COENZYME-Q(10) WITH MULTIPLE VITAMINS IS GENERALLY INEFFECTIVE IN TREATMENT OF MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE

We followed 16 patients with a variety of mitochondrial diseases over one to four periods of treatment (2 months each) with coenzyme Q10 plu s vitamins K3 and C, riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin, using independe nt measures of oxidative metabolism to assess efficacy. There were lar ge (>threefold) increases in serum coenzyme Q10 concentrations with tr eatment, but no measure of oxidative metabolism showed significant imp rovement with treatment for the group, nor did any individual patient show significant, reproducible, objective clinical improvement. The re sults suggest that coenzyme Q10 plus vitamin therapy does not signific antly improve mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in patients with mito chondrial disease in general. Any clinical benefit that may follow fro m short-term administration appears slight.