Description

CoQ10 is a lipid (or fat) soluble molecule present mainly in the mitochondrial cell membrane. It is similar to vitamins in nature, though it is not addressed as such since it is endogenously produced within the body (1). The 'Q' in CoQ10 refers to the 'benzoquinone' ring and '10' refers to the number of isoprenoid units it consists.

This nutrient plays a unique role by transporting electron and protons, supporting ATP (cellular energy) synthesis in the mitochondrial inner membrane. By stabilizing the cell membranes, it preserves cellular integrity and function. CoQ10 is a powerful and versatile antioxidant that blocks oxidative injuries to DNA, lipids, proteins, and other essential molecules (2).

Coenzyme Q10 also plays a role as an antioxidant. Being involved in the intricate oxidation reduction cycle of energy production, it easily loses electrons, acting as an antioxidant. As a result, it prevents and protects the lipids and proteins from oxidation.

Supports Cardiovascular Health

Q-veg facilitates all energy dependent processes of the body, including heart muscle contraction. At the same time, the overall significance of CoQ10 supplementation for your heart is undeniable.

• CoQ10 is useful in arteriosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, chronic heart failure (for both systolic and diastolic heart failure), cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular surgery, hypertension, arrhythmias, valvular heart diseases as well as toxin-induced cardiomyopathy (3).
• Heart treatment over the years has indicated the role of inflammatory mediators in the development of congestive heart failure and acute myocardial infarction. In a recent study, the administration of CoQ10 significantly attenuated the increase of oxidative and nitrative stress markers and inflammatory markers in a dose-dependent manner (3).
• Research and trials show the effectiveness of CoQ10 administration in impacting heart failure and heart transplant candidates. Significant improvement has been observed in functional status, clinical symptoms, and quality of life (4). CoQ10 can restore heart function even in highly precarious heart conditions.
• The heart is highly sensitive to CoQ10 deficiency.

Vegans

Several factors including advancing age, drugs' side effects and insufficient biosynthesis bring a decline in the body's CoQ10 levels. Hence an external supply of CoQ10 becomes essential.

• CoQ10 is mostly found in limited non-vegetarian sources such as pork, heart, beef and fish. Vegetarians cannot get enough CoQ10 unless they eat large quantities of peanuts (17 pounds) and/or broccoli (206 cups). The average person only gets 2–5mg CoQ10 a day from diet (5).

Energy & stamina

Energy has been called the currency of life and the implications are profound when you consider that every one of the body's 70 trillion cells depends on CoQ10 for energy production (6).

• CoQ10 plays a key role in ATP energy production. ATP is the chemical energy that propels several cellular functions in the body. Without CoQ10 the body is not able to produce ATP.
• Deficient CoQ10 levels can have severe consequences including fatigue. A study on the effect of CoQ10 on sedentary individuals concludes that CoQ10 improves physical performance in sedentary individuals (7).
• A study found that trained and untrained men and women had greater endurance after taking 200mg of CoQ10 for two weeks (6).

Hypertension

Several studies reveal CoQ10 deficiency in the patients suffering from hypertension. Supplementation with CoQ10 decreases blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. It seems to correct some abnormalities involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension (7).

Diabetes

CoQ10 is also seen to be particularly effective in hypertension in diabetics and not only lowers blood pressure but also improves diabetic control perhaps by improving insulin resistance (3).

• Since it is a component of the electron transport chain, CoQ10 is significant for carbohydrate metabolism. Depletion of CoQ10 levels might have an adverse effect on glucose tolerance (7).
• Long-term CoQ10 addition in doses of 150mg daily may enhance insulin secretion and prevent progressive hearing loss in these patients with mitochondrial diabetes (8).

Athletes

As it is involved in energy production, CoQ10 can enhance aerobic capacity and muscle performance (7).

• In a study for determining the impact of CoQ10 supplementation on exercise-induced muscular injury and oxidative stress in kendo athletes during training, researchers concluded that CoQ10 supplementation is useful for reducing muscular injury in athletes (9).
• In another study, researchers reported that people were able to cycle faster and achieved quicker recovery times after just one week of taking regulated CoQ10 doses, daily (6).
• In absence of external sources, Coenzyme Q10 levels may decrease by 50%. Exercise also decreases circulating Q10 plasma levels observed in runners immediately following exercise (10).
• Supplemental Coenzyme Q10 dose increases plasma levels, reduces muscle cell oxidant damages, and increases energy metabolism rebound for future exercise demand (10).
• Researchers reported endurance of athletes supplementing CoQ10 who have higher muscle concentrations, and lower serum oxidative stress after exercise, resulting in increased exercise time to exhaustion (10).

Cholesterol Lowering Drug Users

Cholesterol lowering drugs are popularly prescribed for treating high cholesterol. The objective is to address the morbidity and mortality consequent to cardiovascular problems primarily by treating elevated cholesterol levels. However since cholesterol and CoQ10 partially share their biosynthetic pathway, while blocking cholesterol biosynthesis cholesterol lowering drugs also block CoQ10 biosynthesis. The consequences of which are harmful to say the least.

• Several human trials evaluating the effect of cholesterol lowering drug therapy, have frequently reported significant depletion in blood CoQ10 levels, particularly when cholesterol lowering drugs are taken at higher doses and most notably in the elderly (11).
• It is likely that the beneficial hypo-cholesterolemic effect of lipophylic cholesterol lowering drugs may be negated by the adverse effects of the inhibition of the mitochondrial energy-generating system (1).
• Cholesterol lowering drugs influence a wide range of physiological functions, such as vasodilative, antithrombotic, antioxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and even immunosuppressive, anticoagulant, and bone-formation-inducing capabilities (1).
• Patients undergoing bypass surgery may be more susceptible to cholesterol lowering drug-induced lowering of Coenzyme Q10 cardiac tissue levels (11).
• Every year, approximately 1.5 million people on cholesterol lowering drug therapy are likely to develop muscle-related complications directly related to cholesterol lowering drug use. These adverse events also referred to as cholesterol lowering drugs-induced myopathy, manifest as myalgia, myositis, or rhabdomyolysis (12).
• After its association with around 100 rhabdomyolysis-related deaths, a cholesterol lowering drug was removed from the global market in 2001 (12).
• All prescribing physicians should be notified that cholesterol lowering drugs produce depletion in Coenzyme Q10 and if CoQ10 deficiency is already present, in case of heart failure patients or aged individuals then the myocardial function may get worse (2).
• Since it is not possible to obtain CoQ10 from daily dietary sources enough to bolster reducing levels of cholesterol lowering drug-induced CoQ10 deficiencies, the intake needs to be in specific supplement form and within 100-200mg (2).

Ageing individuals

• CoQ10 levels steadily fall after the age of 40 (11).
• An age-dependent decline of CoQ10 levels is indicated as a factor responsible for the diseases of aging (2).
• CoQ10's antioxidant properties contribute to prevention of lipid peroxidation. It has been found to be efficient in preventing LDL oxidation which is an important step in evolution of atherosclerosis (7).
• Elderly patients who are on cholesterol lowering drug therapy would greatly benefit from supplemental CoQ10 (11).
• Patients with Parkinson's Disease have low levels of CoQ10, which are a major source of free radicals within the cell (8)
• Studies have demonstrated immune-enhancing effects of Coenzyme Q10.[8]
• CoQ10 may have potential as an agent for life extension by retarding the accelerated death of cells involved in the aging process (7).

Depletion

Although this nutrient can be synthesized naturally by the body, there are several instances when the body falls short of synthesizing enough to meet its energy requirements. The metabolically active cells such as those in the heart, immune system, gingival and gastric mucosa are most likely to suffer from deficiency since they have the highest CoQ10 requirements. Deficient levels are observed in a wide range of medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, periodontal disease, and AIDS (7).

Experts point out a combination of elements including reduced biosynthesis, increased utilization and lack of dietary intake as factors responsible for depletion. The biosynthesis of CoQ10 is an elaborate 17-step process, first described by Folkers that requires the availability of several vitamins or their coenzyme forms: vitamins B2, B6, B12, C, folic acid, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, as well as many trace elements (2). A deficiency in any of these nutrients can impact the synthesis of CoQ10.

CoQ10 levels are also affected by advancing age and declining levels in turn impact the manifestations of aging (7). The role of cholesterol-lowering drugs in lowering CoQ10 levels, along with the cholesterol which they are actually meant for, has been under scrutiny since over a decade. The induced deficiency caused by cholesterol lowering drugs can have grave implications including heart failure. Other drugs that impact CoQ10 levels include blood sugar and pressure lowering drugs.

The Unived difference

Natural CoQ10 involves a single bond trans isomer CoQ10 whereas the synthetic production of CoQ10 leads to a double bond cis isomer CoQ10. The synthetic form may also contain impurities. The differences in molecular structure are quite evident. As the body produces only single bond trans isomer CoQ10, the double bond cis isomer has poor absorption and is not nearly as effective as naturally derived trans isomer CoQ10 used by Unived. While the benefits of natural trans isomer CoQ10 are well documented, scientists have not yet determined whether the cis isomer form of CoQ10 confers the same protective benefits as naturally occurring trans CoQ10. Unived uses a 100% natural, fermented, single bond, trans isomer Coenzyme Q10. This form of CoQ10 is bio-identical to the CoQ10 that is naturally produced within the body, hence it is the most bio-available form of CoQ10.

Evidence-Based or Bust

We use nutrients backed by a significant body of research that is growing each day.

1. Primary and secondary coenzyme Q10 deficiency: the role of therapeutic supplementation
   Potgieter, M., Pretorius, E., & Pepper, M. S. (2013). Primary and secondary coenzyme Q10 deficiency: the role of therapeutic supplementation. Nutrition reviews, 71(3), 180-188.
2. Lipid-lowering drugs (statins), cholesterol, and coenzyme Q10. The Baycol case--a modern Pandora's box
   Bliznakov, E. G. (2002). Coenzyme Q10, lipid-lowering drugs (statins) and cholesterol: a present day Pandora’s box. J Amer Nutraceutical Assoc, 5(3).
3. Role of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in cardiac disease, hypertension and Meniere-like syndrome
   Kumar, A., Kaur, H., Devi, P., & Mohan, V. (2009). Role of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in cardiac disease, hypertension and Meniere-like syndrome. Pharmacology & therapeutics, 124(3), 259-268.
4. Coenzyme Q10 in patients with end-stage heart failure awaiting cardiac transplantation: A randomized, placebo-controlled study
   Berman, M., Erman, A., Ben‐Gal, T., Dvir, D., Georghiou, G. P., Stamler, A., ... & Aravot, D. (2004). Coenzyme Q10 in patients with end‐stage heart failure awaiting cardiac transplantation: A randomized, placebo‐controlled study. Clinical cardiology, 27(5), 295-299.
5. Take a CoQ10 supplement for Heart Health
   Dr. Stephen Sinatra, 'Take a CoQ10 supplement for Heart Health',
6. Coenzyme Q10: Energy for Life
   Challem, J. Coenzyme Q10: Energy for Life.
7. The Role of Coenzyme Q10 in Clinical Medicine: Part II. Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and Infertility
   Gaby, A. R. (1996). The role of coenzyme Q10 in clinical medicine: Part II. Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and infertility. Altern Med Rev, 1(3), 168-175.
8. COQ10 A wonder enzyme: A review
   Dighe, N. S., Pattan, S. R., Gaware, V. M., Hole, M. B., Musmade, D. S., Kale, S. H., & Waman, S. (2010). COQ10 A wonder enzyme: A review. Pharma Chem, 1(2), 236-250.
9. Reducing exercise-induced muscular injury in kendo athletes with supplementation of coenzyme Q10
   Kon, M., Tanabe, K., Akimoto, T., Kimura, F., Tanimura, Y., Shimizu, K., ... & Kono, I. (2008). Reducing exercise-induced muscular injury in kendo athletes with supplementation of coenzyme Q10. British journal of nutrition, 100(4), 903-909.
10. Ubiquinone Increases Performance of an Elderly Runner: A Case Report
    Misner, B. (2011). Ubiquinone increases performance of an elderly runner: A case report.
11. The clinical use of HMG CoA-reductase inhibitors and the associated depletion of coenzyme Q10. A review of animal and human publications
    Langsjoen, P. H., & Langsjoen, A. M. (2003). The clinical use of HMG CoA‐reductase inhibitors and the associated depletion of coenzyme Q10. A review of animal and human publications. Biofactors, 18(1‐4), 101-111.
12. Primary and secondary coenzyme Q10 deficiency: the role of therapeutic supplementation
    Potgieter, M., Pretorius, E., & Pepper, M. S. (2013). Primary and secondary coenzyme Q10 deficiency: the role of therapeutic supplementation. Nutrition reviews, 71(3), 180-188.