Micronutrient special issue: Coenzyme Q10 requirements for DNA damage prevention

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential component for electron transport in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and serves as cofactor in several biological processes. The reduced form of CoQ10 (ubiquinol, Q10H2) is an effective antioxidant in biological membranes. During the last years, particular interest has been grown on molecular effects of CoQ10 supplementation on mechanisms related to DNA damage prevention. This review describes recent advances in our understanding about the impact of CoQ10 on genomic stability in cells, animals and humans. With regard to several in vitro and in vivo studies, CoQ10 provides protective effects on several markers of oxidative DNA damage and genomic stability. In comparison to the number of studies reporting preventive effects of CoQ10 on oxidative stress biomarkers, CoQ10 intervention studies in humans with a direct focus on markers of DNA damage are limited. Thus, more well-designed studies in healthy and disease populations with long-term follow up results are needed to substantiate the reported beneficial effects of CoQ10 on prevention of DNA damage.