Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness characterized by generalized muscular pain, fatigue, stiffness, sleep disturbances, headaches and mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety. According to a 2007 article in "American Family Physician," fibromyalgia affects about 2 percent of the American population, and it has been diagnosed in men, women, children and adolescents. In 2010, scientists in Sevilla, Spain, demonstrated increased oxidative stress and reduced coenzyme Q10 levels in the cells of some fibromyalgia patients. However, coenzyme Q10 has not been shown to prevent or cure fibromyalgia.
Cause
The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. Although some of fibromyalgia's symptoms suggest it is an inflammatory condition, inflammation does not play a prominent role. Genetic factors may be involved, as fibromyalgia tends to run in families. Hypersensitivity of pain centers in your brain may contribute to your symptoms, or there may be imbalances in the hormones produced by your hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands. Oxidative stress within your cells could also be a culprit, according to a May 2006 review in "Rheumatology International."
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is synthesized by your cells using the same metabolic pathway that produces cholesterol. CoQ10 can also be obtained from foods, such as fish, organ meats and whole grains, or from supplements. CoQ10 serves two critical purposes in your body: it acts as a cofactor for the enzymes that produce high-energy molecules called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, in your mitochondria, and it functions as an antioxidant in your tissues. CoQ10's ability to simultaneously perform these two functions could prove beneficial for some people with fibromyalgia.
Dual Roles
Since it is essential for energy production, CoQ10 is found in higher amounts in organs with the highest energy requirements, such as your liver, heart, muscles and kidneys. Within the mitochondria of these tissues, CoQ10 is responsible for carrying electrons through a series of enzymes that eventually generate ATP. By exchanging electrons with other molecules along this enzymatic pathway, CoQ10 functions as an antioxidant. Thus, during periods of intense cellular activity, CoQ10 provides the means to meet your energy demands while it protects your cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Considerations and Recommendations
It isn't clear if CoQ10 supplementation is useful for fibromyalgia, but there is evidence that oxidative stress and disruption of energy production may contribute to symptoms in some fibromyalgia sufferers. CoQ10 doses used for other purposes may or may not alleviate your fibromyalgia symptoms. Dr. Elson Haas, author of "Staying Healthy with Nutrition," recommends 50 to 150 mg of CoQ10 daily for people taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, which interfere with CoQ10 production in your liver. In 2006, the Council for Responsible Nutrition established an observed safe level for CoQ10 at 1,200 mg daily. Ask your doctor if CoQ10 supplementation is appropriate for you.
References
- "American Family Physician"; Fibromyalgia; S. Chakrabarty, R. Zoorob; July 2007
- "Arthritis Research and Therapy"; Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Mitophagy Activation in Blood Mononuclear Cells of Fibromyalgia Patients: Implications in the Pathogenesis of the Disease; M.D. Cordero, et al.; 2010
- "Rheumatology International"; Current Concepts in the Pathophysiology of Fibromyalgia: The Potential Role of Oxidative Stress and Nitric Oxide; S. Ozgocmen, et al.; May 2006
- "Staying Healthy with Nutrition: Coenzyme Q (CoQ)"; Elson M. Haas, M.D.; 2006
- "Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology"; Risk Assessment for Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone); J.N. Hathcock, A. Shao; August 2006
