Effect of coenzyme Q10 on glycaemic control, oxidative stress and adiponectin in type 2 diabetes

Objective: To assess the effects of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation on glycaemic control, oxidative stress and adiponectin levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods: The randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in the city of Shiraz, Iran, in 2012 and comprised type 2 diabetes subjects recruited from various health facilities. Subjects and controls received 100mg Coenzyme Q10 or placebo twice a day for eight weeks respectively. A variety of measurements were made at baseline and at the end of the intervention. These included measuring markers of glycaemic control (fasting blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin); a marker of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde); and an anti-inflammatory marker (adiponectin). SPSS 15 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 52 patients, 28(54%) were male and 24(46%) were female, with an overall mean age of 51.73±7.34 years. There were 16(62% male and 10(39%) females in the intervention group, and 12(46%) male and 14(54%) female subjects in the control group. Among the cases, Coenzyme Q10 resulted in a significant reduction in malondialdehyde levels (p=0.04). However, the difference within the controls for this factor was not significant (p -0.05). Moreover, fasting blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin and adiponectin levels showed no significant differences within or between the groups (p 0.05 each). Conclusion: Coenzyme supplementation may reduce oxidative stress in type 2 diabetics. However, it may not have any effects on glycaemic control and adiponectin levels.