Coenzyme Q10 & Aging

Haley Bashaw Brittany Ray

Coenzyme Q10 supplementation has an anti-aging benefit due to the lowering of oxidative stress responsible for neurodegenerative disorders, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and periodontal disease.

What is Coenzyme Q10?

CoQ10 is a lipid soluble electron carrier in mitochondrial electron transport and is an essential component of plasma membrane electron transport. Found naturally in all human cell membranes Essential for making energy needed for cells to grow and stay healthy Also an antioxidant that protects from free radicals that damage DNA Amount decreases with age

Chemical Structure

1,4 benzoquinone Q refers to the quinone group 10 refers to the number of isoprenyl subunits in its tail

Intake of Coenzyme Q10

Food sources: Meats, seeds, nuts, plant-based oils, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges Usually taken in pill form Suggested adult dosage: 30-200 mg/day Insoluble in water - efficiency of absorption and bioavailability is poor Take with a meal that has fat to help the body fully absorb the nutrient

Marketing Claims
Supports heart health, kidneys, liver, and the pancreas Promotes cardiovascular function and general longevity Supports energy production and has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties

Supplementation with CoQ10 lowers agerelated (ar) NOX levels in healthy subjects
Abstract. Our work has identied an aging-related ECTO-NOX activity (arNOX), a hydroquinone oxidase which is cell surface located and generates superoxide. This activity increases with increasing age beginning > 30 y. Because of its cell surface location and ability to generate superoxide, the arNOX proteins may serve to propagate an aging cascade both to adjacent cells and to oxidize circulating lipoproteins as signicant factors determining atherogenic risk. The generation of superoxide by arNOX proteins is inhibited by Coenzyme Q10 as one basis for an anti-aging benet of CoQ10 supplementation in human subjects. In a preliminary pilot study, 25 female subjects between 45 and 55 y of age were recruited at Stanford University from the Palo Alto, CA area. Informed consent was obtained. Ten of the subjects received Coenzyme Q10 supplementation of 180 (3 60 mg) per day for 28 days. Serum, saliva and perspiration levels of arNOX were determined at 7, 14 and 28 days of CoQ10 supplementation and compared to the initial baseline value. Activity correlated with subject age up to a maximum between age 50 and 55 years of age for saliva and perspiration as well and then declined. With all three sources, the arNOX activity extrapolated to zero at about age 30. Response to Coenzyme Q10 also increased with age being least between ages 45 and 50 and greatest between ages 60 and 65. With all three biouids, arNOX activity was reduced between 25 and 30% by a 3 60 mg daily dose Coenzyme Q10 supplementation. Inhibition was the result of Coenzyme Q10 presence.

Key Points
Age-related activity of arNOX generates superoxide and its activity increases with age beginning at age 30 arNOX is a potential source of oxidative damage as we age. arNOX binds tightly to LDL associated lipoprotein B and causes oxidation, leading to atherogenesis (formation of plaque in the arterial walls) The experiments with volunteers monitored arNOX levels with increasing age and response to CoQ10 supplementation The study showed that the generation of superoxide by arNOX proteins is inhibited by CoQ10 supplementation in human subjects.

Safety
Side effects: nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, loss of appetite, rash, insomnia, headache, dizziness, irritability, increased light sensitivity of the eyes, fatigue, or flu-like symptoms May lower blood sugar levels

May decrease blood pressure

Conclusions
Supplementation of Coenzyme Q10 may have effects on age-related disorders. More research is necessary.

Questions
Do you think anti-aging supplementation is necessary for overall health? What factor of Coenzyme Q10 do you think is most important in anti-aging? Based on the information given, would you recommend Coenzyme Q10 supplementation?