A specialized formula containing ubiquinone, a precursor to CoQ10, was linked to improvements in the performance of trained, middle-aged cyclists in a clinical trial recently published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
 
The supplement, branded as MitoQ, is a unique formula containing ubiquinone moiety which is targeted to mitochondria through the addition of a lipophilic tiphenylphosphonium cation, which is believed to offer targeted antioxidant activity in skeletal muscle at a cellular level to reduce exercise fatigue.
 
“High levels of ROS [reactive oxygen species] production in cells may overwhelm the endogenous antioxidant defense network resulting in damage to cellular proteins, lipids, and DNA and impaired cellular function,” the authors of the study wrote. “Chronic oxidative stress is deleterious to muscle function and has been associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, while regular exercise is known to promote a wide range of health benefits, it also results in an acute increase in ROS levels systemically and in skeletal muscle.”
 
In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, 19 middle-aged, recreationally-trained male cyclists completed a 45-minute cycling time trail at 70% VO2peak, followed by an 8 km time trial at baseline, followed by which they supplemented with MitoQ for 28 days. During the study period, the cyclists were all instructed to maintain their typical diet, and replicated after baseline for the performance trial via food diary records. Following the supplementation period, the same performance assessments took place, along with measurements of plasma F2-isoprostanes, a marker of oxidative stress, at rest.
 
At the end of the study period, the authors concluded that a four-week supplementation period with MitoQ was able to attenuate exercise-induced increases in lipid peroxidation, which is a cause of oxidative stress, and improve time trial performance in middle-aged, recreationally trained men, who, following supplementation, saw a 1.3% improvement in time trial performance. “It appears that MitoQ may improve performance above the aerobic threshold by allowing for increased use of anaerobic metabolism, or by improving tolerance to lower pH in muscle,” they concluded.