Life‐long supplementation with a low dosage of coenzyme Q₁₀ in the rat: Effects on antioxidant status and DNA damage

Abstract

Life-long low-dosage supplementation of coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) is studied in relation to the antioxidant status and DNA damage. Thirty-two male rats were assigned into two experimental groups differing in the supplementation or not with 0.7 mg/kg/day of CoQ(10). Eight rats per group were killed at 6 and 24 months. Plasma retinol, alpha-tocopherol, coenzyme Q, total antioxidant capacity and fatty acids were analysed. DNA strand breaks were studied in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Aging and supplementation led to significantly higher values for CoQ homologues, retinol and alpha-tocopherol. No difference in total antioxidant capacity was detected at 6 months but significantly lower values were found in aged control animals. Similar DNA strand breaks levels were found at 6 months. Aging led to significantly higher DNA strand breaks levels in both groups but animals supplemented with CoQ(10) led to a significantly lower increase in that marker. Aged rats showed significantly higher polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study demonstrates that lifelong intake of a low dosage of CoQ(10) enhances plasma levels of CoQ(9), CoQ(10), alpha-tocopherol and retinol. In addition, CoQ(10) supplementation attenuates the age-related fall in total antioxidant capacity of plasma and the increase in DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Postprandial antioxidant effect of the Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 in elderly men and women

“…It has been reported that CoQ supplementation suppressed PC levels in mice (Wadsworth et al 2008) which coincides with our results because we observed a significant decrease in PC levels after consumption of Med+CoQ diet compared with either the non-supplemented Med diet or the SFA-enriched diet. In addition, low oxLDL and LPO levels obtained after the intake of the Med+CoQ compared with the other diets is indicative of lower oxidative damage due to an antioxidant environment provided by CoQ supplementation (Quiles et al 2005).…”

Ubiquinol-10 Supplementation Activates Mitochondria Functions to Decelerate Senescence in Senescence-Accelerated Mice

“…In many tissues, ubiquinol-10 biosynthesis and levels decrease with age, suggesting that ubiquinol-10 may have possible anti-aging effects (1). Furthermore, nuclear DNA (nDNA) damage in rat blood lymphocytes, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage in rat heart, and mitochondria deletion and age-related molecular changes in rat brain mitochondria were suppressed by ubiquinone-10 (39,45,46). These findings may support the possibility that ubiquinol-10 has anti-aging effects, because ubiquinone-10 is readily reduced to ubiquinol-10 after dietary uptake (33,63) and a ratio of ubiquinol-10 to total CoQ10 of more than 85% is maintained in the plasma (40,70).…”

Postprandial antioxidant gene expression is modified by Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 in elderly men and women

“…CoQ plays a crucial role in the generation of cellular energy, enhances the immune system, and acts as a free radical scavenger with antioxidant properties (Quiles et al 2005). Aging, poor eating habits, and stress affects the organism's ability to provide adequate amounts of CoQ.…”