Ubiquinol-10/lipids ratios in consecutive patients with different angiographic findings

The ratio of oxidized and reduced forms of selected antioxidants as a possible marker of oxidative stress in humans

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between reactive oxygen species exposure and the ability of organisms to detoxify the reactive intermediates and to repair the oxidative damage of biologically important molecules. Many clinical studies of oxidative stress unfortunately provide conflicting and contradictory results. The ability of antioxidant systems to adequately respond to oxidative stress can be used in laboratory diagnostics. In the present review, methods using the ratio of reduced and oxidized forms of uric acid, ascorbic acid, glutathione and coenzyme Q10 as suitable indicators of oxidative stress are discussed. From the mentioned publications it is evident that suitable sample preparation prior to analysis is crucial.

Comparison study of plasma coenzyme Q10 levels in healthy subjects supplemented with ubiquinol versus ubiquinone

The bioavailability of the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) was compared to oxidized coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) with identical soft gel capsule excipients by measuring steady state plasma coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 ) levels in 12 healthy volunteers. After baseline levels of ubiquinol, ubiquinone, total CoQ10 , α-tocopherol, and total cholesterol were obtained, follow-up lab work was performed after 4 weeks of 200 mg/day of ubiquinone, after 4 weeks washout, and after 4 weeks of 200 mg/day of ubiquinol. Plasma total CoQ10 increased from 0.9 to 2.5 µg/mL (P < 0.001) after 4 weeks of ubiquinone and increased from 0.9 to 4.3 µg/mL (P < 0.001) after 4 weeks of ubiquinol. Total CoQ10 /cholesterol ratio increased from 0.2 to 0.7 µmol/mmol after 4 weeks of ubiquinone and increased from 0.2 to 1.2 µmol/mmol after 4 weeks of ubiquinol. Both the increase in plasma CoQ10 and the increase in CoQ10 /cholesterol ratio were significantly better after ubiquinol (P < 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively) than after ubiquinone indicating superior bioavailability. Plasma ubiquinol/total CoQ10 ratio increased from baseline during ubiquinol supplementation (P < 0.005) and remained unchanged after ubiquinone supplementation. No side effects were noted in this study.