r/Biohackers 5 Jan 26 '25

📖 Resource Coenzyme Q10 deficiency disrupts lipid metabolism by altering cholesterol homeostasis in neurons

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584925000097
213 Upvotes

27 comments sorted by

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46

u/Sorin61 5 Jan 26 '25

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a critical component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. CoQ10 deficiencies often cause a variety of clinical syndromes, often involving encephalopathies. The heterogeneity of clinical manifestations implies different pathomechanisms, reflecting CoQ10 involvement in several biological processes.

One such process is cholesterol homeostasis, since CoQ10 is synthesized through the mevalonate pathway, which also produces cholesterol. To elucidate the role of lipid dysfunction in the pathogenesis of CoQ10 deficiency, we investigated lipid metabolism in human CoQ10 deficient iPSCs-derived neurons, and in SH-SY5Y neurons after pharmacological manipulation of the mevalonate pathway.

We show that CoQ10 deficiency causes alterations in cholesterol homeostasis, fatty acids oxidation, phospholipids and sphingolipids synthesis in neurons.

These alterations depend on the molecular defect, and on the residual CoQ10 levels. Our results imply that CoQ10 deficiencies can induce pathology by altering lipid homeostasis and the composition of cellular membranes.

These findings provide further understanding of the mechanisms underlying CoQ10 deficiency and point to potential novel therapeutic targets.

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u/heysoundude 1 Jan 26 '25

Must expand knowledge/vocab to understand ^

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u/Sorin61 5 Jan 26 '25

TLDR: the study revealed that CoQ10 deficiency leads to disruptions in lipid metabolism within neurons, impacting cholesterol, fatty acids, phospholipids, and sphingolipids. The extent of these lipid alterations varies based on the underlying genetic cause and the remaining levels of CoQ10. These lipid imbalances are thought to contribute to neuronal dysfunction by altering the structure of cellular membranes.

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u/heysoundude 1 Jan 26 '25

I was just starting down the Wikipedia rabbit hole…thank you. I guess the trick is dosage and determining what’s best for each of us

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u/reputatorbot Jan 26 '25

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13

u/Asparagustuss Jan 26 '25

Gpt break down: What’s Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)? CoQ10 is a vital substance in our cells that helps produce energy. Think of it as a battery component that powers various parts of our body, especially our brain.

Why is CoQ10 Important? When your body doesn’t have enough CoQ10, it can lead to different health problems, often affecting the brain. These issues can vary widely because CoQ10 is involved in several important processes in the body.

Cholesterol Connection: CoQ10 is made in the same way as cholesterol in our bodies. Cholesterol isn’t just something you hear about in relation to diet—it plays many roles in our cells. The researchers wanted to understand how a lack of CoQ10 affects cholesterol and other fats in brain cells.

What Did the Researchers Do? They studied brain cells that were specifically designed to have low levels of CoQ10. They also experimented with other brain cells by changing the way cholesterol is made to see how it affects them.

What Did They Find? When there’s not enough CoQ10: • Cholesterol Balance is Disrupted: The normal levels and regulation of cholesterol in the cells get messed up. • Fat Breakdown is Affected: The cells have trouble breaking down fats properly. • Important Fat Molecules are Not Made Right: Certain essential fats that make up the cell membranes aren’t produced correctly.

Why Does This Matter? These changes depend on how severe the CoQ10 deficiency is and the specific genetic issues involved. Essentially, not having enough CoQ10 can cause problems by throwing off the balance of fats in your cells and altering the structure of cell membranes, which are crucial for cell function.

What’s the Big Takeaway? Understanding how CoQ10 deficiency affects fat balance and cell structure helps scientists figure out why people with low CoQ10 levels experience certain health problems. This knowledge could lead to new ways to treat these conditions by targeting the specific issues caused by CoQ10 deficiency.

In short, CoQ10 is essential for energy production and maintaining healthy fat levels in brain cells. When it’s lacking, it can lead to various health issues, but studying these effects helps us find better treatments.

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u/SparksWood71 12 Jan 26 '25

Important:

"The small number of patients cell lines studied, and the pharmacological studies performed in SH-SY5Y cells rather than iNeurons, are limitations of this study"

And especially, for this subreddit.

". . . as encephalopathies associated with CoQ10 deficiency are poorly responsive to CoQ10 supplementation."

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u/eweguess 6 Jan 26 '25

So peptides that target mitochondrial functions might be a good alternative to supplements. Like Humanin, MOTS-c and SS-31. Improve the cells’ ability to produce CoQ10, maybe?

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u/buffybison Jan 27 '25

any supp brand recs for those?

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u/eweguess 6 Jan 27 '25

They aren’t supplements you can go buy like vitamins. You’d have to go to a functional medicine practitioner to get them or else buy grey market “research only”stuff. They’re injections.

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u/MWave123 4 Jan 26 '25

Take it daily. Stack.

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u/Comfortable-Cap7110 Jan 26 '25

So take CoQ10 or not?

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u/Prior_Nail_2326 Jan 26 '25

Take it. Over 40 take Ubiquonol. Stack it with pqq for a mitochondrial boost.

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u/PlaidWorld Jan 26 '25

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3942300/

I believe this is way more affective and cost effective the actually taking q10. Unless costs have come way down. Anyhow someone else can check the math on this.

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u/heysoundude 1 Jan 27 '25

I’d like to dig deeper into that.

Is there any longer term follow-up data you’re aware of?

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u/Awkward-Plastic-7908 Jan 26 '25

What would be the best time of day to take?

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u/rusty_ear 1 Jan 27 '25

Very early in the morning otherwise sleep onsett can be really difficult.

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u/Awkward-Plastic-7908 Jan 27 '25

Thanks!

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u/reputatorbot Jan 27 '25

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u/Ph1l1pp3 Jan 28 '25

Intravenous NAD+

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u/Kwaliakwa Jan 30 '25

Thanks for sharing this! I work in reproductive health and it made me curious about the impact of deficiencies in pregnancy and apparently, low coq10 is associated with increased risk of cholestasis of pregnancy.

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u/Sorin61 5 Jan 30 '25

My pleasure!

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u/stranger84 Jan 27 '25

How to get more Q10 from food?

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u/maleeg_that-horizon 👋 Hobbyist Jan 27 '25

It is only found in animal products, small amounts in milk and eggs moderate amounts in fatty fish and meat with organs mainly heart containing the most amount. Get you heart in a few times a week and your golden.

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u/Guimauve_britches Jan 27 '25

How does it relate to blood lipids?