Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
12.4
6.6
Journals
Antioxidants
Special Issues
Unveiling the Essential Role of Coenzyme Q in Health
share announcement

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: 30 December 2026 | Viewed by 7188

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Guillermo López Lluch

E-Mail Website
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
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Steen Larsen

E-Mail Website
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

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

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

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

11 pages, 598 KB  
Article
Alterations in the IGF-System and Antioxidant Biomarkers in Young Brazilian Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: An Analysis of Cardiovascular Risk Factors
by Michael Tekle, Diane Meyre Rassi, Eduardo Antonio Donadi, Jacob Grunler, Gustav Dallner, Elisabete Forsberg and Kerstin Brismar
Antioxidants 2025, 14(12), 1514; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14121514 - 17 Dec 2025
Viewed by 875
Abstract
Chronic hyperglycemia inflicts serious cellular damage by inducing oxidative stress through the excessive production of free radicals. This oxidative milieu may impair the cellular redox capacity and disrupt the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications. This study [...] Read more.
Chronic hyperglycemia inflicts serious cellular damage by inducing oxidative stress through the excessive production of free radicals. This oxidative milieu may impair the cellular redox capacity and disrupt the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications. This study aimed to investigate plasma levels of components of the IGF system and antioxidant biomarkers in young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared to age-matched healthy controls in Brazil. This study included 129 patients with T1DM (76 female, 53 male; mean age 26.97 ± 0.6 years) and 95 healthy controls (61 female, 34 male; mean age 27.35 ± 0.68 years). Young Brazilian adults with T1DM had significantly lower mean IGF-I and higher mean IGFBP-1 levels compared to healthy controls. The T1DM group showed a more atherogenic profile, characterized by a significantly elevated ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and increased oxidized LDL levels. However, a subset of patients with significantly better glycemic control exhibited serum IGF-I and IGFBP-1 levels within the normal range observed in controls, which may indicate the presence of residual functional beta-cell activity or reflect better glycemic control in this subgroup. Antioxidant components and oxidative stress biomarkers were significantly upregulated in the T1DM group compared to the control group, suggesting a compensatory adaptive response. No significant correlation was observed between biomarkers of oxidative stress and the IGF-system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unveiling the Essential Role of Coenzyme Q in Health)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

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 1452
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)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

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 1458
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)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

12 pages, 654 KB  
Review
Blood–Brain Barrier and Neuronal Model Systems for Studying CoQ10 Metabolism
by David Mantle, Neve Cufflin, Mollie Dewsbury and Iain Parry Hargreaves
Antioxidants 2026, 15(1), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010041 - 28 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1791
Abstract
The disparity in outcomes between preclinical and clinical studies supplementing coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in neurological disorders may be a reflection of the differences in the ability of supplemental CoQ10 to access the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in rodents and in humans, which is, in [...] Read more.
The disparity in outcomes between preclinical and clinical studies supplementing coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in neurological disorders may be a reflection of the differences in the ability of supplemental CoQ10 to access the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in rodents and in humans, which is, in turn, a consequence of contrasting structures of the BBB. The applicability of in vivo animal models to study access of CoQ10 across the BBB and subsequent neuronal metabolism has, therefore, been questioned, and there is an argument, perhaps surprisingly, that in vitro model systems (particularly 3D cellular systems) may be more appropriate. In this article, we have, therefore, reviewed the role of model systems to study the access of CoQ10 across the BBB, as well as the role of such systems in studying the role of CoQ10 in aspects of neuronal metabolism, such as mitochondrial and lysosomal function. In addition, the use of such model systems to study the interactions of CoQ10 with vitamin E and selenium has been reviewed. Finally, the practical application of a neuronal model system to investigate the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on CoQ10 status and mitochondrial metabolism in a CoQ10 deficiency state has been described. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unveiling the Essential Role of Coenzyme Q in Health)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop