Coenzyme Q10: Regenerate faster with a natural antioxidant

Coenzyme Q10: Regenerate faster with a natural antioxidant

For those of you who regularly take nutritional supplements, whether as part of strength training, aerobic activities or as a general part of a healthy lifestyle, the term "coenzyme Q10" is not unknown at all and you have possibly heard at least something about it. Some may think, especially because of media ads, that this is a matter for the elderly, but it was not so long ago that a similar view has been spread regarding fish oil, and we can see that the current reality is somewhere else entirely. Why is coenzyme Q10 important and why should you at least consider consuming it? 

 

Coenzyme Q10 was first described by Fred Crane in 1957. Its key effects are to increase energy, endurance, good internal organs, immune system function, and so on. The most important natural SOURCES of this substance can be considered fish, especially sardines and mackerel, but in sufficient quantities we can also find it in beef and various types of nuts [1].

Our cells need this coenzyme on a daily basis - it is considered a very powerful antioxidant that allows their mitochondria (part of the cells that regulate their energy metabolism) to successfully fight the so-called free radical. Without it, they would sooner or later disappear in a regulated process called cell death. A sufficient number of healthy and well-functioning cells is crucial not only for people with a normal lifestyle, but especially for active people regularly working out or doing sports, striving to achieve better performance in aerobic activity, but also to gain muscle mass. Moreover to resistance to free radicals, coenzyme Q10 is also used in other processes - its insufficient amount can lead to a gradual increase in blood pressure and the development of a wide range of cardiovascular diseases, the development of gastric or small bowel ulcer or migraine. [2]. 

Coenzyme Q10 occurs in two forms - ubiquinone and ubiquinol. Ubiquinone is better known, especially because it is sold in larger quantities. It is a completely oxidized form of coenzyme, which is metabolised in the body to ubiquinol. On the contrary, it represents an antioxidant form. If you buy one of the preparations containing Q10-ku and no further specification is given on the package, it will most likely be ubiquinone. On the other hand, since the activity of individual enzymes of the human body decreases with increasing age, the ability of ubiquinone to metabolize ubiquinol is also impaired. Therefore, if you have reached the age of 40, it is advisable to consider buying ubiquinol [3]. 

You may now be wondering which form of coenzyme to take. The scientific community agrees that whatever you choose, you will benefit equally well from its effects, but you will achieve the highest effect by using a combination of both forms at the same time. Of course, the dosage should be closely monitored, especially when used simultaneously. You should be especially careful if you are taking any of the hypolipidemic medicines that lower blood cholesterol (the most commonly used are statins) and therefore, talk to your doctor first [4]. If you are under 35 years of age, it is recommended that you take 100-200 milligrams of ubiquinone once a day. After reaching this age limit, we recommend giving ubiquinol 100 milligrams once daily.  

 

SOURCES

  1. Saini R. (2011). Coenzyme Q10: The essential nutrient. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences, 3(3), 466–467. https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-7406.84471

  2. Sarmiento, A., Diaz-Castro, J., Pulido-Moran, M., Kajarabille, N., Guisado, R., & Ochoa, J. J. (2016). Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation and Exercise in Healthy Humans: A Systematic Review. Current drug metabolism, 17(4), 345–358. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389200216666151103115654

  3. Zhang, Y., , Liu, J., , Chen, X. Q., , & Oliver Chen, C. Y., (2018). Ubiquinol is superior to ubiquinone to enhance Coenzyme Q10 status in older men. Food & function, 9(11), 5653–5659. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8fo00971f

  4. Tan, J. T., & Barry, A. R. (2018). Coenzyme Q10 for statin-associated myalgia. American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 75(2), 15. https://doi.org/10.2146/ajhp170680