Journals: Neurodegenerative Disease

Coenzyme Q10 effects in neurodegenerative disease

Authors: Meredith Spindler, M Flint Beal, Claire Henchcliffe

Published Date November 2009 , Volume 2009:5 Pages 597 - 610 DOI 10.2147/NDT.S5212

Meredith Spindler, M Flint Beal, Claire Henchcliffe

Department of Neurology, ²Department of Neuroscience, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential co-factor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, and as a dietary supplement it has recently gained attention for its potential role in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. Evidence for mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders derives from animal models, studies of mitochondria from patients, identification of genetic defects in patients with neurodegenerative disease, and measurements of markers of oxidative stress.

Studies of in vitro models of neuronal toxicity and animal models of neurodegenerative disorders have demonstrated potential neuroprotective effects of CoQ10. With this data in mind, several clinical trials of CoQ10 have been performed in Parkinson’s disease and atypical Parkinson’s syndromes, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with equivocal findings.

CoQ10 is widely available in multiple formulations and is very well tolerated with minimal adverse effects, making it an attractive potential therapy. Phase III trials of high-dose CoQ10 in large sample sizes are needed to further ascertain the effects of CoQ10 in neurodegenerative diseases.

Japan and its Coenzyme Q10 Market

Japan Dominates the Coenzyme Market

Coenzyme Q10 was first developed and produced in Japan as a medical product for treating heart failure. However, the substance first came into widespread use not in Japan but in the United States and Europe, where it has been used as an ingredient in foods and cosmetics since the 1990s. The Coenzyme Q10 boom has come to Japanese shores late in the game. But when it comes to coenzyme production, Japanese manufacturers have a virtual monopoly. And they have made an array of innovations that have helped popularize Coenzyme Q10.

In October 2004, Coenzyme Q10 was approved for use in cosmetics as well as foods. Shiseido Co., Kao Corporation, and other leading cosmetic makers have responded by introducing a slew of skin-care products featuring the coenzyme. Consumers are eagerly snapping up lotions and other skin-care items claiming to offer anti-aging benefits.