Impact of ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10) treatment on glycaemic control, insulin requirement and well‐being in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus

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Summary: Aim To investigate the effect of ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10) on glycaemic control and insulin requirement in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods We investigated 34 patients with Type 1 DM in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study. Patients received either 100 mg Q10 or placebo daily for 3 months. The insulin doses were adjusted according to patients’ home measurements of blood glucose concentrations and reported experience of hypoglycaemia. Results At randomization no differences existed between the Q10 and the placebo groups in age, body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, daily insulin dose or mean daily blood glucose concentration. Serum Q10 concentration increased in the Q10 group (mean ± sd: 0.9 ± 0.2 vs. 2.0 ± 1.0 μg/ml, P < 0.005), with no change in the placebo group (0.9 ± 0.3 vs. 0.9 ± 0.3 μg/ml, not significant (NS)). Following intervention no differences existed between the Q10 and the placebo groups regarding HbA1c (7.86 ± 0.88 vs. 7.84 ± 0.84%), mean daily blood glucose concentrations (8.06 ± 1.86 vs. 8.53 ± 1.88 m m), mean insulin dose (52.1 ± 13.2 vs. 52.6 ± 21.4 U), hypoglycaemic episodes (2.0 ± 1.8 vs. 2.5 ± 2.1 episodes/week), or cholesterol concentrations (4.81 ± 0.91 vs. 4.78 ± 1.07 m m). Furthermore, no differences existed in the well‐being of the patients reported from a visual analogue scale (physical: 0.67 ± 0.21 vs. 0.71 ± 0.18, psychological: 0.70 ± 0.25 vs. 0.73 ± 0.24). Conclusion Q10 treatment does not improve glycaemic control, nor does it reduce insulin requirement, and it can therefore be taken by patients with Type 1 DM without any obvious risk of hypoglycaemia. No major beneficial or unfavourable effects on the investigated parameters could be demonstrated and no major changes in the sense of well‐being occurred in the patients.Diabet. Med. 16, 312–318 (1999)