Coenzyme Q10 May Help Parkinson's Disease

Source: Tufts University
November 14, 2002

Scientists who study Parkinson's work not only to understand how the disease disables nerve cells but also how it impacts the daily lives of those who suffer from it. They are cautiously optimistic about a new study, published in the Archives of Neurology, which suggests that the dietary supplement coenzyme Q10 might help newly diagnosed Parkinson's patients preserve the nerve control they need to perform daily activities.

Testing a dietary supplement

Researchers from 10 US health facilities recruited 80 men and women with early signs of Parkinson's disease. None were yet taking medication, but all showed the three key features of Parkinson's - resting tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity.

They were randomly assigned, in double-blind fashion, to one of four treatment groups: coenzyme Q10 at a dose of 300 mg, 600 mg, or 1200 mg/day, or placebo. Physical and mental assessments using the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) were performed every 4 months during the 16-month study.

There was no statistical difference between the groups at the one-month visit, but by the end of the study, mean total UPDRS scores tended to be better in those who took coenzyme Q10 at a dose of 1200mg/day (p for trend =0.09). The benefit appeared to be most closely associated with an improved ability to perform 'activities of daily living' such as eating and getting dressed (p for trend=0.02).

Possible pathways

Coenzyme Q is a naturally occurring substance in the mitochondria, where it appears to serve dual functions. It facilitates a step - called complex I - in mitochondrial energy production, and also acts as an antioxidant, protecting the cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Earlier studies by several of these same authors showed abnormally low levels of coenzyme Q10 in the blood cells of some Parkinson's patients and impaired cellular energy production in others. Those observations have led researchers to speculate that there might be a connection between low levels of coenzyme Q10, increased mitochondrial dysfunction, and the development of Parkinson's disease.

Advice to patients

The authors of the study are encouraged by their results, but they warn both patients and healthcare providers not to read too much into these preliminary findings. This was a small study and all participants were in the early stages of Parkinson's. And, say the authors, while the supplement appeared to have an effect on physical functioning, it is not yet clear if it actually helped prevent damage to nerve cells.

Plans are currently underway to expand the study to include a greater number of patients; this will give researchers a better picture of the circumstances in which coenzyme Q10 supplements might help people with Parkinson's.

Note: In the USA, coenzyme Q10 is marketed a dietary supplement. This means that coenzyme Q10-containing products do not come under the same level of scrutiny as medications do. US consumers currently have no way to ensure that the dietary supplement they buy actually contains what its label says it contains, a particularly troubling problem when the supplement is being used as medication. As is always the case, patients should be encouraged to consult with their own healthcare provider before taking a dietary supplement.

Source

• Effects of coenzyme Q10 in early Parkinson's disease. C. Shults, D. Oakes, K. Kieburtz,  et al., Arch Neurol, 2002, vol. 59, pp. 1541--1550

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