As a key "energy converter" of human cells, why does coenzyme Q10 get so much attention recently? How does the body's own coenzyme Q10 function and have an effect on health? What is the premise for coenzyme Q10 to produce its effect? This article will focus on coenzyme Q10 in depth to review all aspects of this Internet celebrity ingredient.

Back in December 2022, some citizens contracted myocarditis caused by COVID-19 after recovering from the disease. Experts say most myocarditis heals on its own, but its lethality is still causing some alarm. Since coenzyme Q10 has the function of nourishing myocardium, it has gradually become the focus of social media in the heated debate among netizens.

In fact, coenzyme Q10 goes by the more common name of Vitamin Q. In general, coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin nutrient, a compound integrating medical and nutritional health care, an activator of cell respiration and cell metabolism, as well as an important antioxidant and non-specific immune enhancer. It has high application value in the fields of food, medicine, cosmetics and personal care.

Because coenzyme Q10 is involved in 95% of the energy generation process of human body, it is widely distributed in human heart, liver, kidney and other organs that require a large amount of energy consumption. Among them, the heart is the organ with the largest distribution of coenzyme Q10. Animal hearts are also a concentrated source of coenzyme Q10, which is about 200 times higher than in meat, and animal livers and kidneys are also rich in the enzyme.

Back to the human body, although the body is capable of spontaneously synthesizing coenzyme Q10, the ability to synthesize coenzyme Q10 autonomously tends to decline with age in adults aged 30. It is generally believed that the ability to synthesize coenzyme Q10 peaks at the age of 30 and then begins to decline year by year. Lack of coenzyme Q10 is reported to be not life-threatening, but can affect the body's energy production mechanism, as much as 28 times worse than a normal person. However, coenzyme Q10 can be supplemented by external intake: fish, beef, chicken and other meats, animal offal, as well as nuts, vegetables, fruits and cereals.

How exactly does coenzyme Q10 work in the body?

1. Promote energy production. Coenzyme Q10 is stored in a cell's mitochondria and plays a crucial role in energy production. As an important coenzyme in the body, coenzyme Q10 is an important hydrogen transmitter in the respiratory chain of biological cells. It plays the role of proton transfer and electron transfer in the oxidative respiratory chain of mitochondria, and can promote oxidative phosphorylation and the production of energy carrier adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Simply speaking, coenzyme Q10 is involved in a complex set of reactions that help cells convert carbohydrates in food into an important energy molecule-ATP. Coenzyme Q10 can make people more energetic, physical strength and endurance.

2. Antioxidant. On the antioxidant side, coenzyme Q10 can scavenge free radicals (Specifically, vitamin E prevents the spread of chain reactions during lipid peroxidation by scavenge free radicals, and coenzyme Q10 can reduce the alpha-tocopheryl radicals produced by vitamin E when scavenge free radicals, thereby saving and regenerating vitamin E), preventing cell damage, protect cell health, its antioxidant power is 50 times that of vitamin E. Studies have shown that antioxidants in the body often do not exist independently and function independently, but complement each other and work together. In addition to its antioxidant role, coenzyme Q10 also strengthens and regenerates other antioxidants, such as vitamin E, ascorbic acid, lipoic acid, etc.

3. Enhance immunity. Studies have found that the concentration of coenzyme Q10 in patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and colon cancer is lower than that of normal people, suggesting that coenzyme Q10 can play a good role in improving the body's immunity as a non-specific immune enhancer.

Abundant scene effect of coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10, also known as panquinone, is a fat-soluble vitamin-like benzoquinone compound that is synthesized endogenous from tyrosine in the human body. Yellow or orange yellow crystalline powder, insoluble in water, has two forms of reduced coenzyme Q10 (panthenol) and oxidized coenzyme Q10 (panquinone). Coenzyme Q10 has a very comprehensive function and can not be ignored in many scenarios.

1. Eye protection scene. Eye health has always been a concern of the public. From myopia in teenagers to glaucoma and cataracts in middle-aged and elderly people, people of different ages are more or less faced with eye health problems. Coenzyme Q10 acts as an antioxidant and protects the mitochondria, the powerhouses of retinal cells. These cell fragments are often the first to be affected by eye health problems. Oxidation in the retina begins with mitochondrial defects, and coenzyme Q10 protects against vision loss caused by oxidative damage, as well as age-related eye health problems.

2. Skin care scene. Coenzyme Q10 has excellent antioxidant effect. It has been found in studies that it can effectively neutralize free radicals and improve cell vitality. It has certain effects on preventing skin aging, reducing wrinkles and repairing collagen cells, and can reduce the damage caused by ultraviolet rays on the skin.

3. Anti-fatigue/sleep aid scene. An observational study has found that Low blood coenzyme Q10 levels may be associated with fatigue and autonomic cognitive symptoms in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. According to a small double-blind controlled trial, higher doses of coenzyme Q10 can improve fatigue and physical performance after physical training.

4. Brain health scenarios. According to Allied Market Research,the global Market for brain health products is expected to reach $5.81 billion by 2023. Brain health mainly involves improving memory and cognitive function. Among the relevant hot raw materials, DHA/EPA, NMN, ginkgo biloba flavonoid glycosides and ginkgo biloba terpene lactones, fatty acylserine (PS), astaxanthin, pyrrole quinoline quinone disodium salt (PQQ) are the key components of the application end. Among them, the combination of PQQ and coenzyme Q10 has become one of the "star" solutions in the field of improving cognition and memory.

5. Other niche scenes. Studies have found that saliva production also decreases with age and stress. Dry mouth often leads to bad breath and food swallowing difficulties, increase unhappiness, impair quality of life. The Japanese market has developed a series of functional foods for salivation, the main raw material is reduced coenzyme Q10. According to one study, healthy middle-aged and elderly men and women who took 100mg of the enzyme Q10 per day significantly increased saliva production compared to a placebo group.