Coenzyme Q: food sources, adequate and clinically effective doses

Abstract

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) plays a key role in cell bioenergetics; it is not only supplied with food, but also synthesized in the body. Endogenous CoQ synthesis decreases with age, with statin use, with cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and other diseases. In this regard, specialized food products (SFP) enriched with CoQ are being developed. Aim of the review – compare the CoQ doses allowed for use as part of dietary supplements and SFP with doses that provide a clinical effect. Literature review was carried out using the RSCI, Pubmed databases and Google Scholar, ReserchGate systems for the keywords “ubiquinone”, “coenzyme Q10”. The amount of CoQ contained in SFP is set by domestic regulatory documents based on an adequate daily intake for adults (30 mg) and the upper allowable intake level as part of SFP and dietary supplements – 100 mg/day. Actually used doses of CoQ range from 60 to 500 mg/day. Various ways to increase the bioavailability of CoQ have been described. When patients take CoQ, a U-shaped dose-effect relationship is observed, an effective dose that significantly reduces systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin levels, the degree of hemoglobin glycation, the HOMA-IR glycemic test is in the range of 100–200 mg / day. An improvement in the antioxidant status and a decrease of pro-inflammatory cytokines concentration in the blood plasma of athletes is provided by CoQ doses of 60–300 mg/day, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease, doses of 100–150 mg/day. Clinically effective doses of CoQ (100–200 mg/day) when used for at least 12 weeks correspond to or are 1.5–2 times higher than the upper allowable consumption level in the composition of SFP and dietary supplements. The inclusion of CoQ in the dietary therapeutic SFP in an amount that does not reach doses that are effective in a certain pathology does not achieve the expected result. A possible way to solve the problem is to increase the acceptable levels of consumption of CoQ in SFP, as well as increasing the bioavailability of CoQ in the composition of emulsions, liposomes, phytosomes and oleogels.