Unveiling the Essential Role of Coenzyme Q in Health

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 March 2026 | Viewed by 2701

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Andalusian Centre of Developmental Biology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
Interests: aging; metabolism; antioxidants; calorie restriction; physical activity; exercise; neurodegeneration; muscle; liver; immunology
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Guest Editor
1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Clinical Research Centre, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: exercise training; mitochondria; skeletal muscle; humans
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coenzyme Q (CoQ), also known as ubiquinone, is a vital lipid-soluble molecule that plays a central role in mitochondrial bioenergetics and cellular redox homeostasis. Beyond its classical function in the electron transport chain, CoQ is increasingly recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell signaling properties that influence diverse physiological and pathological processes.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the multifaceted roles of Coenzyme Q in health and disease. We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and communications addressing the molecular mechanisms, clinical applications, and potential therapeutic implications of CoQ. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:

  1. New advances in CoQ biosynthesis;
  2. Use of precursors to increase coenzyme Q biosynthesis;
  3. Primary and secondary deficiencies;
  4. Different clinical aspects of CoQ;
  5. CoQ in cognitive deficiency and persistent COVID-19;
  6. CoQ in cardiovascular disease and hearth failure;
  7. Bioavailability of coenzyme Q10;
  8. Sport, physical activity, and CoQ;
  9. CoQ in healthy aging;
  10. How to start CoQ10 supplementation in a patient?

Through this Special Issue, we seek to provide an updated and integrative understanding of how Coenzyme Q contributes to maintaining human health and combating disease progression.

Dr. Guillermo López Lluch
Dr. Steen Larsen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • coenzyme Q10
  • CoQ biosynthesis
  • ROS
  • cognitive deficiency
  • cardiovascular disease

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3392 KB  
Article
CoQ10-Supported HIIT Modulates Skeletal Muscle and Hippocampal Biomarkers in Rats: A Randomized, Repeated-Measures, Post-Test Controlled Design
by Büşra Yılmaz, Ömer Şenel, Ayşen Çalıkuşu, Elif Gülçiçek Abbasoğlu, Yavuz Yasul, Elvan Anadol, Fatih Sarısoy, Kerem Atalar, Meltem Bahçelioğlu and Canan Yılmaz
Antioxidants 2025, 14(11), 1360; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14111360 - 14 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 680
Abstract
This study examined how coenzyme Q10-supported high-intensity interval training (HIIT) influences plasma lactate threshold, skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, circulating irisin and corticosterone, and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in rats. Forty-eight male Sprague Dawley rats (8 [...] Read more.
This study examined how coenzyme Q10-supported high-intensity interval training (HIIT) influences plasma lactate threshold, skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, circulating irisin and corticosterone, and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in rats. Forty-eight male Sprague Dawley rats (8 weeks old; 250.4 ± 11.2 g) were randomized into four groups: control (C), coenzyme Q10 (Supp), HIIT, and HIIT with coenzyme Q10 (HIITsupp). HIIT was performed five days per week on a treadmill following a four-stage familiarization. Coenzyme Q10 (5 mg/kg/day) was given by gavage 30 min before HIIT during weeks II–IV. Plasma lactate threshold, corticosterone, irisin, and citrate synthase (CS) activity were measured by ELISA, while hippocampal BDNF and GFAP were analyzed by both ELISA and immunohistochemistry. The HIITsupp group showed greater muscle mass, CS activity, plasma irisin, and hippocampal BDNF, along with lower GFAP and lactate threshold than the C, Supp, and HIIT groups. The Supp group had the lowest corticosterone, while the HIIT group maintained the highest lactate threshold before supplementation. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated distinct clustering, with the C group closely associated with GFAP and corticosterone, whereas the HIITsupp group aligned with oxidative and neurotrophic markers. Coenzyme Q10-supported HIIT improved muscle oxidative capacity, lowered lactate, and modulated corticosterone, GFAP, and hippocampal BDNF, indicating integrated metabolic and neurobiological adaptations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unveiling the Essential Role of Coenzyme Q in Health)
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13 pages, 4338 KB  
Article
A Nanoformulation of Ubiquinol and Selenium Promotes Proliferation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
by Filomain Nguemo, Hai Zhang, Annette Koester, Susan Rohani, Sureshkumar Perumal Srinivasan and Jürgen Hescheler
Antioxidants 2025, 14(9), 1100; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14091100 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 987
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold immense promise for regenerative medicine. However, a critical barrier to the clinical application of hiPSCs is the difficulty in promoting robust cell proliferation while preserving their pluripotent state. Efficient hiPSC expansion without loss of pluripotency is [...] Read more.
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold immense promise for regenerative medicine. However, a critical barrier to the clinical application of hiPSCs is the difficulty in promoting robust cell proliferation while preserving their pluripotent state. Efficient hiPSC expansion without loss of pluripotency is crucial for generating high quality cells or therapeutic applications, disease modeling, and drug discovery. In our study, we investigated the effects of QuinoMit Q10® fluid (QMF-Se), a nanoformulated supplement containing Ubiquinol (the active form of Coenzyme Q10) and Selenium, on hiPSC growth and maintenance in vitro. Interesting, QMF-Se supplementation significantly enhances hiPSC proliferation compared to control cultures. This increase in cell number was accompanied by heightened mitochondrial activity, suggesting improved cellular energy metabolism. Importantly, the expression of core pluripotency markers OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 remained unaltered, confirming that the stem cells retained their undifferentiated status. Moreover, we observed that QMF-Se treatment conferred protective effects during the freeze–thaw process, reducing cell death and supporting post-thaw recovery. These results indicate that QMF-Se may improve both cell culture efficiency and cryopreservation outcomes. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of QMF-Se as a valuable additive for hiPSC culture systems, contributing to more efficient and reliable expansion protocols in regenerative medicine research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unveiling the Essential Role of Coenzyme Q in Health)
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