Coenzyme Q10 supplementation: Efficacy, safety, and formulation challenges

Abstract

World population growth and aging are posing unprecedented challenges in sus-taining the health of 9.1 billion people that will be occupying the planet by 2050.Although noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerativediseases, cancer, and diabetes are among the top 10 global causes of death, they canbe prevented by risk factor reduction, early detection, and adequate treatment. Sincea healthy diet along with dietary supplementation could play an important role toreduce morbidity and cut off its associated health care costs, research in the food andnutrition area is required to find solutions to global challenges affecting health. As a result of the healthy living trend, dietary supplements category is growing fast,leading to an urgent need for dietitians, physicians, and policy makers to broaden thescientific evidence on the efficacy and safety of a wide range of active ingredients.Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), as the third most consumed dietary supplement, and as apotential candidate for the treatment of various noncommunicable diseases that areamong the global top 10 causes of death, has gained interest over years. Scientificevidence regarding mainly CoQ10 efficacy and safety, as well as formulationchallenges, is addressed in this review.