Prolonged intake of coenzyme Q10 impairs cognitive functions in mice.

Full Abstract

Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) is widely consumed as a dietary supplement to enhance bioenergetic capacity and to ameliorate the debilitative effects of the aging process or certain pathological conditions. Our main purpose in this study was to determine whether CoQ(10) intake does indeed attenuate the age-associated losses in motor, sensory, and cognitive functions or decrease the rate of mortality in mice. Mice were fed a control nonpurified diet or that diet containing 0.68 mg/g (low dosage) or 2.6 mg/g (high dosage) CoQ(10), starting at 4 mo of age, and were tested for sensory, motor, and cognitive function at 7, 15, and 25 mo of age. Amounts of the ubiquinols CoQ(9)H(2) and CoQ(10)H(2) measured in a parallel study were augmented in the cerebral cortex but not in any other region of the brain. Intake of the low-CoQ(10) diet did not affect age-associated decrements in muscle strength, balance, coordinated running, or learning/memory, whereas intake at the higher amount increased spontaneous activity, worsened the age-related losses in acuity to auditory and shock stimuli, and impaired the spatial learning/memory of old mice. The CoQ(10) diets did not affect survivorship of mice through 25 mo of age. Our results suggest that prolonged intake of CoQ(10) in low amounts has no discernable impact on cognitive and motor functions whereas intake at higher amounts exacerbates cognitive and sensory impairments encountered in old mice. These findings do not support the notion that CoQ(10) is a fitness-enhancing or an "antiaging" substance under normal physiological conditions.

Author information

Author/s: Sumien, Nathalie (N); Heinrich, Kevin R (KR); Shetty, Ritu A (RA); Sohal, Rajindar S (RS); Forster, Michael J (MJ);

Affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Institute for Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA.

Grants: R01 AG17526 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: The Journal of nutrition (J Nutr), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 139 (issue 10) : pp 1926-32

Dates: Created 2009/09/21; Completed 2009/10/06;

PMID: 19710165, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/6/2009, IMS Date: )

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