The role of CoQ10 in mitochondrial health
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Aug 23, 2024
|4 mins to read
What you’ll learn:
- What mitochondria do, why they produce most of your body’s energy, and how oxidative stress affects cellular aging and performance
- Why CoQ10 is essential for mitochondrial protection and energy production - and how levels decline with age, medications, and environmental stressors
- Why standard CoQ10 supplements have absorption limits and how mitochondria-targeted antioxidants like MitoQ® Mitoquinol may offer more effective support
What are mitochondria?
90 percent of your body’s energy is produced by your mitochondria. These small, bean-shaped structures found inside almost every one of your trillions of cells. Often referred to as the “powerhouses” of the cell, they convert the oxygen you breathe and the food you eat into usable cellular energy that fuels everything from muscle movement to brain function and cellular repair.
Mitochondria are essentially independent organisms (primitive bacteria) that merged with our cells eons ago. Some have called this merger “the grand bargain of life.” That is, the mitochondria “agree” to produce the energy the human organism needs (in the form of ATP), and in return, the human cell provides the mitochondria with the antioxidants it needs to protect itself from the damage that would otherwise occur from all this energy production. Even though the general understanding of the role of ATP has evolved over time, these basic principles still hold true.
Why is CoQ10 important for mitochondria?
CoQ10 is the primary antioxidant the human cell provides to protect and support mitochondria. Without this vital molecule, the level of ATP that the mitochondria produce drops, and the energy available to that tissue decreases. This lack of antioxidants can also put the cell at risk of oxidative stress, accelerating the aging process.
CoQ10 production slows down as we age, and along with this, it can be depleted by environmental toxins such as pesticide residues cigarette smoke, and even some medications
While seemingly innocuous, statin medications are prescribed to over 200 million people worldwide to support their cardiac health. Statins are primarily used to control cholesterol levels, and while they have been a revolutionary tool in the medicine cabinet, they have also been linked to reduced CoQ10 levels.
Why CoQ10 supplementation isn’t always the best solution
Taking CoQ10 orally does not always deliver the results people expect. The reason lies in how CoQ10 behaves in the body and how tightly mitochondria regulate what enters them.
While CoQ10 is a marvelous gift from the body to mitochondria, it is also a large fat-loving molecule. It has relatively poor bioavailability and to put it simply, it isn’t very useful to our mitochondria unless it can get deep into our cells and past the mitochondrial membrane. Mitochondria are highly selective structures. Their inner membrane is designed to tightly control which molecules are allowed inside, in order to protect energy production and cellular integrity. When your body produces its own CoQ10, it does so in a stepwise manner: different parts of the molecule are synthesized and transported into the mitochondria separately, then assembled once inside. This regulated process allows CoQ10 to reach its precise site of action
So, when you take fully-formed CoQ10 as a supplement, its large structure is mostly unable to enter the mitochondria, meaning you need to take a relatively large dose or a highly bioavailable form.
As is often the case with medicine and supplements, it is not so simple to find the right solutions that addresses the root causes of aging. Challenges such as absorption and getting the nutrient to the right place in the body need to be solved.
Why MitoQ® Mitoquinol may be better than CoQ10
Understanding this issue, Professor Mike Murphy and Robert Smith from Otago University set out to develop a new generation of CoQ10. These molecules, known as mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, are designed to penetrate the mitochondria and increase the antioxidant capacity of the cell. Their final version was developed into Mitoquinol Mesylate (MitoQ® Mitoquinol), MitoQ’s foundational antioxidant molecule.
MitoQ® Mitoquinol still retains the same antioxidant head as CoQ10 but it has a shorter carbon chain and a positively charged tail. This tail allows MitoQ® Mitoquinol to be pulled electrochemically through the negative membranes of the cells and the mitochondria. There, it accumulates in the mitochondrial membrane and protects the organelle from reactive oxygen species and membrane damage, supporting clean energy production.
MitoQ® Mitoquinol has been studied in over 24 human clinical trials and has been clinically shown to:
- Decrease excess reactive oxygen species by up to 48%1
- Reduce exercise-induced DNA damage2
- Increase internal antioxidant defences such as catalase3 and glutathione peroxidase1 by up to 36%
- Improve endothelial function and improve vasodilation by up to 42%4
- Improve blood flow4
- Reduce aortic stiffness4
- Improve exercise performance5, mobility6, and muscle power5
Through the years, as research on the crucial role of CoQ10 in protecting mitochondrial function has evolved, so, too, has the search for a way to ensure that the CoQ10 we ingest actually finds its way to support mitochondria.
Summary
In summary, CoQ10 plays a vital role in supporting mitochondrial function and overall health. This powerful antioxidant protects mitochondria, which are responsible for producing cellular energy in the form of ATP. As CoQ10 levels naturally decline with age, supplementation may be beneficial. However, traditional CoQ10 supplements face absorption challenges. Advanced forms like MitoQ® Mitoquinol aim to improve delivery of CoQ10 directly to the mitochondria, potentially enhancing its effectiveness in supporting energy production.
REFERENCES
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1.
Aminizadeh, S. et al. MitoQ Supplementation During Vigorous Training Improves Reactive Oxygen Species, Glutathione Peroxidase, and miRNAs Regulating Vascular Inflammation in Cyclists. Braz. arch. biol. technol. 66, e23220914 (2023).
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2.
Williamson, J., Hughes, C. M., Cobley, J. N. & Davison, G. W. The mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoQ, attenuates exercise-induced mitochondrial DNA damage. Redox Biology 36, 101673 (2020).
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3.
Pham, T. et al. MitoQ and CoQ10 supplementation mildly suppresses skeletal muscle mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide levels without impacting mitochondrial function in middle-aged men. Eur J Appl Physiol 120, 1657–1669 (2020).
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4.
Rossman, M. J. et al. Chronic Supplementation With a Mitochondrial Antioxidant (MitoQ) Improves Vascular Function in Healthy Older Adults. Hypertension 71, 1056–1063 (2018).
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5.
Broome, S. C., Braakhuis, A. J., Mitchell, C. J. & Merry, T. L. Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant supplementation improves 8 km time trial performance in middle-aged trained male cyclists. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 18, 58 (2021).
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6.
Bispham, N. Z. et al. MitoQ Supplementation Improves Leg-Extension Power in Healthy Late Middle-Aged and Older Adults. The FASEB Journal 31, lb852–lb852 (2017).
SCIENTIFICALLY REVIEWED BY
William Stow BSc (Hons), MitoQ Chief Scientific Officer
