4.30.07 Coenzyme Q10 And Prostate Cancer, Prostate Supplements, Prostate Diet.

Most of the complementary and alternative medical literature on coenzyme Q10 claim it delays or even reverses aspects of aging. In fact, there is considerable evidence that coenzyme Q10 plays a role in aging, but not in the way you might think.

Most of us—scientists included—have a vested interest in slowing aging. I can assure you that at age 62, I would have preferred to have stopped my own aging process about 20 years ago.

But scientists largely study aging in lab models because it would take so long to do such experiments in people. Still, they’re legitimately concerned with the issues we just discussed: how do we know if our lab findings are relevant to people? Well, current thinking goes like this: aging seems to be a factor common to nearly all animals. Therefore, it is possible that we will find that the same basic processes promote and slow aging across many organisms. And this has been investigated using a well-defined list of experimental models: yeast, vinegar worm, fruit fly, mouse, and rhesus monkey. Once a process emerges as common to all of these models, it is then tested in humans.

As yet, calorie restriction remains by far the most consistent means of slowing aging across all of these experimental models. In all of these models, calorie restriction not only prolongs life span, but also slows metabolism, which seems to be important in delaying aging. The opposite is also true: those things that speed metabolism generally also accelerate aging and shorten life span. Modest calorie restriction renders an organism more efficient: the same amount of work takes fewer calories. While clinical trials have not been done that show prolonged life span in humans through calorie restriction, we do know that calorie restriction causes metabolic changes that allow more work to be done with fewer calories expended. Anyone who has tried to lose weight by dieting is well acquainted with this fact.

The mitochondria (powerhouses of the cell) are where most food calories are consumed and where calorie restriction has the most significant impact. As you age, your mitochondria become less and less efficient at converting food into useable energy. Calorie restriction slows this decline. Calorie-restricted mice are much more alert and active than their well-fed contemporaries. They also use food energy more efficiently: their mitochondria waste less energy. This research has led naturally to the idea that it might be possible to repair aging mitochondria in some way that will allow them to function like young mitochondria. If successful, the mitochondria would be reenergized.

This is where coenzyme Q10 comes in. CQ10 plays a central role in mitochondrial function and mitochondrial content of coenzyme Q10 declines with aging. Adding coenzyme Q10 reenergizes the mitochondria. Perhaps this stimulation of mitochondrial function explains why CQ10 temporarily improves heart function in patients with congestive heart failure and improves brain function in those with Parkinson's disease.

These phenomena have led many alternative and complementary health practitioners to promote CQ10 as a means of improving mitochondrial function in those struggling with the consequences of aging, heart failure, or Parkinson’s disease.

But here’s the catch: How do we know that CQ10 is not just making the well-known metaphorical candle burn brighter, at the expense of burning out quicker? Well, a recent study of fruit flies shows just that: CQ10 reenergized the mitochondria but accelerated aging! As I pointed out above, lab models aren’t human beings and I’m sure you’ll agree that there are considerable differences between you and a fruit fly. But these studies do raise a safety concern.

To read the full issue, purchase back issue Vol 9 #4 here.