Lyme Disease: A Role for Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation?

Abstract

Lyme disease results from a bacterial infection following a bite from an infected tick. Patients are initially treated with antibiotics; however, in cases where antibiotic treatment is delayed, or when patients do not respond to antibiotic treatment, fatigue may develop alongside problems affecting the nervous system, cardiovascular system, and joints. It is thought that most of the damage to these tissues results from the excessive inflammatory response of the host, involving a self-reinforcing cycle of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation. In this article, we review the potential role of supplementary coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in mediating the pathogenic mechanism underlying Lyme disease, on the basis of its role in mitochondrial function, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions.

Keywords: Lyme disease; coenzyme Q10; fatigue; inflammation; oxidative stress.

Figure 1

The potential targets and consequences of CoQ10 supplementation in Lyme disease. CoQ10: coenzyme Q10; MRC: mitochondrial respiratory chain.