From: WebMD
Likely Effective for:
Coenzyme Q-10 deficiency. This is a very rare condition. The symptoms include weakness, fatigue, and seizures.
Inherited or acquired disorders that limit energy production in the cells of the body (mitochondrial disorders). Improvement in symptoms is slow. Some people have to take coenzyme Q-10 for six months to get the most benefit.
Possibly Effective for:
Congestive heart failure (CHF). There is no evidence that taking coenzyme Q-10 alone can help heart failure. But there is some evidence (though controversial) that it might be helpful when taken in combination with other heart failure medications and treatments.
Decreasing the risk of additional heart problems in people who have had a recent heart attack (myocardial infarction, MI). When started within 72 hours of MI and taken for one year, coenzyme Q-10 appears to significantly lower the risk of heart-related events including non-fatal MI.
Huntington’s disease (a rare genetic neurological disorder). Ubiquinol, an altered form of coenzyme Q-10, has been granted “Orphan Drug Status” by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This gives the maker of Ubiquinol some financial incentives to study its effectiveness for Huntington’s, a condition that is so rare (affecting less than 200,000 individuals) that pharmaceutical companies might not otherwise invest in developing a drug for it. However, taking coenzyme Q-10 by mouth in doses of 600 mg per day or less doesn’t seem to be effective for slowing the progression of Huntington’s disease.
Preventing blood vessel complications caused by heart bypass surgery. There is some evidence that taking coenzyme Q-10 by mouth for a week before surgery might help to reduce blood vessel damage. But not all research agrees with this finding.
Lowering high blood pressure. Using coenzyme Q-10 in combination with other medications that lower blood pressure might permit decreasing the dose or discontinuing the use of some high blood pressure medications. Any adjustment to high blood pressure medications should be made by your healthcare provider.
Lowering blood pressure when only “the top number” is too high (isolated systolic hypertension). Taking coenzyme Q-10 by mouth appears to lower systolic blood pressure by about 26% in some people with isolated systolic hypertension after 12 weeks of treatment.
Preventing migraine headache. Taking coenzyme Q-10 by mouth seems to help prevent migraine headaches. Studies show it can decrease the frequency of headaches by about 30% and the number of days with headache-related nausea by about 45% in adults. Taking coenzyme Q-10 also appears to reduce migraine frequency in children who have low levels of coenzyme Q-10. It can take up to 3 months for significant benefit. Unfortunately, coenzyme Q-10 doesn’t seem to be effective in treating migraines, once they have developed.
Parkinson’s disease. Some research shows that taking coenzyme Q-10 supplements might slow decline in people with early Parkinson’s disease. But taking a coenzyme Q-10 supplement in people with mid-stage Parkinson’s disease does not seem to improve symptoms.
Improving the immune system of people with HIV/AIDS.
Muscular dystrophy, an inherited disorder involving muscle wasting. Taking coenzyme Q-10 by mouth seems to improve physical performance in some patients with muscular dystrophy.
