Co-enzyme Q10

Because of its ability to transfer electrons and therefore act as an antioxidant, Coenzyme Q has become a fashionable dietary supplement.

Young people are able to make Q10 from the lower numbered ubiquinones such as Q6 or Q8. The sick and elderly may not be able to make enough. Q10 thus becomes a vitamin later in life and in illness.

Supplementation of Coenzyme Q10 has been found to have a beneficial effect on the condition of some sufferers of migraines, and is a common component of the "mito cocktail" used to treat mitochondrial disorders and other metabolic disorders. It is also being investigated as a treatment for cancer, and as relief from cancer treatment side effects.

Recent studies have suggested that Coenzyme Q10 may act as an important antioxidant in the body and the brain. Some of these studies have indicated that Coenzyme Q10 may protect the brain from neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinsons and also from the damaging side effects of a transient ischemic attack (stroke) in the brain.

There has also been a recent study showing a survival benefit after cardiac arrest if coenzyme Q10 is administered in addition to commencing active cooling (to 32–34 degrees Celsius).