antioxidant · for headaches/migraines
CoQ10
Helps brain cells make energy more efficiently, which appears to matter in migraine.
Say that in clinical terms
CoQ10 improves mitochondrial energy production in neurons, reduces oxidative stress, and inhibits CGRP release. Brain energy deficiency and oxidative stress are key pathogenic factors in migraine.
How strong is the research?
2 papers read, 2 supporting.
Tested as: CoQ10 (Ubiquinone)
Who was studied: Adults averaging 4.4 migraine attacks a month, at a single Swiss centre.
How much to take
daily with meals
100–300 mg
Ubiquinol form is better absorbed. Take with a fat-containing meal. Allow 4-12 weeks for migraine prevention effects.
Before you take it
- No established NIH ODS Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for CoQ10; clinical studies have administered doses up to 1,200 mg/day without serious adverse events.
- Warfarin interaction: CoQ10 shares structural similarity with vitamin K2 and may reduce warfarin anticoagulant efficacy; INR should be monitored when initiating or stopping CoQ10 in patients on warfarin.
- Antihypertensive drugs: additive blood-pressure-lowering effect is possible; blood pressure should be monitored when CoQ10 is used concurrently with antihypertensive medication.
- Statins inhibit the mevalonate pathway and deplete endogenous CoQ10 synthesis; supplementation is commonly considered in statin-treated patients, but CoQ10 does not alter statin pharmacokinetics.
- GI effects (nausea, loose stools, epigastric discomfort) reported in some patients at doses above 200 mg/day; dividing the total daily dose reduces incidence.
- Asymptomatic LDH and hepatic transaminase elevations have been reported in some studies at doses above 300 mg/day; clinical significance is unclear.
- Pregnancy and lactation: safety not established; avoid without medical supervision.
When to take it
Best taken: with food
What we make of it
Our identifier is one digit off the real trial.
The detail
The identifier we stored points to the right journal but the wrong article. A near-identical one, differing by a single digit, resolves to the CoQ10 migraine trial we mean.