Coenzyme Q10 Plus Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Reduces Maximum Heart Rate During Exercise and Improves Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

by | Jan 4, 2018 | 2016, Antioxidants, CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10)

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Eight weeks of 50 mg of CoQ10 and 5 mg of NADH supplementation significantly reduced maximum heart rate and perceived fatigue in the participating subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome.

brain healthChronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), characterized by profound fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and cognitive issues, is a complex disease which, as of yet, has no identified underlying cause. CFS is worsened by mental and physical exertion, exercise intolerance being a common symptom, and is not alleviated by rest or sleep 1. Currently, treatment of the disease is focused on symptom improvement. New research proposes the potential for CFS management through the use of antioxidant supplements with cardioprotective activity 2, with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) being primary candidates due to their ability to increase cellular energy production (ATP) 3,4. Several studies have shown that oral supplementation with NADH can reduce maximum heart rate (HR, an indicator of cardiovascular function) and effectively mitigate symptoms of CFS 5,6, while CoQ10 is recognized for its benefits on exercise performance, specifically increasing exercise tolerance and time to exhaustion in trained and untrained individuals 7,8. In the first trial of its kind, researchers at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital Research Institute investigated the effects of combined supplementation with coQ10 and NADH on cardiovascular function (maximum HR changes during a test of maximal aerobic power) and measures of fatigue, pain, and sleep in CFS patients.

A total of 80 female, Spanish participants (mean age = 49.2 years) carrying a diagnosis of CFS were enrolled in a randomized, controlled, double-blind study in which they were randomly assigned to receive enteric-coated tablets containing either CoQ10 plus NADH (50 mg CoQ10 and 5 mg NADH) or matching placebo twice daily for 8 weeks, in addition to standard therapy. At baseline and at the end of 8 weeks, patients were evaluated on changes in fatigue, pain, and sleep difficulties using self-report questionnaires. Maximum HR changes were measured using a cycle ergometer test in which participants exercised against an incrementally increasing workload until the point of exhaustion.

From baseline to Week 8, the CoQ10 plus NADH group exhibited a significant reduction in max HR (136.8 +/- 14.2 vs. 140.1 +/- 15.3 bpm, p = 0.22), however, no significant between-group differences were detected. Perceived fatigue was also seen to significantly decrease among individuals in the treatment group vs. placebo, from baseline to 4 and 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.021 and p = 0.03, respectively). However, no significant changes in pain and sleep were reported for the CoQ10 plus NADH group.

Results of the trial suggest that combined supplementation with CoQ10 and NADH, as a form of antioxidant therapy, may be an effective potential treatment for CFS. Although no positive effects on pain and sleep were evident, findings do demonstrate a beneficial impact on measures of cardiovascular function and perception of fatigue. Larger clinical trials with longer term follow-up interventions are needed to confirm and expand on current findings.

Source: Castro-Marrero J, Saez-Francas N, Segundo M, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 plus nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide supplementation on maximum heart rate after exercise testing in chronic fatigue syndrome-A randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. Clinical Nutrition. 2016; 35: 826-834. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2015.07.010.

© 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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Posted January 4, 2018.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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