Coenzyme Q10 is sometimes described as biological electricity. Without it the mitochondria – our cellular power plants – cannot efficiently produce the energy needed for regeneration, for defence against free radicals and for keeping tissues in good condition. Q10 sits literally at the end of the chain along which the “current” flows inside the cell and is converted into ATP, the fuel for the whole body.
The trouble is that the level of coenzyme Q10 in tissues falls with age – hence its popularity in conversations about longevity. It is worth cooling the emotions straight away, though: this decline is gradual and organ-dependent, not a sudden “power cut” after the age of thirty. Likewise, the claim that skin sags “because cells lack fuel for collagen” is a considerable oversimplification – skin aging has many causes, and Q10 is only one element of a larger puzzle.
Let us look at what coenzyme Q10 actually is, why its level drops with age, why statins have a great deal to do with it, what the research really says about supplementation, and how to approach this compound sensibly.
This article expands on our Longevity Alphabet series, in which we define the most important concepts in longevity medicine. Discover what our Speaker says about Q10. Watch the video, and follow Elevate on Instagram for more content like this:
Cellular Current: What Coenzyme Q10 Is
Coenzyme Q10 (also known as ubiquinone) is a compound present in the mitochondrial membranes of almost every cell. It performs two key functions. First, it is an indispensable link in the respiratory chain – it carries electrons in the process that ultimately leads to the production of ATP. Without it the “current” does not flow and the cell has nothing to draw energy from. Second, Q10 acts as an antioxidant, protecting cell membranes from damage by free radicals.
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Read moreIt occurs in two forms: oxidised (ubiquinone) and reduced (ubiquinol), which the body constantly converts into one another. This dual role – energetic and antioxidant – explains why coenzyme Q10 comes up both in the context of fatigue and in the context of protecting tissues from aging.
Why It Declines with Age
The level of coenzyme Q10 in key organs (especially the heart and muscles) begins to fall as early as the twenties and thirties. Two simple mechanisms lie behind this:
Our own production slows down – the complicated synthesis pathway for Q10 loses efficiency with age (the same process is, incidentally, blocked by the popular cholesterol drugs, the statins). At the same time consumption rises, because aging cells accumulate more free radicals, and Q10 acts as the first “firefighter” neutralising oxidative stress. As a result we use it up faster than we make it.
Less Q10 means weaker cellular energy production in the mitochondria, but this is still only one of many pieces of the aging puzzle – not a direct explanation for every off day or every wrinkle.
Statins and Q10
There is, however, one situation in which the fall in Q10 is well documented and independent of age: taking statins. These drugs lower cholesterol production but “along the way” inhibit the same pathway that produces coenzyme Q10. A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials confirmed that statins lower blood Q10 concentrations.
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Read moreThis gives rise to the tempting conclusion that Q10 supplementation should ease the muscle pain associated with statins. Here, however, the evidence is inconclusive – some studies do not confirm a clear benefit, so this is not a certain solution but rather an option to consider individually with a doctor. The fact that statins lower Q10 is certain; its practical consequences remain a matter of debate.
Does Supplementation Work?
Coenzyme Q10 has solid scientific backing, but marketing sometimes cleverly blurs the line between treatment and supplementing “just in case”. The strongest evidence comes from cardiology. The widely discussed Q-SYMBIO clinical trial showed that in patients with chronic heart failure, Q10 supplementation clearly reduced mortality and the risk of cardiovascular complications. That is an excellent, hard result – but it concerns a specific disease and people who are ill, not a healthy person simply looking for a quick shot of energy.
When we move on to wellness promises – spectacular rejuvenation, smoother skin, turning back the biological clock – the data become far more modest. Although coenzyme Q10 is safe and well tolerated, in people without a deficiency it does not work like a magic elixir of vitality. Online declarations along the lines of “I lowered my biological age by a decade” are ordinary marketing devices or isolated anecdotes.
How Should You Take Q10? Absorption and Forms
Even the best preparation will not work if the body does not absorb it – and coenzyme Q10 is by nature exceptionally difficult to absorb. As a fat-soluble compound it requires the right environment, which is why it is crucial to take it with a meal containing fat (for example with avocado, eggs or olive oil) or to choose capsules with an oil carrier. It is bioavailability, not just the milligrams on the label, that decides how two apparently identical products will work in practice.
A good deal of marketing has also grown up around the form of Q10: the dispute between oxidised ubiquinone and reduced ubiquinol often comes down to artificially inflating the price. Although ubiquinol can be somewhat easier to absorb (particularly in older people or those with absorption disorders), a younger, healthy body converts both forms in the intestines and plasma without difficulty. So instead of automatically paying more for the pricier variant, it is far more important to ensure there is fat in the meal and to take it regularly.
Conclusions
Coenzyme Q10 is an important “cellular current” – indispensable for energy production in the mitochondria and for antioxidant protection – whose level in tissues falls with age and is lowered further by statins. That makes it a legitimate protagonist in any conversation about cellular energy and aging. Q10 supplementation has well-documented value in specific situations (such as heart failure) and is sometimes considered alongside statins, but it is not a miracle route to energy, young skin or a reversed biological age in healthy people. If you do take it, the form and absorption matter, and the decision to supplement is best made with a doctor.
Sources
1. Hernández-Camacho JD, Bernier M, López-Lluch G, Navas P. Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Aging and Disease: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00044
2. Kalén A, Appelkvist EL, Dallner G. Age-related changes in the lipid compositions of rat and human tissues: https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02535072
3. Banach M, Serban C, Sahebkar A, et al. Statin therapy and plasma coenzyme Q10 concentrations – A systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2015.07.008
4. Mortensen SA, Rosenfeldt F, Kumar A, et al. The Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on Morbidity and Mortality in Chronic Heart Failure (Q-SYMBIO): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchf.2014.06.008
5. López-Lluch G, Del Pozo-Cruz J, Sánchez-Cuesta A, et al. Bioavailability of coenzyme Q10 supplements depends on carrier lipids and solubilization: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2018.05.020
