The study was conducted by researchers associated with several institutions in Iran. The research was published by the Journal of Nutritional Science.
Low CoQ10 levels observed in critically ill patients
CoQ10, or Coenzyme Q10, is present in all tissues of the body and is an essential component of electron transfer in mitochondria. It is also known for its antioxidant properties. Low levels of CoQ10 interfere with mitochondrial function, which in turn leads to exacerbation of oxidative stress and cellular damage. A 2013 study found a decrease in serum levels of CoQ10 in critically ill patients.
The Iranian researchers postulated that ameliorating that decline in CoQ10 could improve outcomes for patients treated for severe trauma. Their target subject group was patients with low levels of CoQ10 (defined as <2⋅5 μg/ml) who were admitted to the ICU units at Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The patients were admitted for various types of trauma, but a unifying factor was that all of them were expected to need mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours. Patients with kidney disease, or those who were using statins, immunosuppressant drugs, or who had already been taking CoQ10 or other antioxidant supplements were eliminated.
Study done over two years with 40 patients
The research team recruited 40 patients for the study in 2018 and 2019. The groups were divided in treatment and placebo groups. The treatment group received 400 mg/day of CoQ10 via sublingual administration for at least seven days.
To test whether the CoQ10 supplementation was improving outcomes for the trauma patients the researchers measured blood parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations. They also noted differences in the length of time spend on ventilators and measured changes in fat free mass (FFM) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM).