Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10, commonly shortened to CoQ10, is a vitamin-like fat-soluble quinone naturally present in the body with especially high concentrations found in the most active tissues with the highest energy turnover rate, including the heart, brain, liver, and kidneys ^[1].
Because of where it’s concentrated, there’s a substantial amount of evidence supporting the link between CoQ10 deficiency and several cardiometabolic disorders ^[2].
It’s well established as a critical part of the oxidative phosphorylation process in the cell’s mitochondria, responsible for converting energy from food (carbohydrates and fatty acids) into ATP to drive cellular machinery.
The vast majority of ATP is produced in the mitochondria through oxidative phosphorylation, and because pretty much every cellular function depends on a sufficient supply of ATP, CoQ10 is essential for maintaining the health of all human tissues and organs ^[3].
Dysfunctional energy metabolism has been a significant contributing factor for several chronic health conditions, and CoQ10 has been indicated as a form of treatment for cardiac, neurologic, oncologic, and immunologic disorders ^[4].

Benefits

※ Heart Health

One of the most prominent and well-known roles of CoQ10 is in supporting heart health. There’s a fair bit of evidence supporting the link between CoQ10 deficiency and cardiometabolic disorders, meaning that CoQ10 supplementation may help treat a variety of chronic and acute conditions, including hypertension, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, viral myocarditis, cardiomyopathies, dyslipidemia, obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and more ^[2].

※ Inflammation

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a huge issue when it comes to chronic disease; excessive inflammation and high levels of oxidative stress are the breeding ground of several inflammatory-based health conditions, including stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disorders, cancer, obesity, and diabetes ^[5].

But there’s considerable research supporting the role of CoQ10 in mitigating inflammation via its effects on circulating pro-inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukins 1 and 8 (IL-1, IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF).

※Energy
When it comes to enhancing energy availability, CoQ10 is one of the most powerful supplements to do so. The primary biochemical action of CoQ10 is serving as a cofactor in the electron-transport chain—a series of redox reactions involved in the generation of ATP ^[3].
And because virtually all cellular functions rely on an adequate supply of ATP, CoQ10 is required to support the health and function of all tissues.
Interestingly, CoQ10 is highly concentrated in tissues with high energy turnover rates—heart, kidney, liver—and is present in high quantities in the cell’s mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell.

Reference

1. MT Tran, TM Mitchell, DT Kennedy, JT Role of coenzyme Q10 in chronic heart failure, angina, and hypertension. Pharmacotherapy. 2001;21:797–806.
2. VI Zozina, S Covantev, OA Goroshko, LM Krasnykh, VG Kukes. Coenzyme Q10 in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases: Current State of the Problem. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2018;14(3):164-174.
3. R Saini. Coenzyme Q10: The essential nutrient. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2011;3(3):466-467.
4. RA Bonakdar, E Guarneri. Coenzyme Q10. Am Fam Physician. 2005 Sep 15; 72(6): 1065-1070.

5. R Pahwa, A Goyal, P Bansal, et al. Chronic Inflammation. [Updated 2020 Nov 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/