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Activities:
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiaging, ATP energy producing
Important Chemical Components:
Also known as ubiquinone or 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone. Its molecular formula is C59H90O4.
Origin Classification:
This nutrient or vitamin-like compound is found in most eukaryotic cells in the human body.1 It is also synthesized for oral supplementation and topical application.
Personal Care Category:
Antiaging, moisturizing
Recommended for the following Baumann Skin Types:
DRNW, DRPW, DSNW, DSPW, ORNW, ORPW, OSNW, and OSPW
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Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a fat-soluble compound found in all cells in the lipophilic portion of the cell membrane. It is the only lipid-soluble antioxidant synthesized endogenously and, as such, is not a vitamin.2 CoQ10 acts as a cofactor in numerous biological processes and contributes to the electron transfer chain responsible for energy production, playing an essential role for electron transport in the mitochondrial respiratory chain (Table 57-1).3 CoQ10 is thought to contribute 95 percent of the body’s adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or energy needs.4 It also plays a critical role in endogenous free radical scavenging.1 In addition to its natural presence in human cells, CoQ10 can be obtained through the diet, with fish and shellfish known to be good sources. As a supplement, the recommended oral dose is 90 to 150 mg daily, though some doctors recommend 200 to 400 mg daily. CoQ10 has a caffeine-like effect and therefore supplements should be taken in the morning to prevent insomnia.
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CoQ10 and related compounds have, as Hoppe et al. suggested, developed with biological evolution through millions of years.5 It is now known to be widely distributed among humans and animals.6 But CoQ10 was first discovered by Crane et al. in 1957, when they identified and isolated the compound from beef heart mitochondria.7 The chemical structure was subsequently determined and Peter Mitchell elucidated the role of CoQ10 in oxidative phosphorylation and the electron transport chain in 1961, work for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1978.8 A great deal of the literature since that period, and stemming from seminal work by Folkers and Littarru in 1972 on the role of CoQ10 deficiency in human heart disease, has focused on its oral administration ...