CoQ10: Genetics, aging, and mitochondrial function
Essential, vital, can't live without it
Hi everyone -
This week's new article is about how the body makes CoQ10, which is essential for mitochondrial energy production.
After writing about why statins impact CoQ10 levels (Stains and Brain Fog article), I was curious to learn more about how genetic variants affect CoQ10. Then a member emailed me asking about CoQ10 genes, which made me think an article was definitely needed.
Most people think of CoQ10 supplements for heart health, but there's more to the story. It turns out that CoQ10 is not only important for ATP production, but it also acts as a lipid-soluble antioxidant.
CoQ10 levels decline with age, so this may be an article that anyone over a certain age will find helpful. (As I get older, it seems like everything declines with age :-)
Let me highlight one tidbit that is buried in the article:
CoQ10 is also important for the immune system. Studies in older adults showed that supplemental CoQ10 reduced the severity and duration of the flu. Additionally, in a study involving 4.5 million people, researchers found that individuals who had been taking CoQ10 had an 85% reduced risk of hospitalization.[ref][ref]
Wishing you all well,
~ Debbie
CoQ10 Deficiency: Mitochondrial energy
Key takeaways:
~ CoQ10 is essential for mitochondrial energy (ATP) production.
~ In addition, CoQ10 acts as an antioxidant, protecting against neuroinflammation and cell death.
~ CoQ10 levels decrease with age.
~ Genetic variants can also impact CoQ10 levels and the efficacy of supplementation.
What is Coenzyme Q?
Coenzyme Q (CoQ10 or ubiquinone) is a fundamental part of how your cells make ATP for energy. From plants to yeast to all animal cells, coenzyme Q is essential for life.
Within cells, mitochondria produce most of the ATP through the electron transport chain (ETC).
The ETC is a series of protein complexes, called complexes I through IV, that transfer electrons via redox reactions. This process creates a proton gradient across the mitochondrial membrane, which is used for ATP synthesis.
CoQ10 plays a key role in the ETC as an electron carrier, shuttling electrons from complexes I and II to complex III. Chemically, CoQ10 is classified as a quinone.[ref]
What I've been reading:
1) Hormonal Contraceptives are Shaping the Human Plasma Proteome in a Large Population Cohort
This is a preprint - not peer-reviewed yet - but it is a really interesting study. The researchers looked at the plasma proteome, all the proteins flowing through the body, to see what factors make a big difference. Age and sex cause differences, of course, but the big finding was a large shift in the plasma proteome for people using hormonal contraceptives.
2) Serotonin reduction in post-acute sequelae of viral infection
People with long Covid are likely to have low serotonin levels. Researchers set out to understand why post-viral syndromes cause low serotonin. They found out there were a couple of things going on: decreased tryptophan uptake in the intestines, reduced storage in platelets, and increased turnover by the enzymes that break down serotonin.
Related Genetic Lifehacks article: Tryptophan pathways
3) Chocolate doesn't prevent diabetes... unfortunately.
Observational studies point to chocolate - or the flavanols in cocoa - as possibly preventing type 2 diabetes. However, it turns out that when researchers did a randomized clinical trial using 500 mg/day of cocoa for 3.5 years, there was no reduction in diabetes risk. A good reminder that epidemiological and observational studies need to be followed up with more rigorous clinical trials.
4) 23andMe password resets
23andMe sent out an email and posted a press release about certain 23andMe customer profiles being accessed through the DNA relatives feature without user authorization. They think it was due to some users having used the same usernames and passwords on 23andMe as on other sites that were previously hacked. You may be prompted to reset your password the next time you log into 23andMe.