Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant that also plays an important role in providing energy to your cells, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Antioxidants clean up damaging chemicals in your body known as free radicals and are thought to help protect against many health problems. Most of the evidence about the benefits of coenzyme Q10 is not conclusive, and side effects are possible. Talk to your doctor before taking coenzyme Q10.
Coenzyme Q10 Deficiency
Coenzyme Q10 deficiency is a rare condition caused by metabolic problems that make it difficult for your body to make enough coenzyme Q10, according to MayoClinic.com. Symptoms include weakness, tiredness and seizures. Supplementation with coenzyme Q10 may help.
Helps Mitochondrial Disorders
Coenzyme Q10 may be helpful for people who suffer from mitochondrial disorders, according to MedlinePlus. Mitochondria are the cell's energy factories, and coenzyme Q10 plays a role in the process of energy production. However, it may take six months or more for the supplement to start working. More research is needed to confirm this benefit.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Preliminary evidence suggests that coenzyme Q10 may help lower blood pressure, according to MayoClinic.com; however, more research is needed to confirm this benefit. If you have high blood pressure, this decrease might allow you to decrease or even stop using medication, according to MedlinePlus. If you want to try this, you should talk to your doctor first, so your blood pressure may be monitored and your medications can be adjusted safely.
Helps Heart Problems
Preliminary but inconclusive research suggests that coenzyme Q10 may help patients with heart disease by preventing future heart attacks and lowering the risk of death, according to UMMC. Evidence is conflicting about coenzyme Q10's benefits for heart failure -- some studies found it helped ease symptoms, while other studies showed no such findings. Coenzyme Q10 may reduce symptoms of angina, but more research is needed regarding all of these issues to prove whether there is a benefit to using coenzyme Q10.
Other Uses
Coenzyme Q10 is often touted for many other uses, but, according to MayoClinic.com, evidence is too insufficient at this time to know whether any real benefits exist. These other uses include treating diabetes, breast cancer, infertility, fatigue, migraine, Parkinson's disease, gum disease and Lyme disease.
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