Combined Supplementation of Coenzyme Q and Other Nutrients in Specific Medical Conditions

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a compound with a crucial role in mitochondrial bioenergetics and membrane antioxidant protection. Despite the ubiquitous endogenous biosynthesis, specific medical conditions are associated with low circulating CoQ levels. However, previous studies of oral CoQ supplementation yielded inconsistent outcomes. In this article, we reviewed previous CoQ trials, either single or in combination with other nutrients, and stratified the study participants according to their metabolic statuses and medical conditions. The CoQ supplementation trials in elders reported many favorable outcomes. However, the single intervention was less promising when the host metabolic statuses were worsening with the likelihood of multiple nutrient insufficiencies, as in patients with an established diagnosis of metabolic or immune-related disorders. On the contrary, the mixed CoQ supplementation with other interacting nutrients created more promising impacts in hosts with compromised nutrient reserves. Furthermore, the results of either single or combined intervention will be less promising in far-advanced conditions with established damage, such as neurodegenerative disorders or cancers. With the limited high-level evidence studies on each host metabolic category, we could only conclude that the considerations of whether to take supplementation varied by the individuals' metabolic status and their nutrient reserves. Further studies are warranted.