What Are Benefits of CoQ10 Supplementation?

Coenzyme-Q10, or CoQ10, is an enzyme produced in the parts of our cells responsible for creating cell energy that fuels everyday activity. As an antioxidant, it helps stabilize cell walls against free radicals, which are chemicals that can harm cells. Those who use CoQ10, or who advocate its use, believe the body produces insufficient quantities for additional health benefits to be realized, an idea supported by recent research. However, Mayo Clinic maintains that CoQ10 supplementation remains controversial in several areas.

Correcting CoQ10 Deficiency

• Fish and meat are dietary sources of CoQ10.

  The only case that the Mayo Clinic accepts as clearly pointing to a benefit from CoQ10 supplementation is deficiency in the enzyme. The deficiency may be caused by a body's overuse of the CoQ10 it produces, an underproduction of the enzyme or too little dietary intake of it.

Improving Cardiovascular Health

• No evidence supports the use of CoQ10 for affecting blood sugar levels or stopping use of drug treatments in diabetics.

  Mayo Clinic is cautious in recommending CoQ10 as a treatment for cardiovascular health, citing a lack of sufficient studies or concrete results. In short, heart- and blood-related health claims made by manufacturers of the supplement are not officially backed by either the studies or those in the medical profession.

  However, some studies have shown promise or at least positive results regarding the use of CoQ10 in specific situations or against specific diseases related to the heart and blood.

  CoQ10 may reduce angina, which is chest pain caused by clogged heart arteries, and its corresponding low tolerance of exercise.

  Studies support the use of CoQ10 in treating Friedreich's ataxia, an inherited neurological disease that affects the muscles, including the heart; for heart attack patients, if the supplement is given within three days of an attack; for children with mitral valve prolapse, a condition in which the valve between the upper and lower chambers of the heart does not close properly; and for mitigating some adverse effects of statin therapy for high cholesterol.

  Use of CoQ10 is controversial, conflicting or untested for heart damage due to chemotherapy, dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, coronary heart disease, heart failure and hypertriglyceridemia.

Cancer Research

• Studies have yet to compare the use of CoQ10 to other treatments in combatting breast cancer.

  According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no evidence that CoQ10 supplementation can prevent or fight cancer. Most of the positive evidence from studies results from using CoQ10 in conjunction with other treatments, although this too is inconclusive.

Fighting Chronic Diseases

• No clear evidence exists that CoQ10 effects HIV/AIDS, although there is speculation that the disease depletes natural CoQ10 levels.

  CoQ10 has been suggested as a way to combat a variety of illnesses, including chronic and fatal ones. Mayo Clinic notes studies using CoQ10 in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, kidney failure and Parkinson's disease as promising but needing more research.

Additional Potential Healing Benefits

• An asthma inhaler.

  Because CoQ10 exists in every cell, there's an impulse to implicate it in healing throughout the body. Though the conclusive evidence is lacking, according to Mayo Clinic, the outlook is positive that CoQ10 in conjunction with other therapies may benefit those suffering from age-related macular degeneration and asthma. By itself, CoQ10 has shown positive results for improving chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, increasing sperm count and motility, preventing or treating migraines and decreasing the rate of recurrence for surgically removed lesions in patients with stage I and II melanoma. CoQ10 may also prove beneficial when taken orally prior to periodontal treatment for gum disease.

Athletic Performance

• CoQ10 may or may not help athletic performance.

  A standard use of CoQ10 is to improve athletic performance, as the enzyme is naturally part of the body's energy-generating system. However, studies in this area have been haphazard and produced conflicting results, with some pointing to increased energy while others demonstrate no difference with supplementation.