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The effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on metabolic status of type 2 diabetic patients

R Kolahdouz Mohammadi, M J Hosseinzadeh-Attar, M R Eshraghian, M Nakhjavani, E Khorami, A Esteghamati
Minerva Gastroenterologica e Dietologica 2013 59(2):231-236

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 23831913
Funding
A specific funding statement was not identified in the accessible publication record checked during this audit.
Competing interests
A specific conflict-of-interest statement was not identified in the accessible publication record checked during this audit.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
ModelRandomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 64 adults with type 2 diabetes comparing daily CoQ10 with placebo.
Sample64 randomized participants with type 2 diabetes.
InterventionCoQ10 200 mg/day versus placebo for 12 weeks.
Duration12 weeks
EndpointsFasting plasma glucose; HbA1c; Total cholesterol; Triglycerides; LDL-C; HDL-C

What the study showed, in plain terms

This 12-week randomized double-blind trial assigned 64 adults with type 2 diabetes to 200 mg/day CoQ10 or placebo. The study focused on glycemic control and the conventional lipid profile.

HbA1c improved in the CoQ10 group: the publication reports a fall from approximately 8.61 ± 2.47% to 8.00 ± 2.28%. Between-group mean changes in total cholesterol and LDL-C were also statistically significant (p=0.027 and p=0.039, respectively).

Fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides and HDL-C did not show significant improvement with CoQ10. The trial therefore supports a possible modest glycemic/lipid signal, but it was small, short and did not assess diabetic complications or cardiovascular outcomes.

Key findings

HbA1c: decreased in the CoQ10 group from approximately 8.61 ± 2.47% to 8.00 ± 2.28%, while no significant placebo effect was reported.

Total cholesterol: between-group mean change differed significantly (p=0.027).

LDL-C: between-group mean change differed significantly (p=0.039).

Fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides and HDL-C: no significant favorable CoQ10 effect was demonstrated in the published abstract.

Clinical scope: all outcomes were metabolic biomarkers; the study was not designed to measure retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, cardiovascular events or mortality.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Small sample size (64 randomized) and only 12 weeks of exposure.

The accessible publication record does not provide enough detail to reconstruct attrition, adherence, adverse events, allocation concealment or the precise finished CoQ10 formulation; these should not be inferred.

The study evaluated surrogate metabolic outcomes rather than patient-important clinical endpoints.

The publication is from 2013 and predates many contemporary diabetes therapies, which limits direct translation to current multi-drug treatment settings.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology