Blackmores Institute

In an attempt to combat the deleterious effects of high-intensity exercise, researchers from Spain have found that supplementation with ubiquinol, a form of Coenzyme Q10 during strenuous exercise could reduce the overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, together with increasing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines limiting the detrimental, pro-inflammatory effects of strenuous exercise.
 
 “The data available in the scientific literature have provided a direct link between physical performance and blood and muscle tissue Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels. However, most of these studies are focused mainly on the exercise performance and radical-scavenging activity of CoQ10 during low-intensity exercise, with the studies about the influence of CoQ10 supplementation during the performance of high intensity (strenuous) exercise on the inflammatory signalling, haematology, and muscle recovery after strenuous exercise being scarce,” the researchers explained.
 
 Coenzyme Q10 exists in two forms: ubiquinone (oxidised form), the most common form in CoQ10 supplements, and ubiquinol, the reduced and most active form, which has properties related to bioenergetic and antioxidant activity, but according to the researchers is poorly studied.
 
 “This study was a randomised, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. One hundred healthy and well trained, but not at an elite level, firemen of the Fire Department of the City of Granada took part in this study. The firemen were randomly divided into two groups: Ubiquinol group (ubiquinol) (n = 50), and placebo group (control) (n = 50). The ubiquinol group was supplemented with an oral dose of 200 mg/day of ubiquinol for two weeks, and subjects assigned to the control group took placebo using the same scheme,” the authors said.
 
 The results of the study found a strong correlation between high-intensity exercise and inflammatory signalling demonstrated by the over-expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, however, with oral supplementation of ubiquinol during high-intensity exercise this over-expression was reduced and anti-inflammatory cytokines were increased.
 
 “In addition, during exercise, red blood cells, haemoglobin, hematocrit, vascular endothelial growth factor, nitric oxide, and epidermal growth factor did not decrease in the ubiquinol group, revealing a possible pro-angiogenic effect, a fact that could improve nutrients and oxygen supply and therefore muscle recovery after strenuous exercise. 
 
 “Therefore, the knowledge gained from these findings reveals the benefit of ubiquinol supplement in athletes prior to the performance of strenuous exercise in order to reduce the undesirable effects of the inflammation signalling during high-intensity exercise, increasing blood supply, reducing the muscle damage and haematological impairment, and improving skeletal muscle fibres regeneration,” the authors concluded.
 
 Source:
 Nutrients. 2020. DOI:<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/2/424">10.3390/nu12020424</a>

Strenuous exercise is well known to benefit health, but it also has less positive effects associated with muscle damage and haematological changes. New research finds that supplementing with Coenzyme Q10 may limit these detrimental effects.

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