Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More is important to our understanding of the progression of the aging process and to our understanding of aging-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndromeMetabolic syndrome is the medical term for a cluster of conditions such as excess body fat around the waist, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Individuals with metabolic syndrome are at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke and have, therefore,... More and diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and kidney diseases [López-Lluch 2020].
This is the message of a 369-page book entitled Coenzyme Q in Aging. The book is edited by Professor Guillermo López-Lluch, Pablo de Olavide University, Sevilla, Spain. It is dedicated to the memory of Professor Fred L. Crane (December 3, 1925 – August 11, 2016), who first discovered Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More, one of the most important molecules in humans [López-Lluch 2020].
The greater part of the CoQ10 in our bodies comes from our own bio-synthesis of the substance rather than from our diets. However, after we reach maturity as we advance in years, our cells produce less and less CoQ10 [Kalen 1989]. It is necessary to make up for the decline by taking a daily CoQ10 supplement [Judy 2018].
The Coenzyme Q and Aging book is organized into four sections:
- The Basics of CoQ10: focus on the main physiological functions of CoQ10.
- Coenzyme Q in Aging Studies: results from studies using invertebrate models, senescence-accelerated mice studies, and mammal studies investigating the influence of CoQ on longevity.
- Age-Related Diseases and CoQ10: mitochondrial dysfunctionMitochondrial dysfunction is the loss of efficiency in the process of ATP energy production. As such, mitochondrial dysfunction is a factor in the ageing process and in virtually all chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, and neurodegenerative diseases. Coenzyme Q10 is an essential component in the mitochondrial production of ATP energy. More, metabolic syndromeMetabolic syndrome is the medical term for a cluster of conditions such as excess body fat around the waist, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Individuals with metabolic syndrome are at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke and have, therefore,... More, neurodegenerative disorders, and immunosenescence.
- Prolongevity Effectors and CoQ10: research into slowing or stopping the aging process.
Why is CoQ10 Important in Aging?
- The oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More – called ubiquinoneUbiquinone, the oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10, expressed as Q10 or CoQ10, is absolutely essential for the mitochondrial ATP energy production process. Ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that the body synthesizes, and ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that has been extensively tested for safety, absorption, and efficacy in clinical trials. More – is a vital component of the electron transport chainThe electron transport chain is the pathway in the mitochondria in which nutrients are oxidized and converted to generate the energy that used to produce ATP energy. The mitochondria require an optimal supply of Coenzyme Q10 in the form of ubiquinone to generate ATP energy. More in the mitochondriaThe mitochondria are the bean-shaped organelles in the cells. They are the key organelles with responsibility for the production of ATP energy molecules. More in our cells; the mitochondriaThe mitochondria are the bean-shaped organelles in the cells. They are the key organelles with responsibility for the production of ATP energy molecules. More are the powerhouses of the cells, generating ATPATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules are the high-energy molecules with easily broken phosphate bonds that release energy to the energy-requiring processes in the cells. Coenzyme Q10 is essential to the process of ATP production. More energy.
- The reduced form of Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More – called ubiquinol – has an important role in the protection of cell membranesThe cell membranes, sometimes called plasma membranes, are the physical barrier that protects the contents of the cells from everything that is outside the cells. The cell membranes also regulate what can move in and out of the cells. Coenzyme Q10 is present in all cell membranes in the body except in the red blood cells. It helps to prevent... More against oxidationOxidation is the chemical process in which an atom or a molecule gives up (donates) one or more electrons to another substance. Burning is an example of a rapid process of oxidation. Rusting is an example of a slow process of oxidation. Oxidation and oxidative stress and oxidative damage: structural damage to cell components such as proteins, lipids, and DNA... More; it is our only endogenous-synthesized lipid-soluble antioxidantAntioxidants are substances that protect the cells and lipoproteins against the harmful effects of free radicals. They are substances that prevent the oxidation of other molecules and compounds. There are two broad categories of antioxidants: enzymatic and non-enzymatic. Non-enzymatic antioxidants are substances like Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and various carotenoids. Prominent enzymatic antioxidants include catalase, glutathione peroxidase,... More.
- Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More plays an active role in counteracting endothelial dysfunctionEndothelial dysfunction may be thought of as the failure of the cells lining the inside of arteries and veins to regulate properly blood vessel relaxation and contraction, blood clotting, immune function, and platelet adhesion. Endothelial dysfunction prevents the blood vessels from dilating sufficiently and can lead to increased risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation is associated... More [Littarru 2011].
- Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More supplementation is association with significantThe outcome of a clinical trial is thought to have statistical significance, or to be statistically significant, if the outcome is likely not caused by chance at a given statistical significance level, typically at the 0.05 level. Statistically significant outcomes may or may not be clinically significant. More reductions in the levels of known bio-markers for systemic inflammationInflammation is an immune system response to an injury to cells or tissues. It is the body’s attempt to defend against invaders such as bacteria andviruses and to mend the damage done by invaders. Typically, inflammation manifests itself in the form of fever and swelling, in the swarming of white blood cells and the release of cytokines to fight against... More [Farsi 2019]
- Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More supplementation has been shown to lower blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure [Rosenfeldt 2007].
CoQ10 Deficiency
In his introduction, Professor López-Lluch makes the point that primary deficiency of Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More – the deficiency caused by breakdowns in the bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More – is associated with severe and lethal diseases [López-Lluch 2020].
Secondary CoQ10 deficiency – caused by mitochondriaThe mitochondria are the bean-shaped organelles in the cells. They are the key organelles with responsibility for the production of ATP energy molecules. More dysfunction – is associated with the deterioration of biological activities and with the loss of physical function during aging [López-Lluch 2020].
Therapeutic Levels of CoQ10
The cardiologist Dr. Peter Langsjoen writes that plasma CoQ10 concentrations need to be raised to 2.5 micrograms per milliliter or higher to achieve a therapeutic effect in heart disease and to 3.5 micrograms per milliliter or high for a therapeutic effect on neurodegenerative diseases [Langsjoen 2014].
CoQ10 and the Symptoms of Aging
In 2018, Professors López-Lluch and Navas published an article about CoQ10 supplementation in aging and disease. They presented the available evidence that CoQ10 supplementation positively affects the symptoms of aging based mainly on improvements in cellular bio-energeticsBio-energetics is both the process and the study of the flow and transformation of energy in living beings. Coenzyme Q10 has both a bio-energetics function and an antioxidant function in the body. More. Their article might be the best place for many readers to start [Hernández-Camacho 2018].
Sources
Farsi F, Heshmati J, Keshtkar A, et al. Can coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More supplementation effectively reduce human tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 levels in chronic inflammatory diseases? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsRandomized controlled trials are studies in which patients or healthy volunteers are assigned at random (purely by chance) to receive one or more clinical interventions. One or more of the interventions is the active treatment being tested. Another of the interventions is the control against which the active treatment is being tested. The control is, typically, the standard practice or... More. Pharmacol Res. 2019;148:104290.
Hernández-Camacho JD, Bernier M, López-Lluch G, Navas P. Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More Supplementation in Aging and Disease. Front Physiol. 2018;9:44.
Judy WV. Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More: An Insider’s Guide. Ny Videnskab, 2018. ISBN: 978-87-7776-186-7.
Kalén A, Appelkvist EL, Dallner G. Age-related changes in the lipid compositions of rat and human tissues. Lipids. 1989;24(7):579-584.
Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen AM. Comparison study of plasma coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More levels in healthy subjects supplemented with ubiquinol versus ubiquinoneUbiquinone, the oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10, expressed as Q10 or CoQ10, is absolutely essential for the mitochondrial ATP energy production process. Ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that the body synthesizes, and ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that has been extensively tested for safety, absorption, and efficacy in clinical trials. More. Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev. 2014;3(1):13-17.
Littarru GP, Lambrechts P. Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More: multiple benefits in one ingredient. OCL. 2011a;18(2):76-82.
Littarru GP, Tiano L, Belardinelli R, Watts GF. Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More, endothelial function, and cardiovascular disease. Biofactors. 2011b;37(5):366-373.
López-Lluch G, Del Pozo-Cruz J, Sánchez-Cuesta A, Cortés-Rodríguez AB, Navas P. Bioavailability of coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More supplements depends on carrier lipids and solubilization. Nutrition. 2019;57:133-140.
López-Lluch G., ed. Coenzyme Q and Aging. Springer Nature, 2020. ISBN: 978-3030456412.
Rosenfeldt FL, Haas SJ, Krum H, et al. Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both synthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... More in the treatment of hypertensionHypertension is abnormally high blood pressure, usually defined as adult systolic blood pressure above 140 mm Hg or adult diastolic blood pressure above 90 mm Hg. Systolic blood pressure is blood pressure measured during the contracting (pumping) of the left ventricle of the heart. Diastolic blood pressure is blood pressure measured during the relaxation of the left ventricle. A meta-analysis... More: a meta-analysis of the clinical trials. J Hum Hypertens. 2007;21(4):297-306.
The information presented in this review article is not intended as medical advice and should not be used as such.
31 October 2020
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