How CoQ10 Supports Our Telomeres And Healthy Aging
CoQ10 or coenzyme Q10 is a natural antioxidant molecule which may support healthy aging through interactions with our telomeres. Many antioxidants are linked with aging and telomere length but CoQ10 seems to stand out as having a highly significant effect within the body.
Current research has heavily linked CoQ10 with telomere health. Telomeres are looped structures which form at the ends of our chromosomes. Our telomeres protect vulnerable areas of DNA at the ends of our chromosomal DNA.
Research shows that when our telomeres degrade the likelihood of cell survival drops massively. This is because of an increased vulnerability of our coding DNA to oxidative stress damage and complete genetic loss. For this reason telomere length is a marker of aging within the body.
Oxidative stress is a leading cause of telomere degradation and cellular aging. Antioxidants such as CoQ10 are able to prevent oxidative damage and stress. This includes oxidative stress to our telomeres from environmental toxins or other stressors. Antioxidants help to preserve telomere length and therefore protect coding DNA which may otherwise be lost.
CoQ10 therefore may have an important purpose in protecting our chromosomal ends and preventing accelerated aging. Telomere length issues are also linked with cancers, cardiovascular issues and age related degenerative diseases.
In this article the research with CoQ10 on the health of our telomeres will be considered to show how this antioxidant could influence healthy aging within the body.
CoQ10 And Aging
CoQ10 plays an important part in supporting various process within the body. Our brain and muscles use large amounts of CoQ10. Some food sources of CoQ10 include oil fish, spinach, cabbage and nuts.
CoQ10 is a fat soluble molecule which is mainly found in our energy producing mitochondria as an important part of sustained energy production. There are high levels of CoQ10 in the heart. This molecule can be also used as a free antioxidant in our cells. Antioxidants prevent accumulated damage to really important parts of our bodies such as DNA and so play an essential role in supporting our overall wellbeing.
Studies have shown that CoQ10 penetrates skin cell layers and offers UV protection as a functional antioxidant. This means that CoQ10 may have an active role in preventing accelerated photoaging via functions such as the prevention of oxidative DNA damage. Other studies have found that CoQ10 may protect genetic stability and could also prevent DNA damage. This is also thought to be due to the antioxidant characteristics of CoQ10.
Systemic oxidative stress and inflammation reduction is something which is thought to become especially important for protecting our wellness as we get older. As we age our levels of oxidative stress rise on average. If anything this emphasises the importance of maintaining high levels of antioxidants throughout our lives.
Studies on people who live to be in excess of 100 years old or centenarians confirm this and that our levels of CoQ10 tend to dip. Maintaining healthy CoQ10 levels could be an important aging factor as evidence by this group of centenarians. These individuals had lower levels of systemic oxidative damage and variations in a sphingolipid signalling activator for CoQ10 production.
CoQ10 And Length Of Telomeres
Links have only recently been made between CoQ10 levels and length of telomeres. There are many studies though which have found a positive connection between the two.
Much of this activity most likely centres around the function of CoQ10 as an antioxidant within cells. As a fat soluble antioxidant most of this activity likely occurs within or around cell membranes.
Current research suggests that cell survival rates drop massively as our telomeres begin to degrade. Telomeres are also able remodel themselves using telomerases but exposed coding DNA is a massive risk for genetic oxidative stress damage and complete genetic loss.
This is why telomere shortening is linked with low cell survival and why telomere length is a marker of aging within the body. Oxidative stress is a leading cause of genetic damage and telomere shortening. Antioxidants such as CoQ10 may prevent oxidative damage to telomeres and preserve their length. CoQ10 could therefore support healthy cellular aging by protecting telomeres.
Evidence from clinical studies support this. Studies assessing supplements containing both CoQ10 and selenium have associated these nutrients with increases in telomere length. This is in addition to CoQ10 and selenium supplement associated improvements in quality of life, mortality risk and inflammation levels.
Results from other studies suggest that CoQ10 has independent telomere length preserving properties in relation to antioxidant effects. Some of these studies have looked at CoQ10 effects on astronaut telomeres in space. MitoQ is a modified CoQ10 form which has been shown to directly prevent telomere shortening and increase cell lifespan. There is certainly a lot of direct evidence to support a role for CoQ10 in supporting the healthy length of our telomeres.
CoQ10 Influences On Telomere Length Via Energy Production
CoQ10 plays a very important role in supporting healthy mitochondrial energy production as well as antioxidant cleansing of mitochondrial oxidative stresses which may also occur. Mitochondrial dysfunction promotes oxidative stress through instability in mitochondrial energy production. Oxidative stresses may also cause mitochondrial dysfunctions too.
DNA damage or telomere shortening could therefore occur through mitochondrial produced oxidative stresses. Because of this mitochondrial dysfunction is linked with various diseases in addition to accelerated aging. Oxidative stress plays a massive role in aging.
A non clinical study confirmed the possibility that mitochondrial energy production instability could lead to telomere length reduction via reductions in oxidative stress. They showed that induced mitochondrial dysfunction is reversed by CoQ10 which also then led to an increase in telomere length preservation to more usual levels. Telomere length was up to 50% reduced before CoQ10 was introduced. Through protecting telomere health CoQ10 could support healthy aging.
Other studies also support this by showing that CoQ10 has protective effects on both mitochondrial dysfunctions and aging. These other studies also show that CoQ10 reduces oxidative stress and improves mitochondrial energy production complex activity to support these effects on our wellbeing. Research shows that in many cases mitochondrial oxidative stress levels increase as we age. This increases the risk of telomere length reductions as we age and further accelerated aging.
The cells of our heart tissue are very prone to oxidative stresses. Other research shows that CoQ10 could preserve telomere lengths and support the health of our heart via healthy aging of heart cells. This could prevent some cells from becoming exhausted in some cases. CoQ10 may therefore reduce risk of mortality from cardiovascular causes.
Overall the research supports suggestions that higher levels of antioxidant CoQ10 may have a lengthening effect on our telomeres which may in turn support healthy aging.
Summary
CoQ10 may support healthy aging through interactions with our telomeres. Coenzyme Q10 is a fat soluble antioxidant which plays important roles in energy production and oxidative stress cleansing. The highest levels of CoQ10 are in our mitochondria.
Our telomeres are looped structures at the ends of our chromosomes which prevent damage to vulnerable genetic material. Shortened telomeres result in accelerated cell aging and are a currently accepted indicator of aging. The main reason for telomere shortening is oxidative stress. Antioxidants like CoQ10 may play an important role in sustaining telomere length.
Research confirms antioxidant properties of CoQ10 could reduce rate of telomere shortening and cellular aging. This is in addition to possible preventative effects on photoaging through skin cell DNA damage. CoQ10 could also support genetic stability.
Maintaining healthy CoQ10 levels could be an important aging factor as evidence by a group of centenarians. Various clinical studies support the use of both selenium and CoQ10 to support telomere length. A selenium and CoQ10 supplement may reduce mortality risk. Other studies suggest that CoQ10 could support telomere length as an independent nutrient and so may also improve cell lifespan.
Seeing as CoQ10 supports mitochondrial energy production this may be another means as to how CoQ10 influences telomere length. One study found that mitochondrial dysfunctions were led to a 50% reduction in telomere length and this was largely to do with associated increases in mitochondrial oxidative stress.
CoQ10 may play an important role in preserving the lifespan of important cells within the heart and so CoQ10 could also influence risks of mortality from cardiovascular causes.
Overall research supports suggestions that higher levels of CoQ10 could preserve telomere length which may in turn support healthy aging.
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