Evidence supporting the use of: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
For the health condition: Apathy
Synopsis
Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has some scientific evidence suggesting a potential benefit in treating apathy, especially in specific clinical contexts such as Parkinson’s disease. Apathy is a common neuropsychiatric symptom characterized by a lack of motivation, and is frequently observed in neurodegenerative disorders. CoQ10 is a mitochondrial cofactor with antioxidant properties, and mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and their associated symptoms, including apathy.
One notable study is a randomized controlled trial published in 2014, which investigated the effects of high-dose CoQ10 in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The study found that CoQ10 supplementation was associated with improved scores on the Apathy Scale compared to placebo. The proposed mechanism is linked to CoQ10’s role in enhancing mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress, which may influence neuronal circuits involved in motivation and reward. However, the evidence is limited to specific populations—primarily those with neurodegenerative diseases—and is not robustly supported in the general population or for primary psychiatric apathy.
Overall, while there is some scientific basis for the use of CoQ10 in reducing apathy in neurodegenerative conditions, the strength and generalizability of the evidence are limited. More large-scale, well-designed studies are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings and to establish standardized dosing and patient selection criteria.
Other health conditions supported by coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Aging (prevention)Alzheimer's Disease
Angina
Apathy
Arrhythmia
Arteriosclerosis
Athletic and Exercise Aids
Cancer Treatment (reducing side effects)
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiovascular Disease
Chemotherapy (reducing side effects)
Circulation (poor)
Congestive Heart Failure
Depression
Diabetes
Endurance (lack of)
Energy (lack of)
Exercise
Fatigue
Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Free Radical Damage
Heart (weakness)
Heart Fibrillation or Palpitations
Hypertension
Memory and Brain Function
Migraine
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscle Tone (lack of)
Muscular Dystrophy
Nerve Damage
Oral Surgery
Parkinson's Disease
Peripheral Neuropathy
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Tinnitus
Products containing coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Pure Encapsulations
Athletic Nutrients
Douglas Laboratories
Citrus-Q10 ™
Douglas Laboratories
Co-Enzyme Q10 Softgel
Douglas Laboratories
Coenzyme Q-10 with Lipoic Acid
Douglas Laboratories
Coenzyme Q-10 with Lipoic Acid
Integrative Therapeutics
CoQ10
Integrative Therapeutics
COQ10 100 mg Tropical
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 120 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 120 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 120 mg
Integrative Therapeutics
COQ10 200 mg Chocolate 30 chew tabs
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 250 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 30 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 500 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 60 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 60 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 60 mg
Pure Encapsulations
CoQ10 l-Carnitine Fumarate
Thorne
CoQ10 Q-Best 100
Metagenics
CoQ10 ST®-100 mg
Metagenics
CoQ10 ST-100 mg
Metagenics
CoQ10 ST-200 mg
Integrative Therapeutics
Detoxication Factors
Integrative Therapeutics
Detoxication Factors
Pure Encapsulations
Energize Plus™ Pure Pack
Pure Encapsulations
Hair/Skin/Nails Ultra
Thorne
Heart Health Complex Q-10 Plus
Integrative Therapeutics
K-PAX MitoNutrients
Vitabase
Life's Essentials Plus
Designs For Health
Mito-NR™
Pure Encapsulations
Mitochondria-ATP
Designs For Health
Mitochondrial NRG™
Pure Encapsulations
NeuroMood Pure Pack
Metagenics
NutraGems® CoQ10 300
Pure Encapsulations
O.N.E.™ Multivitamin
Pure Encapsulations
O.N.E.™ Multivitamin
Pure Encapsulations
O.N.E.™ Multivitamin
Thorne
Omega-3 w/ CoQ10
Thorne
Ovarian Care
Integrative Therapeutics
ProThrivers Wellness Flav Complex
Pure Encapsulations
PureGenomics® UltraMultivitamin
Designs For Health
Q-Evail® 100
Designs For Health
Q-Evail® 200
Pure Encapsulations
Q-Gel® (Hydrosoluble™ CoQ10) 100 mg
Thorne
Red Yeast Rice + CoQ10 Choleast
Pure Encapsulations
Renual
Pure Encapsulations
RevitalAge™ Nerve
Pure Encapsulations
RevitalAge™ Ultra
Designs For Health
RYR Synergy™
Pure Encapsulations
SR-CoQ10 with PQQ
Vitabase
Super Fat Burner
Pure Encapsulations
Ubiquinol-QH 100 mg
Pure Encapsulations
Ubiquinol-QH 200 mg
Pure Encapsulations
Ubiquinol VESIsorb®
Integrative Therapeutics
UBQH 100 mg
Douglas Laboratories
Ultra Preventive 50+ -EZ Swallow
Douglas Laboratories
Ultra Preventive One Daily
Pure Encapsulations
Ultra Pure Pack
Pure Encapsulations
UltraDetox 10-Day Pure Pack
Pure Encapsulations
UltraNutrient®
Pure Encapsulations
UltraNutrient®
Pure Encapsulations
UltraNutrient®
Metagenics
Wellness Essentials Brain Health Daily Packs