited, There is insufficient reliable information to conclude that coenzyme Q10 is effective in any other indication, including topical use.

Precautions Side effects CoQ10 is not associated with any specific toxicity and recommended doses appear to be safe. A few rare cases of stomachache, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea and skin rash have been reported. To minimize those effects, divided doses are recommended when it exceed mg per day.

Contraindications Use with caution with hypotension or hypertension, because coenzyme Q10 may lower blood pressure.

Interactions Some drugs may reduce blood CoQ10 levels and reduce the effects of supplementation: oral hypoglycemic agents Diabeta, Diamicron, etc.

statins Lipitor, Pravachol, Zocor, etc. β-blockers Inderal, Lopresor, Tenormin, etc. antipsychotics Largactil, Mellaril, Stemetil, etc.

tricyclic antidepressants Elavil, Sinequan, Tofranil, etc. CoQ10 can reduce the effect of Coumadin, an anticoagulant. People using this drug should be closely monitored while taking CoQ10 supplements. Pregnancy and lactation Since no safety data are available concerning its use during pregnancy and breast-feeding, pregnant and lactating women should not take CoQ Clinical notes Taking this supplement with a small amount of fat, for example olive oil or peanut butter, may increase its absorption.

Warning In , Canada adopted new regulations that control the manufacturing, packaging, labeling and importing of natural health products. References Pharmacist's Letter, CE Booklet: Nonherbal Dietary Supplements, Fall Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Therapeutic Research Faculty, Lininger S.

But not all studies are positive, and some found no effect, so using CoQ10 for heart failure remains controversial. You should never use CoQ10 itself to treat heart failure, and you should ask your provider before taking it for this condition. Several clinical studies involving small numbers of people suggest that CoQ10 may lower blood pressure.

However, it may take 4 to 12 weeks to see any change. In one analysis, after reviewing 12 clinical studies, researchers concluded that CoQ10 has the potential to lower systolic blood pressure by up to 17 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 10 mm Hg, without significant side effects.

More research with greater numbers of people is needed. DO NOT try to treat high blood pressure by yourself. See your provider for treatment. People with high cholesterol tend to have lower levels of CoQ10, so CoQ10 has been proposed as a treatment for high cholesterol, but scientific studies are lacking.

There is some evidence it may reduce side effects from conventional treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, which reduce natural levels of CoQ10 in the body.

Taking CoQ10 supplements can bring levels back to normal. Plus, studies show that CoQ10 may reduce the muscle pain associated with statin treatment. Ask your provider if you are interested in taking CoQ10 with statins.

CoQ10 supplements may improve heart health and blood sugar and help manage high blood pressure in people with diabetes. Preliminary studies found that CoQ10 improves blood sugar control. But other studies show no effect. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor or registered dietitian before taking CoQ Several clinical studies suggest that CoQ10 may help prevent heart damage caused by certain chemotherapy drugs, adriamycin, or other athracycline medications.

More studies are needed. Talk to your provider before taking any herbs or supplements if you are undergoing chemotherapy. Clinical research indicates that introducing CoQ10 prior to heart surgery, including bypass surgery and heart transplantation, can reduce damage caused by free radicals, strengthen heart function, and lower the incidence of irregular heart beat arrhythmias during the recovery phase.

You should not take any supplements before surgery unless your provider approves. Gum disease is a common problem that causes swelling, bleeding, pain, and redness of the gums.

Clinical studies show that people with gum disease tend to have low levels of CoQ10 in their gums. A few studies with small numbers of people found that CoQ10 supplements led to faster healing and tissue repair, but more research is needed.

Scientific studies are needed to see whether CoQ10 can be safely and effectively used for these health problems and needs. Primary dietary sources of CoQ10 include oily fish such as salmon and tuna , organ meats such as liver , and whole grains.

Most people get enough CoQ10 through a balanced diet, but supplements may help people with particular health conditions see Uses section , or those taking certain medications see Interactions section.

CoQ10 is available as a supplement in several forms, including soft gel capsules, oral spray, hard shell capsules, and tablets. CoQ10 is also added to various cosmetics.

Pediatric DO NOT give CoQ10 to a child under 18 except under the supervision of a health care provider. For adults 19 years and older: The recommended dose for CoQ10 supplementation is 30 to mg daily.

Soft gels tend to be better absorbed than capsules or other preparations. Higher doses may be recommended for specific conditions. CoQ10 is fat soluble, so it should be taken with a meal containing fat so your body can absorb it.

Also, taking CoQ10 at night may help with the body's ability to use it. Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, you should take dietary supplements only under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.

CoQ10 appears to be safe with no major side effects, except occasional stomach upset. However, researchers have not done studies and do not know if CoQ10 supplements are safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

CoQ10 may lower blood sugar, so people with diabetes should talk with their provider before taking it to avoid the risk of low blood sugar. Some suggest that it may also lower blood pressure. If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use CoQ10 without first talking to your health care provider.

Chemotherapy medications: Researchers are not sure whether CoQ10's antioxidant effect might make some chemotherapy drugs less effective. Ask your oncologist before taking antioxidants or any supplement along with chemotherapy.

Daunorubicin and doxorubicin: CoQ10 may help reduce the toxic effects on the heart caused by daunorubicin Cerubidin and doxorubicin Adriamycin , two chemotherapy medications that are used to treat several kinds of cancer. Blood pressure medications: CoQ10 may work with blood pressure medications to lower blood pressure.

In a clinical study of people taking blood pressure medications, adding CoQ10 supplements allowed them to reduce the doses of these medications. More research is needed, however. If you take medication for high blood pressure, talk to your provider before taking CoQ10, and DO NOT stop taking your regular medication.

Blood-thinning medications: There have been reports that CoQ10 may make medications such as warfarin Coumadin or clopidigrel Plavix less effective at thinning the blood. If you take blood thinners, ask your provider before taking CoQ Betaxolol Betoptic : CoQ10 supplements may reduce the heart-related side effects of betaxolol drops Betoptic , a beta-blocker medication used to treat glaucoma, without making the medication any less effective.

Aguilaniu H, Durieux J, Dillin A. Metabolism, ubiquinone synthesis, and longevity. Genes Dev. Beal MF. Therapeutic effects of coenzyme Q10 in neurodegenerative diseases. Methods Enzymol. Belardinelli R, Mucaj A, Lacalaprice F, et al. Eur Heart J. Berthold HK, Naini A, Di Mauro S, Hallikainen M, Gylling H, Krone W, Gouni-Berthold I.

Drug Saf. Caso G, Kelly P, McNurlan MA, Lawson WE. Effect of coenzyme q10 on myopathyic symptoms in patients treated with statins. Am J Cardiol. Dhanasekaran M, Ren J. The emerging role of coenzyme Q in aging, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes mellitus.

Curr Neurovasc Res. de Bustos F, Molina JA, Jimenez-Jimenz FJ, Garcia-Redondo A, Gomez-Escalonilla C, Porta-Etessam J, et al. Serum levels of coenzyme Q10 in patients with Alzheimer's disease. J Neural Transm. Heck AM, DeWitt BA, Lukes AL. Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin.

Am J Health-System Pharm. Hodgson JM, Watts GF, Playford DA, et al. Coenzyme Q 10 improves blood pressure and glycaemic control: a controlled trial in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Eur J Clin Nutr. Khan M, Gross J, Haupt H, et al. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.

Khatta M, Alexander BS, Krichten CM, Fisher ML, Freudenberger R, Robinson SW et al. The effect of conenzyme Q10 in patients with congestive heart failure. Ann Int Med.

Kolahdouz Mohammadi R, Hosseinzadeh-Attar MJ, Eshraghian MR, Nakhjavani M, Khorami E, Esteghamati A. The effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on metabolic status of type 2 diabetic patients.

Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. Lafuente R, Gonzalez-Comadran M, Sola I, et al. Conezyme Q10 and male infertility: a meta-analysis. J Assist Reprod Genet. Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen JO, Langsjoen AM, Lucas LA. Treatment of statin adverse effects with supplemental Coenzyme Q10 and statin drug discontinuation.

Lee BJ, Tseng YF, Yen CH, Lin PT. Nutr J. Levy G, Kaufmann P, Buchsbaum R, et al. Madmani ME, Yusuf Solaiman A, Tamr Agha K, et al.

As its name suggests, the disorder involves a shortage deficiency of a substance called coenzyme Q The severity, combination of signs and symptoms, and age of onset of primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency vary widely.

In the most severe cases, the condition becomes apparent in infancy and causes severe brain dysfunction combined with muscle weakness encephalomyopathy and the failure of other body systems.

These problems can be life-threatening. The mildest cases of primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency can begin as late as a person's sixties and often cause cerebellar ataxia , which refers to problems with coordination and balance due to defects in the part of the brain that is involved in coordinating movement cerebellum.

Other neurological abnormalities that can occur in primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency include seizures, intellectual disability, poor muscle tone hypotonia , involuntary muscle contractions dystonia , progressive muscle stiffness spasticity , abnormal eye movements nystagmus , vision loss caused by degeneration atrophy of the optic nerves or breakdown of the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eyes retinopathy , and sensorineural hearing loss which is caused by abnormalities in the inner ear.

The neurological problems gradually get worse unless treated with coenzyme Q10 supplementation. A type of kidney dysfunction called nephrotic syndrome is another common feature of primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency. It can occur with or without neurological abnormalities. Nephrotic syndrome occurs when damage to the kidneys impairs their function, which allows protein from the blood to pass into the urine proteinuria.

Other signs and symptoms of nephrotic syndrome include increased cholesterol in the blood hypercholesterolemia , an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity ascites , and swelling edema. Affected individuals may also have blood in the urine hematuria , which can lead to a reduced number of red blood cells in the body anemia , abnormal blood clotting, or reduced amounts of certain white blood cells.

Low white blood cell counts can lead to a weakened immune system and frequent infections in people with nephrotic syndrome. If not treated with coenzyme Q10 supplementation, affected individuals eventually develop irreversible kidney failure end-stage renal disease. A type of heart disease that enlarges and weakens the heart muscle hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can also occur in primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency.

The prevalence of primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency is thought to be less than 1 in , people. Primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency is caused by mutations in genes that provide instructions for making proteins involved in the production synthesis of a molecule called coenzyme Q Collectively, they are called the COQ genes.

Most of the identified mutations have occurred in the COQ2 , COQ4 , COQ6 , COQ8A , and COQ8B genes. Smaller numbers of mutations in other COQ genes have also been found to cause primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency. The coenzyme Q10 molecule has several critical functions in cells throughout the body.

In cell structures called mitochondria , coenzyme Q10 plays an essential role in a process called oxidative phosphorylation , which converts the energy from food into a form cells can use. Coenzyme Q10 is also involved in producing pyrimidines, which are building blocks of DNA, its chemical cousin RNA, and molecules such as ATP and GTP that serve as energy sources in the cell.

In cell membranes, coenzyme Q10 acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage caused by unstable oxygen-containing molecules free radicals , which are byproducts of energy production. Some mutations in the COQ genes greatly reduce or eliminate the production of the corresponding proteins; others change the structure of a protein, impairing its function.

A lack of functional protein produced from any one of the COQ genes decreases the normal production of coenzyme Q Studies suggest that a shortage deficiency of coenzyme Q10 impairs oxidative phosphorylation and increases the vulnerability of cells to damage from free radicals.

A deficiency of coenzyme Q10 may also disrupt the production of pyrimidines. These changes can cause cells throughout the body to malfunction, which may help explain the variety of organs and tissues that can be affected by primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency.

Coenzyme Q10 deficiency can also be caused by mutations in genes that are not directly related to the synthesis of coenzyme Q In these cases, the condition is referred to as secondary coenzyme Q10 deficiency.

Secondary coenzyme Q10 deficiency is a common feature of certain other genetic conditions. This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern , which means both copies of a gene in each cell have mutations. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice.

Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency. Description Primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency is a disorder that can affect many parts of the body, especially the brain, muscles, and kidneys.

Frequency The prevalence of primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency is thought to be less than 1 in , people. Causes Primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency is caused by mutations in genes that provide instructions for making proteins involved in the production synthesis of a molecule called coenzyme Q Coenzyme Q10 plays very significant role in our body and is utilized every minute of the day, still a majority of people have good levels of CoQ10 in their bodies already.

However, as you age, these levels start to drop, leading to rise in certain health complications. Research suggests, supplementing your daily diet with CoQ10 supplements may give beneficial effects for maintaining an overall healthy body and its functioning.

As CoQ10 is very crucial for energy production, DNA replication and repair, it can be found in almost all cells of our body. You need high amount of CoQ10 if you fall under these categories:. Immunity Booster: Along with being a powerful antioxidant, CoQ10 also helps in the energy production cycle.

CoQ10 supplies the required energy to the immune system cells for protecting the body from harmful substances. Since all the activities of the immune system are energy-dependent, it requires CoQ10 abundantly to support a healthy functioning immune system.

Good for Heart: CoQ10 is extremely good for maintaining your heart health. It is known to help in lowering high blood pressure and protects against cognitive heart failure. If you have been through a heart surgery, this is one of the best supplement to consume to recover faster.

It also helps in reducing the risk of heart attacks in diabetic patients by lowering their high blood pressure. Relieves Migraine: Stress hormone, cortisol when released in high amounts causes extreme headaches. CoQ10 is very beneficial is reducing the oxidative stress caused by the free radical in all over the body.

This property of CoQ10 also helps in reducing the migraine headaches caused due to excessive release of stress hormone, cortisol by capturing the headache-causing free radicals, thus relaxing the mind.

It is helpful in slowing down the progression of these diseases. While CoQ10 reserves in your body can be fulfilled with your daily diet consisting of vegetables, soybean, meat, fish, nuts and seeds; it is important to take higher quantity of CoQ10 for older adults and aging population through supplements to support their daily functioning.