1 The History of Coenzyme Q10 Research

https://www.pharmanord.com/history-coenzyme-Q10-research

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Quality of Life served in a Capsule

When American scientists discovered coenzyme Q10 for the very first time back in 1957, they knew that they were on to something, but they had no idea that their discovery would eventually add a whole new dimension to medical science. What they had found was the key to unleashing hidden energy reserves in the human body – energy that the body uses to stay healthy and optimize all of its functions. They had uncovered the biochemical formula for quality of life and put it into capsules.

Coenzyme Q10 is a natural, vitamin-like compound that all cells need in order to make energy. Nature has designed us humans in such a way that levels of this energy-providing nutrient peak in our twenties and decrease from that point onward. What the discovery of coenzyme Q10 has enabled us to do is to prevent this “energy drop” from taking place. Figuratively speaking, we can keep our batteries fully charged throughout life.

So far, coenzyme Q10 research has yielded a Nobel Prize in biochemistry in 1978, when the British scientist Peter Mitchell mapped out exactly how the nutrient works inside the cell. Most recently, a groundbreaking study that got published in one of the world’s leading cardiology journals showed that when heart failure patients take coenzyme Q10, their mortality rate drops substantially and their heart muscle gets more power.

This review will show you the way past some of the most important milestones of what many scientists consider the largest step forward in the history of medicine.

Coenzyme Q10: The Essential Bio-Nutrient

Over the past 25 – 30 years, researchers in the bio-medical community have built up an extensive knowledge base about the absorption, safety, and health effects of Coenzyme Q10. Coenzyme Q10 is a substance that is both synthesized in the body and absorbed from food sources; however, the body’s synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 peaks in a person’s 20’s and then declines. Moreover, the use of statin medications inhibits the body’s production of Coenzyme Q10. It is very difficult if not impossible to compensate in the diet alone for the Coenzyme Q10 deficits caused by increasing age and statin medications.

The cumulative research results show that Coenzyme Q10, when taken as a dietary supplement or as a medicine, is safe and well-tolerated. It is necessary for the cellular production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules, the basic source of energy in the body. It is necessary as an antioxidant to neutralize harmful free radicals.  It is necessary to protect the smooth functioning of the endothelium, the inner lining of the blood vessels and lymph vessels.

Research results now show that adjuvant treatment with Coenzyme Q10 improves symptoms and survival in patients with chronic heart failure [64,70], reduces the number and severity of complications following heart surgery [39,55], and helps to lower high blood pressure [2,78].

In this history of Coenzyme Q10 research, the following abbreviations are used:

• kg … kilogram

• mg … milligram

• mcg … microgram

• mL … milliliter

• L … liter

Coenzyme Q10: A Substance with Many Names

There are many histories that can be written about the discovery and development of the redox chemical substance that is known by many names:

• Coenzyme Q10

• Ubiquinone = oxidized Coenzyme Q10

• Ubiquinol = reduced Coenzyme Q10

• Q or Q10 or CoQ10

• Ubidecarenone

• Myoqinon

• Bio-Quinone Q10

• 2,3-Dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone

生活質素濃縮於膠囊中

當美國科學家在1957年首次發現輔酶Q10時，他們意識到這是一項重要的發現，但並未料到這一發現最終會為醫學科學帶來全新的維度。他們找到了一種能釋放人體隱藏能量儲備的關鍵——這些能量是人體保持健康並優化各項功能所必需的。他們解開了生命質素的生化密碼，並將其濃縮於膠囊之中。

輔酶Q10是一種天然的、類維生素的化合物，人體每個細胞都需要它來產生能量。大自然設計的人類生命機制讓這種供能營養素的水平在20多歲達到峰值，之後逐漸下降。輔酶Q10的發現讓我們能夠阻止這種“能量衰減”的發生。形象地說，我們可以在整個生命過程中保持電池“滿電”狀態。

迄今為止，輔酶Q10研究催生了一項1978年的諾貝爾化學獎——英國科學家彼得·米切爾詳細繪製了輔酶Q10在細胞內的運作方式。最近，一項發表於全球頂尖心臟病學期刊的突破性研究顯示，當心臟衰竭患者服用輔酶Q10時，其死亡率顯著下降，心肌功能也得到了增強。

這篇回顧文章將引領您穿越輔酶Q10研究歷程中的幾個重要里程碑——許多科學家認為這是醫學史上最偉大的進步之一。

輔酶Q10：不可或缺的生物營養素

在過去的25至30年中，生物醫學界的研究者們建立了有關輔酶Q10吸收、安全性及健康效應的豐富知識基礎。輔酶Q10是人體合成並能從食物中吸收的物質，但人體合成輔酶Q10的能力在20多歲達到峰值後逐漸下降。此外，使用他汀類藥物會抑制輔酶Q10的生成。僅靠飲食幾乎無法彌補因年齡增長及他汀類藥物導致的輔酶Q10缺乏。

累積的研究結果顯示，作為膳食補充劑或藥物服用時，輔酶Q10是安全且耐受性良好的。它在以下方面是必不可少的：

• 細胞內ATP（腺苷三磷酸）分子的生成：ATP是人體能量的基本來源。

• 抗氧化作用：輔酶Q10能中和有害的自由基。

• 保護內皮細胞功能：輔酶Q10有助於維持血管與淋巴管內壁的平滑運作。

研究結果還顯示，輔酶Q10的輔助治療可以改善慢性心臟衰竭患者的症狀並延長其壽命 [64,70]；減少心臟手術後的併發症發生率及嚴重程度 [39,55]；幫助降低高血壓 [2,78]。

輔酶Q10：多種名稱的化學物質

關於這種氧化還原化學物質的發現和發展，可以寫出多種歷史，而它有多個名稱：

• 輔酶Q10

• 泛醌（Ubiquinone）：氧化形式的輔酶Q10

• 泛醇（Ubiquinol）：還原形式的輔酶Q10

• Q 或 Q10 或 CoQ10

• Ubidecarenone

• Myoqinon

• Bio-Quinone Q10

• 2,3-二甲氧基-5-甲基-6-癸烯基-1,4-苯醌（2,3-Dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone）

Illustration of the Coenzyme Q10 molecule showing the quinone head and a part of the long isoprenoid tail - Coenzyme Q10 is found in the mitochondria of all healthy cells in the body except in the red blood cells –  Coenzyme Q10 affects everyone positively, and it has no toxic effects at all

There are many important people, scientists and biomedical researchers and medical doctors, who can and should be emphasized and celebrated in any history of Coenzyme Q10.

Coenzyme Q10 Researchers

In this particular history of Coenzyme Q10 research, we choose to tell Coenzyme Q10’s story with an emphasis on two very important men in the story world-wide and, then, with lesser emphasis on the two men behind the founding and managing of the Danish company Pharma Nord, the producer of the Bio-Quinone Q10 and Myoqinon preparations.

The lives and careers of the two sets of men intersected for many years and were interwoven around a mutual commitment to the development of a well-absorbed nutritional supplement and adjuvant medical therapy drug from the substance Coenzyme Q10.

輔酶Q10分子結構圖解

輔酶Q10分子包含醌基團頭部和長鏈的異戊二烯尾部，廣泛存在於人體內所有健康細胞的線粒體中（紅細胞除外）。
輔酶Q10對每個人都具有正面影響，並且完全無毒。

值得紀念的輔酶Q10研究者

在輔酶Q10的發展歷程中，有許多科學家、生物醫學研究者以及醫生值得我們讚揚和紀念。這些傑出人物對於揭示輔酶Q10的作用機制及其臨床應用，做出了不可磨滅的貢獻。

輔酶Q10研究的核心人物

本篇回顧將聚焦於兩位對輔酶Q10研究有全球性影響的重要人物，他們的研究工作成為輔酶Q10歷史中的關鍵環節。此外，文章也會提到丹麥製藥公司Pharma Nord的兩位創始人，他們專注於開發和生產高吸收率的輔酶Q10營養補充劑和輔助醫療產品（如Bio-Quinone Q10和Myoqinon）。

這兩組人的生活與事業多年來相交互織，他們對於將輔酶Q10轉化為一種高效的營養補充劑和輔助治療藥物充滿共同承諾，並取得了顯著成就。