Coenyme Q10, or CoQ10, is a vitamin-like nutrient that plays a role in the production of cellular energy. The amount of cellular energy available to you influences the quality of your workouts and how quickly you recover from them. This antioxidant is required by all of your 70 trillion cells. The most active cells, the muscles, brain and liver, contain the most mitochondria and have the highest CoQ10 requirements.
Levels
The human body produces CoQ10 in healthy individuals, but deficiencies can occur in those with mitochondrial disorders or those with insufficient dietary intake or excessive use of CoQ10. Patients with heart disease, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS can be deficient in CoQ10. Levels decrease with age and the use of some prescription drugs.
Statin Drugs
Workout recovery, cellular energy and physical energy will all be negatively affected if you are deficient or have low levels of CoQ10. Cholesterol lowering medications known as statin drugs inhibit the body’s production and deplete levels of CoQ10, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Microscopic muscular damage begins occurring within days of taking statins, sometimes leading to myalgia and muscle pain, says the Nutrition Reporter and personal nutrition coach, Jack Challam. Taking supplements can correct the CoQ10 deficiency caused by statins and alleviate some of the side effects such as muscle pain, improving workout recovery.
Research
Because CoQ10 is a compound in the energy-producing center of the cell known as the mitochondria, clinical studies are being done to determine if its supplementation could improve workout recovery. Official studies done to date have had varied results. According to the Mayo Clinic, some research suggests there are benefits to exercise performance while other studies show no effects. They advise that better research is necessary to make a firm conclusion. Furthermore, micronutrient researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute at the University of Oregon reveal that although CoQ10 supplementation has improved exercise tolerance in individuals with mitochondrial disorders, there is little evidence that it improves performance or recovery in healthy individuals.
Tips
If you want to increase your CoQ10, but don’t want to take additional supplements, you can increase your dietary intake of CoQ10. Sources include whole grains, oily fish such as salmon and tuna, and organ meats, such as liver.
Warning
Before taking CoQ10, you should always consult with your health-care provider if you take prescription medications or have concerns. Your doctor can work with you to determine proper dosage.
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