Scientists confirm safety of MitoQ and kidney health

A new clinical trial on MitoQ and kidney function was presented recently at the 2022 Experimental Biology conference. The trial was a safety study that specifically tested how human kidneys respond to the influence of ‘acute’, high dose MitoQ supplementation – that is to say, how the body responds to a large amount of MitoQ. This latest study adds to a promising body of literature emphasizing MitoQ’s safety profile and promise to support kidney health.

The study

Researchers from the University of Auburn, Alabama carried out a randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled baseline-comparison trial in 15 healthy adults to study the safety of MitoQ at high doses and kidney health. Participants were randomly assigned either a placebo or MitoQ at a dose of 100-160mg (according to bodyweight) and blood samples were taken prior to taking MitoQ capsules, then urine was collected 4-5 hours afterwards. After a 72 hour wash-out period the dosing was reversed and those on placebo were given MitoQ, and those randomly assigned MitoQ took the placebo.

It is worth noting that the recommended consumer dose of MitoQ is currently 10-20mg per day, and MitoQ’s safety has previously been proven at doses of up to 80mg.

The levels of creatinine (a waste product) in the participants’ blood and urine were assessed to determine how well their kidneys were working as the body’s filtration system. Creatinine should not be confused with creatine, an amino acid involved in energy supply. Creatinine levels outside of a healthy range can indicate kidney problems. To complete a holistic assessment of kidney health, the participants’ urine was also tested for a range of other biological markers (biomarkers) relating to kidney injury.

The results

Results from the trial found that acute, high-dose MitoQ supplementation did not result in high concentrations of kidney injury biomarkers compared to placebo samples. However, there was a slower degree of creatinine clearance in the urine (how fast it moves out of the kidneys) for the MitoQ supplementation, but the levels were still within the normal healthy range. It must be noted that the amount of MitoQ used in the trial is much larger than would ever normally be taken, the equivalent of 20-32 MitoQ capsules at once. So, the findings that there was no evidence of kidney injury at these extreme dose levels is very reassuring.

"For me the most exciting thing about MitoQ is the number of tissues and cell types in which it may have unique effects,” says the study’s lead author, Braxton Linder. His research group also has an ongoing trial looking at the effects of MitoQ on vascular health.

This new research suggests that there is good preliminary evidence that ongoing MitoQ use in the normal range (10mg-20mg) is beneficial to kidney health, and to-date MitoQ has over 25 studies in our bibliography showing various benefits of MitoQ to kidney health. At MitoQ we encourage and look forward to independent clinical studies being conducted on our products and to date we have over 650 published trials alongside glowing customer reviews that support our product’s excellent safety profile.

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