CoQ10 May Enhance Vitamin E's Anti-inflammatory Effects 40562

CoQ10 May Enhance Vitamin E's Anti-inflammatory Effects

SAN ANTONIO, Texas--Scientists explored the effects of a high-fat,high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet on vascular responses in baboons and the potentialresponse-attenuating effects of vitamin E and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)supplementation. The researchers used a longitudinal design by subjecting 21baboons to sequential dietary challenges. After a three-month maintenance on abaseline diet (low in fat and cholesterol), the baboons were fed the HFHC dietfor seven weeks.

Subsequent supplementation of the HFHC diet with the antioxidant vitamin E(250, 500 or 1000 IU/kg) for two weeks reduced serum C-reactive protein (CRP)concentrations. Additional supplementation with CoQ10 (2 g/kg diet) furtherreduced serum CRP to approximately 30 percent of baseline.

The researchers concluded dietary supplementation with vitamin E alonereduces baseline inflammatory status indicated by CRP concentration in healthyadult baboons; however, cosupplementation with CoQ10 significantly enhances thisanti-inflammatory effect of vitamin E.

The study was published in the September issue of The American Journal ofClinical Nutrition (80, 3:649-55, 2004) (www.ajcn.org).