The study published in the journal Antioxidants investigated the effect of 300mg daily of CoQ10 (HydroQSorb) or placebo in 28 men over 21 days in combination with exhaustive exercise.
"Increased serum vitamin D after exercise has been reported in previous studies, however, this is the first report demonstrating that this process is inhibited by the antioxidant CoQ10,” the authors from Poland noted.
They concluded the results indicated that ‘CoQ10 significantly modified the exercise-induced changes in vitamin D metabolism’.
Increased reactive oxygen species
CoQ10 is crucial for cellular energy metabolism and has strong antioxidant properties, while vitamin D, although not considered an antioxidant, can promote the enzymatic antioxidant potential of cells.
Exercise increases free radical production and oxidative stress markers, impacting metabolic changes by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS).
ROS can inactivate dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH), an enzyme that is important for eliminating asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and methylarginine (MMA), both of which compete with arginine for the active center of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), therefore blocking NO synthesis.
ROS has also been found to affect vitamin D metabolism. Exercise can also increase serum levels of 25(OH)D3, possibly due to fat breakdown or a stress response.
As both vitamin D hydroxylases and CoQ10 are located in mitochondria, the authors of the new research suggest a potential interaction.
CoQ10 supplementation
At the beginning and end of the 21-day period, participants (aged 20-21) performed an exercise test until exhaustion. Blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and three and 24 hours after exercise.
CoQ10, vitamin D metabolites, ADMA, symmetric dimethylarginine, MMA, dimethylamine, arginine, citrulline, and ornithine were analyzed in serum samples.
Results showed that those in the supplemented group had a 2.76-fold increase in the concentration of serum CoQ10. Conversely, the 25(OH)D3 concentration increased after exercise only in the placebo group.
Baseline serum concentrations of ADMA increased after exercise, which the authors hypothesized may be due to muscle proteolysis.
“Our data indicate that CoQ10 supplementation modifies the effects of exercise on vitamin D and MMA metabolism, suggesting its beneficial effects,” the authors concluded.
“These findings contribute to the understanding of how antioxidants like CoQ10 can modulate biochemical responses to exercise, potentially offering new insights for enhancing athletic performance and recovery.”
As results showed that CoQ10 supplementation was found to counteract exercise-induced increases in several vitamin D metabolites, this indicated a modulatory effect on vitamin D metabolism potentially related to CoQ10's antioxidant properties, the authors suggested.
“This points to an interconnected relationship between vitamin D, oxidative stress, and CoQ10 supplementation,” they noted.
The authors however noted that the study was limited by the small sample size, advising that ‘further studies should employ increased sample sizes and/or crossover study designs’.
They also added that future researchers should use muscle biopsies to assess changes in CoQ10 concentrations in muscle tissue, allowing for more detailed conclusions regarding the observed reactions.
Journal: Antioxidants
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13070760
“Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q-10) Supplementation Influences Exercise-Induced Changes in Serum 25(OH)D3 and the Methyl-Arginine Metabolites: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.”
Authors: Mieszkowski, J. Et al.