CoQ10 nutriceutical for fatgue and depression

Would I recommend Coenzyme Q10? #MSBlog #MSResearch

"This placebo-controlled study below tantalizingly shows that Coenzyme Q10, a nutriceutical, improves MS-related negative symptoms of fatigue and depression. What is Coenzyme Q10? It is an oil-soluble, vitamin-like substance that is present in most cells, primarily in the mitochondria. It is a component of the so called electron transport chain and participates in respiration, generating energy in the form of ATP. 95% of the body’s energy is generated in this way. Coenzyme Q10 functions in the electron transport chain as an antioxidant, protecting the mitochondrion and cell from damage from reactive oxygen species. Oxidation, or oxidative damage, is believed to play a role in neurodegeneraton. Therefore, Coenzyme Q10 has been hypothesised to be a general neuroprotectant and is used to treat other neurodegenerative disorders, for example the mitochondrial cytopathies. Should all MSers now  take Coenzyme Q10? No. This study provides the necessary evidence that it may work in MS symptoms and therefore larger trials of Coenzyme Q10 in MS are required."

"Coenzyme Q10 is potentially neuroprotective,  therefore any study testing it as a neuroprotectant in MS will need to be seriously considered. I would recommend adding it on top of an anti-inflammatory drug that  controls so called upstream adaptive immune responses, i.e. autoimmunity. How we design and test add-on therapies is an unresolved issue. We are currently trying a novel approaches using spinal fluid neurofilament levels in SPMS and OCT (optical coherence tomography) in acute optic neuritis. The International Progressive MS Alliance is looking at the issue of progressive MS  trials; let's hope something good comes out of this. We have submitted a preliminary application to explore the length-dependent axonal and asynchronous progressive MS hypotheses. Both of these have implications for progressive MS trial design."


Epub: Sanoobar et al. Coenzyme Q10 as a treatment for fatigue and depression in multiple sclerosis patients: A double blind randomized clinical trial. Nutr Neurosci. 2015 Jan.

Objectives: MS is the chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disorder of central nervous system which is accompanied with disability and negative life style changes such as fatigue and depression.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on fatigue and depression in MSers.

Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effect of CoQ10 supplement (500 mg/day) vs. placebo for 12 weeks. Fatigue symptoms were quantified by means of fatigue severity scale (FSS) and the Beck depression inventory (BDI) was used to assess depressive symptoms.

Results: A significant decrease of FSS was observed in CoQ10 group during the intervention (P = 0.001) and significant increase of FSS change was observed within placebo group (P = 0.001). Repeated measure analysis of variance showed a significant time-by-treatment interaction for FSS (baseline 41.5 ± 15.6 vs. endpoint P < 0.001) and BDI (baseline 17.8 ± 12.2 vs. endpoint 20.4 ± 11.4; P < 0.001), indicating significant decrease of FSS and BDI in CoQ10 group compared to placebo group.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that CoQ10 supplementation (500 mg/day) can improve fatigue and depression in patients with multiple sclerosis.

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