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• Mancini, A
• Festa, R
• Raimondo, S
• Pontecorvi, A
• Littarru, G
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• Mancini, A
• Festa, R
• Raimondo, S
• Pontecorvi, A
• Littarru, G
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• Mancini, A
• Festa, R
• Raimondo, S
• Pontecorvi, A
• Littarru, G

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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2011, 12(12), 9216-9225; doi:10.3390/ijms12129216

Review

Hormonal Influence on Coenzyme Q₁₀ Levels in Blood Plasma

Antonio Mancini ^1,* , Roberto Festa ², Sebastiano Raimondo ¹, Alfredo Pontecorvi ¹ and Gian Paolo Littarru ³

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Gemelli, 1-00168 Rome, Italy ² Department of Molecular and Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Tronto 10, A-60020, Ancona, Italy ³ Department of Biology, Biochemistry and Genetics, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Ranieri, Montedago, 60128, Ancona, Italy

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 1 November 2011; in revised form: 19 November 2011 / Accepted: 29 November 2011 / Published: 9 December 2011

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular System Bioenergetics 2011)

Download PDF Full-Text [364 KB, uploaded 9 December 2011 09:59 CET]

Abstract: Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀), also known as ubiquinone for its presence in all body cells, is an essential part of the cell energy-producing system. However, it is also a powerful lipophilic antioxidant protecting lipoproteins and cell membranes. Due to these two actions, CoQ₁₀ is commonly used in clinical practice in chronic heart failure, male infertility, and neurodegenerative disease. However, it is also taken as an anti-aging substance by healthy people aiming for long-term neuroprotection and by sportsmen to improve endurance. Many hormones are known to be involved in body energy regulation, in terms of production, consumption and dissipation, and their influence on CoQ₁₀ body content or blood values may represent an important pathophysiological mechanism. We summarize the main findings of the literature about the link between hormonal systems and circulating CoQ₁₀ levels. In particular the role of thyroid hormones, directly involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, is discussed. There is also a link with gonadal and adrenal hormones, partially due to the common biosynthetic pathway with CoQ₁₀, but also to the increased oxidative stress found in hypogonadism and hypoadrenalism.

Keywords: coenzyme Q₁₀; thyroid; oxidative stress; antioxidants; pituitary

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