Ubiquinone Supplementation with 300 mg on Glycemic Control and Antioxidant Status in Athletes: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the glycemic profile, oxidative stress, and antioxidant capacity in athletes after 12 weeks of ubiquinone supplementation. It was a double-blinded, randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled study. Thirty-one well-trained college athletes were randomly assigned to ubiquinone (300 mg/d, n = 17) or placebo group (n = 14). The glycemic profile [fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI)], plasma and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and ubiquinone status were measured. After supplementation, the plasma ubiquinone concentration was significantly increased (p < 0.05) and the level of erythrocyte MDA was significantly lower in the ubiquinone group than in the placebo group (p < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between white blood cell (WBC) ubiquinone and glycemic parameters [HbA1c, r = -0.46, p < 0.05; HOMA-IR, r = -0.67, p < 0.01; QUICKI, r = 0.67, p < 0.01]. In addition, athletes with higher WBC ubiquinone level (≥0.5 nmol/g) showed higher erythrocyte TAC and QUICKI and lower HOMA-IR. In conclusion, we demonstrated that athletes may show a better antioxidant capacity with higher ubiquinone status after 12 weeks of supplementation, which may further improve glycemic control.

Keywords: antioxidant; athletes; glycaemia; sport nutrition; ubiquinone supplementation.

Figure 1

Flow diagram.

Figure 2

Plasma ubiquinone, oxidative stress, total antioxidant capacity, and glycemic parameters stratified by WBC ubiquinone after supplementation ** p < 0.01. HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance; MDA, malondialdehyde; QUICKI, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index; TAC, total antioxidant capacity; TC, total cholesterol; WBC, white blood cell.