Abstract
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) plays an important role in bioenergetic processes and has antioxidant activity. Fifteen exercise-trained individuals (10 men and 5 women; 30–65 years) received reduced CoQ10 (Kaneka QH ubiquinol; 300 mg per day) or a placebo for four weeks in a random order, double blind, cross-over design (3 week washout). After each four-week period, a graded exercise treadmill test and a repeated cycle sprint test were performed (separated by 48 hours). Blood samples were collected before and immediately following both exercise tests and analyzed for lactate, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide. Resting blood samples were analyzed for CoQ10 (ubiquinone and ubiquinol) profile before and after each treatment period. Treatment with CoQ10 resulted in a significant increase in total blood CoQ10 (138%; P = 0.02) and reduced blood CoQ10 (168%; P = 0.02), but did not improve exercise performance (with the exception of selected individuals) or impact oxidative stress. The relationship between the percentage change in total blood CoQ10 and the cycle sprint total work (R2 = 0.6009) was noted to be moderate to strong. We conclude that treatment with CoQ10 in healthy, exercise-trained subjects increases total and reduced blood CoQ10, but this increase does not translate into improved exercise performance or decreased oxidative stress.
Highlights
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), referred to as ubiquinol in its most active (∼95%) and reduced form [1], has documented roles related to bioenergetics and antioxidant activity [2]
The use of supplemental antioxidants to combat exercise-induced oxidative stress has been questioned recently when delivered as vitamin E and vitamin C [9, 10], CoQ10 continues to be considered for this purpose
It is possible that our lack of a difference between pre- and postsupplementation of CoQ10 for oxidative stress biomarkers was due to the fact that all measures were relatively low to begin with, as we have recently reported for active men and women [24]
Summary
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), referred to as ubiquinol in its most active (∼95%) and reduced form [1], has documented roles related to bioenergetics and antioxidant activity [2]. Muscle function and subsequent physical performance during highstress conditions may be compromised due to a rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) [3, 4], leading to an acute state of oxidative stress [5, 6]. This is true in middle to older age individuals who may experience increased oxidative stress [7], and may have some degree of CoQ10 deficiency [8], as compared to their younger counterparts. When investigating studies across a wide range of age groups, results have been mixed with some work documenting a performance benefit [13], and other work demonstrating little to no benefit following CoQ10 supplementation [14]
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