CoEnzyme Q10 reduces oxidative damage to nerve cells

In a recent study published in the April 2005 volume of Neurobiology of Disease, researchers investigated the role of CoEnzyme Q10 in protecting nerve cells from oxidative damage.

Nerve cells depend on optimal mitochondrial function for energy. This study demonstrated that external oxidative stress causes mitochondria to increase production of free radicals, leading to nerve cell damage and destruction. Since CoEnzyme Q10 is a component of the mitochondrial energy process and is a potent anti-oxidant, CoEnzyme Q10 was evaluated as a neuroprotective agent.

In this study, CoEnzyme Q10 inhibited the production of free radicals by the mitochondria, suggesting that CoEnzyme Q10 acts to stabilize the mitochondrial membrane when nerve cells are subjected to oxidative stress. CoEnzyme Q10 may therefore have a potential benefit as a therapeutic intervention for neurodegenerative diseases.