Coenzyme Q10 and Sports Nutrition: Research Status and Prospects

As a fat-soluble substance widely present in the body's cells, Coenzyme Q10 plays a crucial role in energy metabolism and the antioxidant system. This article reviews the physiological functions of Coenzyme Q10, systematically sorts out the research progress in the field of sports nutrition, including its effects on the improvement of exercise capacity, post-exercise body recovery, and exercise-related oxidative stress. At the same time, it analyzes the controversies and deficiencies existing in current research, and prospects its application prospects in sports nutrition, aiming to provide references for the rational application of Coenzyme Q10 in sports nutrition practice.

Keywords: Coenzyme Q10; Sports Nutrition; Exercise Capacity; Antioxidation; Body Recovery

1. Introduction

During exercise, the body's energy consumption increases sharply, and the rate of oxidative metabolism accelerates. This not only leads to increased fatigue but also produces a large number of reactive oxygen free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells and further affect exercise performance and body recovery. Therefore, improving energy supply during exercise and reducing oxidative stress through nutritional intervention has become an important direction in sports nutrition research. Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, has attracted increasing attention for its biological functions since its discovery in the 1950s. It is not only an important coenzyme involved in ATP synthesis in the mitochondrial respiratory chain but also a key endogenous antioxidant in the body. In recent years, with the in-depth research on sports nutrition, the application value of Coenzyme Q10 in sports scenarios has been widely discussed, and many studies have focused on whether it can improve exercise capacity and promote post-exercise recovery.

2. Physiological Functions of Coenzyme Q10

2.1 Participation in Energy Metabolism

The core physiological function of Coenzyme Q10 is to participate in the energy synthesis process in mitochondria. In the cellular respiratory chain, Coenzyme Q10 acts as a key electron carrier in the electron transport chain. Through the conversion of its redox state, it assists in the transmembrane transport of protons and provides an energy gradient for ATP synthesis. The content of Coenzyme Q10 is relatively high in energy-intensive tissues such as the human myocardium and skeletal muscle, which matches the high energy demand of these tissues. Studies have shown that when the body has sufficient levels of Coenzyme Q10, the efficiency of mitochondrial energy conversion is improved, providing a more stable energy supply for cellular activities.

2.2 Antioxidant Effect

The reduced form of Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) has strong antioxidant activity and can reduce oxidative damage to cells caused by oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals. On the one hand, it can directly react with reactive oxygen species to block the chain reaction of free radicals; on the other hand, it can cooperate with other antioxidants such as vitamin E to regenerate the reduced form of vitamin E, thereby enhancing the function of the body's overall antioxidant system. In addition, Coenzyme Q10 can also protect the integrity of cell membranes, reduce the production of lipid peroxidation products, and is of great significance for maintaining the normal structure and function of cells.

2.3 Regulation of Cellular Functions

In addition to its roles in energy metabolism and antioxidation, Coenzyme Q10 can stabilize the cell membrane potential, affect the activity of ion channels, and thereby regulate cell excitability. Furthermore, Coenzyme Q10 can promote the proliferation and activity of immune cells, enhancing the body's immune defense capability. At the same time, some studies have pointed out that Coenzyme Q10 may be involved in the regulation of inflammatory responses, reducing the level of inflammatory factors to alleviate chronic inflammatory states.

3. The Relationship Between Coenzyme Q10 and Exercise Capacity

3.1 Impact on Aerobic Exercise Capacity

Aerobic exercise mainly relies on aerobic metabolism for energy supply and depends on the efficient energy conversion of mitochondria. As a key component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, the level of Coenzyme Q10 may directly affect aerobic exercise capacity. Multiple studies on athletes have shown that supplementation with Coenzyme Q10 can increase the body's maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max), which is an important indicator for evaluating aerobic exercise capacity. For example, in an intervention experiment on middle- and long-distance runners, after supplementing with 100mg of Coenzyme Q10 per day for 4 weeks, the subjects' maximum oxygen uptake was significantly higher than that of the control group, and the time to reach fatigue during exercise was prolonged.

3.2 Impact on Anaerobic Exercise Capacity

Anaerobic exercise is characterized by high intensity and short duration, mainly relying on anaerobic glycolysis of glycogen for energy supply. Although it does not take the mitochondrial respiratory chain as the core for energy supply, the antioxidant properties of Coenzyme Q10 may indirectly affect anaerobic exercise performance. Studies have found that the rapid energy supply of the body during anaerobic exercise is accompanied by the production of a large number of free radicals, leading to oxidative damage to muscle cells. However, supplementation with Coenzyme Q10 can reduce the accumulation of free radicals in muscles after exercise and minimize the temporary decline in muscle contraction function. In a study on sprinters, after supplementing with Coenzyme Q10, the subjects' blood lactic acid peak was delayed, and the clearance rate of blood lactic acid after exercise was accelerated. This indicates that the body's tolerance to anaerobic metabolites and metabolic capacity are improved, which may further enhance the performance of anaerobic exercises such as sprinting. However, there are relatively few studies on Coenzyme Q10 and anaerobic exercise capacity at present, and its specific effect still needs to be verified by more experiments.

4. The Role of Coenzyme Q10 in Post-Exercise Recovery

4.1 Promotion of Muscle Injury Repair

High-intensity or eccentric exercise can easily cause minor damage to skeletal muscle fibers, manifested as muscle soreness and decreased muscle strength. Coenzyme Q10 contributes to the repair of muscle damage through its dual effects of antioxidation and anti-inflammation. It can not only scavenge free radicals generated during exercise and reduce the damage of free radicals to muscle cell membranes and muscle fibers but also lower the level of inflammatory factors after exercise and alleviate local inflammatory responses, thereby relieving muscle soreness symptoms. A study on people engaged in resistance training showed that after supplementing with 200mg of Coenzyme Q10 per day for 8 weeks, the subjects' muscle soreness scores after eccentric exercise were significantly lower than those of the control group, and the recovery rate of muscle strength 48 hours after exercise was faster. This suggests that Coenzyme Q10 may accelerate the recovery of muscle function by reducing exercise-induced oxidative damage and inflammatory responses in muscles.

4.2 Improvement of Post-Exercise Fatigue

Post-exercise fatigue is related to factors such as energy depletion, accumulation of metabolites, and inhibition of the central nervous system. Coenzyme Q10 can alleviate post-exercise fatigue by improving energy metabolism and regulating neurotransmitter levels. From the perspective of energy metabolism, supplementation with Coenzyme Q10 can promote the synthesis of liver glycogen and muscle glycogen after exercise, quickly restoring the body's energy reserves; from the perspective of neural regulation, it may affect the balance of neurotransmitters related to fatigue in the central nervous system, reducing central fatigue. Clinical observations have found that after supplementing with Coenzyme Q10, the subjective fatigue score of athletes decreases, and the physical recovery speed on the day after exercise is accelerated, allowing them to enter the next training session more quickly. This is of positive significance for maintaining long-term training intensity.

5. Application Status of Coenzyme Q10 in Sports Nutrition

Coenzyme Q10 has been widely used as a common sports nutrition supplement among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Most Coenzyme Q10 supplements on the market are in the form of capsules or tablets, with a common dosage of 50-200mg per day. Some products targeting high-intensity sports populations have a dosage of up to 300mg per day. It is used for nutritional supplementation in daily training to improve exercise capacity and reduce training injuries. In addition to being used alone, Coenzyme Q10 is often used in combination with other nutrients (such as vitamin E, creatine, amino acids, etc.). Studies have shown that the combination of Coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E can enhance the antioxidant effect, and the combination with creatine can synergistically increase muscle energy reserves. Such compound formula supplements are increasingly used in the field of sports nutrition.

6. Limitations of Coenzyme Q10 in Sports Nutrition

At present, the optimal supplementary dosage of Coenzyme Q10 for different types of exercise and different exercise intensities has not been clarified. Some studies believe that low doses (≤100mg/day) have limited effects on high-level athletes, while the safety of high doses (≥200mg/day) still needs long-term verification. In addition, there are differences in the absorption and metabolism of Coenzyme Q10 among populations with different genotypes, which may also lead to individual differences in the effect of supplements. Finally, most of the current studies are short-term interventions (≤8 weeks), and there are few studies on the cumulative effects and potential risks of long-term (≥6 months) supplementation of Coenzyme Q10 in sports populations, so the safety and effectiveness of its long-term application cannot be clearly determined.

7. Conclusion

As an important substance involved in energy metabolism and antioxidation, Coenzyme Q10 has positive application value in the field of sports nutrition. Existing studies have shown that supplementation with Coenzyme Q10 may improve aerobic exercise capacity by optimizing mitochondrial energy supply, and promote post-exercise muscle injury repair and fatigue relief through antioxidation and anti-inflammatory effects. This effect is more significant especially in populations engaged in long-term high-intensity training or middle-aged and elderly sports populations. However, there are still controversies in current studies on Coenzyme Q10, such as unclear supplementary dosage and large individual differences, which require further targeted research. In general, Coenzyme Q10 has a good application prospect in sports nutrition. With more in-depth research and practice in the future, it is expected to play a more important role in improving sports performance and ensuring the health of sports populations.

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