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The following is an article on COQ10 and Parkinson's. It may be a bit
lengthy.

Coenzyme Q10
It's in Your Thoughts

A new study is demonstrating potent neuro-protective benefits attributable
to coenzyme Q10. With studies employing CoQ10 supplementation, the brain's
mitochondrial energy expenditure increases, and dopamine-producing sections
of the brain are protected. Survival time is even extended in cases of Lou
Gehrig's disease.

Because heart cells have a high energy demand, initial clinical studies
investigated the effect of coenzyme Q10 on cardiac mitochondrial function.
Scientists are now looking at the effects of CoQ10 on another organ whose
cells also require a high level of energy metabolism-the brain.

About 95% of cellular energy is produced from structures in the cells called
mitochondria. The mitochondria have been described as the cells' "energy
powerhouse," and the diseases of aging are increasingly being referred to as
"mitochondrial disorders."

When coenzyme Q10 is taken orally, it is incorporated into the mitochondria
of cells throughout the body where it facilitates and regulates the
oxidation of fats and sugars into energy. One of the areas in which
mitochondrial energy by CoQ10 is enhanced is the brain, offering attendant
neuro-protective benefits.

Here are the highlights from a study just published in the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences (1998; 95)

When coenzyme Q10 was administered to middle-age and old-age rats, the level
of CoQ10 increased by 10% to 40% in the cerebral cortex region of the brain.
This increase was sufficient to restore levels of CoQ10 to those seen in
young animals.
After only two months of CoQ10 supplementation, mitochondrial energy
expenditure in the brain increased by 29%, compared with the group not
getting CoQ10. The human equivalent dose of CoQ10 to achieve these results
is 100 to 200 mg a day.
When a neuro-toxin was administered, CoQ10 helped protect against damage to
the striatal region of the brain where dopamine is produced.
When CoQ10 was administered to rats genetically bred to develop amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), a significant increase in
survival time was observed.
The scientists concluded, "CoQ10 can exert neuro-protective effects that
might be useful in the treatment of neuro-degenerative diseases."

This new study showed that short-term supplementation with moderate amounts
of CoQ10 produced profound anti-aging effects in the brain. Previous studies
have shown that CoQ10 may protect the brain via several mechanisms,
including reduction in free radical generation and protection against
glutamate-inducted excitotoxicity. The study documented that orally
supplemented CoQ10 specifically enhanced metabolic energy levels of brain
cells. While this effect in the brain has been previously postulated, this
new study provides hard evidence.

Based on the types of brain cell injury that CoQ10 protected against, the
scientists suggested that it may be useful in the prevention or treatment of
Huntington's disease and ALS. It was noted that while vitamin E delays the
onset of ALS in mice, it does not increase survival time. CoQ10 was
suggested as a more effective treatment strategy than vitamin E for
neuro-degenerative disease because survival time was increased in mice
treated with CoQ10.

In keeping with CoQ10's observed anti-aging and neuro-protective benefits, a
report published in the Annals of Neurology (August 1997) identified a new
mechanism showing that CoQ10 might be effective in the prevention and
treatment of Parkinson's disease.

This study showed that the brain cells of Parkinson's patients have a
specific impairment that causes the disruption of healthy mitochondrial
function. It is known that mitochondrial disorder causes cells in the
substantia nigra region of the brain to malfunction and die, thus creating a
shortage of dopamine.

An interesting finding was that CoQ10 levels in Parkinson's patients were
35% lower than age-matched controls. This deficit of CoQ10 caused a
significant reduction in the activity of enzyme complexes that are critical
to the mitochondrial function of the brain cells affected by Parkinson's
disease.

The ramifications of this study are significant. Parkinson's disease is
becoming more prevalent as the human life span increases, and the new study
confirms previous studies that Parkinson's disease may be related to CoQ10
deficiency. The scientists concluded, "The causes of Parkinson's disease are
unknown, [but] evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxygen
free radicals may be involved in its pathogenesis. The dual function of
CoQ10 as a constituent of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and a
potent antioxidant suggest that it has the potential to slow the progression
of Parkinson's disease."

CoQ10 levels decrease with age. In fact, aged humans have only 50% of the
CoQ10 that young adults have. Depletion is caused by reduced synthesis of
CoQ10 in the body, along with increased oxidation of CoQ10 in the
mitochondria. The inevitable conclusion might be that, if a CoQ10 deficit
results in the inactivation of enzymes needed for mitochondrial energy
production, supplementation with CoQ10 may preserve mitochondrial function.


----- Original Message -----
From: Angela Beemer <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, November 25, 1999 9:09 AM
Subject: Co-enzyme Q-10


> Linda J Herman wrote:
> >
> > Paul,
> >         Your letter said it all - why this list is so important for many
of us,
> > and why we overlook the occassional feuds, and stay subscribed.
> > You said:
> >
> > "I have found that the knowledge gained from reading the meaningful
items
> > on
> > the list has made me confident enough to be proactive (rather than
> > reactive)
> > in my treatment."
> >
> > Can you tell us where you found the information on the Co-Q 10 trial?
> > Thanks,
> > Linda Herman
> I am a brand newbie.  My dad who is 76 has PD.  Lately he has very
> limited success taking Sinemet.  His doctor tried him on Pramipexole
> (Marapax) a couple of weeks ago.  My father's symptoms worsened.  He had
> far less mobility and severe hallucinations among other things.  While
> driving a few weeks ago, I heard the end of a radio program about
> promising new studies with Co-enzyme Q-10 and PD.  Does anyone know
> where I can find information about these studies.  My Dad's current
> medications don't seem to be working well.
>
> Angela
>