title: Ubiquinone supplementation and exercise capacity in trained young and older men.
abstract: It has been suggested that ubiquinone improves exercise performance and antioxidant capacity. We studied the effects of ubiquinone supplementation (120 mg.day-1 for 6 weeks) on aerobic capacity and lipid peroxidation during exercise in 11 young (aged 22-38 years) and 8 older (aged 60-74 years), trained men. The cross-over study was double-blind and placebo-controlled. Serum ubiquinone concentration increased after supplementation (P < 0.0001 for treatment) in both age groups. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was measured using a direct incremental ergometer test. In the young subjects, the VO2max after placebo and ubiquinone treatment was 58.5 (95% confidence interval: 53.0-64.0) and 59.0 ml.min-1.kg-1 (52.2-66.8), respectively. The corresponding results in the older subjects were: 37.2 (31.7-42.7) and 33.7 ml.min-1.kg-1 (26.2-41.7) (P < 0.0001 for age group, P > 0.05 for treatment). In a prolonged test (60-min submaximal, then incremental load until exhaustion) time to exhaustion was longer after the placebo [young men: 85.7 (82.4-89.0), older men: 82.9 min (75.8-89.9)] than after ubiquinone [young men: 82.1 (78.5-85.8), older men: 77.2 min (70.1-83.7); P = 0.0003 for treatment]. Neither ubiquinone supplementation nor exercise affected serum malondialdehyde concentration. Oral ubiquinone was ineffective as an ergogenic aid in both the young and older, trained men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laaksonen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fogelholm
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Himberg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laakso
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Salorinne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000332:Aerobiosis; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014451:Ubiquinone; D008315:Malondialdehyde