Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is a naturally occurring compound found in every cell's mitochondria, which are organelles responsible for energy production. Energy is essential for all the elements of muscle growth, which include muscle contraction, exertion, fiber repair and enlargement. Although research on CoQ10 is mixed in regard to its effect on athletic performance, it is well established as being beneficial for congestive heart failure, among other conditions.
Function
CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone, is required within the membranes of mitochondria to convert energy from carbohydrates and fats to adenosine triposphate molecules, or ATP, according to "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition." ATP molecules are energy storage compounds that can be used in cells, especially muscle cells, to perform work. Without adequate amounts of ATP, exercises involving muscle building are not possible. In its reduced form, CoQ10 is also an effective antioxidant, which can protect membrane proteins and DNA from the oxidative damage created by free radicals.
Research on Athletic Performance
While CoQ10 is used to help speed recovery from exercise and to improve exercise tolerance in individuals with mitochondrial impairment, there is little evidence that it improves athletic performance in healthy individuals. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, at least seven placebo-controlled trials have examined the effects of CoQ10 supplements, in doses of 100 to 150 mg per day, for three to eight weeks, on physical performance in trained and untrained men. The measures of aerobic exercise performance were maximal oxygen consumption and exercise time to exhaustion, and most of the trials found no significant differences between groups taking the CoQ10 and those taking placebos. One study found maximal cycling workload to be slightly increased after eight weeks of supplementation, although measures of aerobic power were not increased. Thus, although CoQ10 is required for exercise, which can lead to skeletal muscle growth, additional supplementation up to 150 mg daily does not seem to increase the ability to work out harder.
Other Established Benefits
Although supplementing with CoQ10 doesn't provide an obvious increase in skeletal muscle growth, it does seem to directly benefit heart muscle. According to "Medical Nutrition and Disease: A Case-based Approach," the heart has the most CoQ10 in the body, and deficiency in the coenzyme has been linked to congestive heart failure. Furthermore, arrhythmias more commonly occur within weak heart muscle, and research shows that CoQ10 supplementation can reduce the risk of arrhythmias by increasing energy production in the smooth muscle of the heart, as cited in "Human Biochemistry and Disease."
Sources of CoQ10
Rich sources of dietary CoQ10 include mainly meat, poultry and fish. Other good sources include soybean oil, canola oil and most nuts. Eggs and dairy products are moderate sources of CoQ10, as are broccoli, cauliflower and oranges. In the U.S., CoQ10 is sold as a supplement, and as such, is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
References
- "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition"; Martha Stipanuk; 2006
- Linus Pauling Institute: Oregon State University: CoQ10 Effects on Athletic Performance
- "Medical Nutrition and Disease: A Case-based Approach"; Lisa Hark; 2008
- "Human Biochemistry and Disease"; Gerald Litwack; 2008
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