CoQ10 and Macular Degeneration

By Andrea Junge

4 min read

In the first installment of this article series, I discussed why I choose to take the supplement CoQ10 along with my other eye-healthy vitamins and nutrients. CoQ10, also known as Coenzyme Q or ubiquinone, is ‘advertised’ as a supplement that is taken for blood circulation.

Supplements for optimal eye health

As mentioned in part one of this series, I was diagnosed with myopic macular degeneration, or MMD, about 13 years ago. While I was doing research on which supplements I wanted to take for optimal eye health, I ran across CoQ10 and it got me thinking about how those of us with macular degeneration have decreased choroidal and retinal blood flow to our eyes.¹

What is CoQ10?

CoQ10, also known as Coenzyme Q or ubiquinone, is a compound that helps generate energy in all of the cells in our bodies. It helps oxygenate our cells and aids in circulation to keep cells alive and healthy. Our bodies do produce CoQ10 naturally, but levels tend to decrease as we age. This is where the degeneration of cells, including retinal cells, starts to occur. Because of this decrease in amounts of CoQ10 in our bodies, it's important to either eat foods rich in CoQ10 or supplement it in pill form (after discussing it with your doctor first of course).

Foods rich in CoQ10

Organ meats: Heart, liver and kidney.
Some muscle meats: Pork, beef and chicken.
Fatty fish: Trout, herring, mackerel and sardines.
Vegetables: Spinach, cauliflower and broccoli.
Fruit: Oranges and strawberries.
Legumes: Soybeans, lentils and peanuts.

CoQ10 study purpose and results

In 2009, a study was conducted by ivos, investigative ophthalmology and visual science, titled: Coenzyme Q10 in the Human Retina.² The study was conducted to determine the concentration of CoQ10 in the human retina.

It was found that “CoQ10 levels in the retina can decline by approximately 40% with age. This decline may have two consequences: a decrease in antioxidant ability and a decrease in the rate of ATP synthesis in the retina. This decline may be linked to the progression of macular degeneration.”

Antioxidants help protect all our cells

It’s important to remember that antioxidants help protect all of the cells in our bodies from free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to cells and can lead to illness and expedition of the aging process. This isn’t good when dealing with a degenerative disease such as macular degeneration. Some foods that are high in antioxidants are berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries…), spinach, pecans, and even dark chocolate. You read that right, you have my permission to indulge in some dark chocolate covered berries today, yay!

Other things I learned about CoQ10

Other things I learned from this study:

CoQ10 plays an important role in oxidative metabolism and management by supporting the mitochondria in cells. In its reduced form, it acts as a lipid antioxidant. Oxidative metabolism is a chemical process in which oxygen is used to make energy from carbohydrates (sugars).
CoQ10 has the ability to collect oxygen from cells and recycle Vitamin E, making it a more effective lipid (fatty acid) antioxidant than Vitamin E and the carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene. Beta Carotene is the red-orange pigment found in plants and fruits, especially carrots and colorful vegetables like bell peppers that we all eat for eye health.
CoQ10 affects the expression of genes involved in human cell signaling, metabolism, and transport. This is necessary for uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria, a process that must be strictly regulated to avoid the death of our healthy cells.
CoQ10 is found in nearly every tissue of the human body, including the lungs, heart, spleen, liver, kidney, pancreas, adrenal gland, blood, and brain, CoQ10 levels decline with age.
- Because CoQ10 is found everywhere in the body (making it ubiquitous, hence the name ubiquinone) it’s believed to play a role in aging and the pathogenesis of many degenerative or chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
While doing the study, it was found that the retina contains relatively small amounts of CoQ10 despite the retina’s relatively high rate of oxidative metabolism. This suggests that eye function is sensitive to changes in CoQ10 concentrations.

Why isn’t this more well known?

After studying this research in greater depth and evaluating my own supplement choices, I’m really wondering why I’ve never read about the benefits of CoQ10 and macular degeneration. If it wasn't for a hunch, I wouldn't have ever started taking it and I wouldn't be researching it now. Even more so... I'm wondering why my retina specialist (and yours) haven't ever mentioned it. I will be asking mine about it during my next checkup for sure.

I’ve decided that taking CoQ10 is right for me and my eyes. I’m not here to tell anyone which supplements to take, as we all have specific needs and react differently to supplements and nutrients. However, CoQ10 may be something you, yourself, may want to look into more for your personal optimal eye health.

Knowledge is power,

Andrea Junge

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The MacularDegeneration.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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karp Member
Hey Andrea, I've read a couple of your posts here and I just wanted to say I enjoy them a lot, they've been quite informative and I love your outlook in general. I had a question if you don't mind me asking, I hope it's not too personal but I was wondering about something: You've been diagnosed with dry MMD which can lead to major or total central vision loss in 10 years. However, MMD usually has much better outcomes in people first diagnosed at age 40-49, per this study 90% of those diagnosed in that age range had only mildly weaker eyesight (> 20/40) after 10 years: <a href='https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1857055/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1857055/</a>. Similarly, for MMD patients 50-59 60% had only mild changes. In both groups a minority had even moderate vision loss, and very few had major vision loss. Similar studies corroborate the idea that the incidence of major or total central vision loss is infrequent and almost always occurs in patients past 60. I've talked to dozens of optometrists about this and they generally agree that MMD can be very damaging, but unless it turns wet and MCNV occurs it is gradual vision loss that usually only becomes severe past 50-60, and usually total central vision loss occurs only in the late 60s and 70s. With that in mind, since you were diagnosed even younger than 40, I was surprised to read that you expect to lose your central vision by 10 years from your diagnosis date, i.e. in your mid-40s. Of course it's possible for that to happen, but <1% of MMD patients in their 40s experience that so it seemed unusual to me. My question was, did your doctor tell you specifically you would lose most or all of your central vision within 10 years, and is there a particular variant or complication of MMD you suffer from that is causing that loss at such a young age? Is there research you've done or info you've gained from specialists or somewhere that lead you to estimate you'll lose most central vision by ~45 (I believe you said in one post that's about when you expect it)? I'm not second-guessing any of your conclusions if so, obviously you're much more familiar with your case than I am, just wondering why you have that conclusion. The only reason I thought it was prudent to mention it (without attempting to speak as a doctor or anything like that, of course), is that your outlook on the face of it seems better than you say you expect. From the stats, unless there are factors I don't know about which is very possible, the average person in your position (dry MMD, 30s, no other risk factors, healthy lifestyle) is likely to keep almost all of your vision for the next 25 years or so.
1. Andrea Junge Moderator
 Hi, <inline-mention user-id="3137438" username="karp"/> ! Thank you for your kind words and for your information/research. It's important to remember that with me, this was just an early timeline given by one of my few retina specialists...and it was an estimated time to have vision 'normalcy'. Basically, what I have been told to expect is to get more and more scotomas over the years and depending on where/how big they are will determine my ability to see and function. Nobody really knows when our vision may 'go', but I have certainly used that ten year estimate as a way to push myself forward and live my best life. I sure hope you are right in that I may still have many more years of normalcy, but I just got done writing an article about a new scotoma in my left eye. My first visible one in that eye. I've also seen records of my eyes (some even hand drawn by my first - more old school) but very knowledgeable specialist), and in just a few short years that passed between pictures and drawings there was a significant increase in scotomas - nonvisible, and it was frightening to say the least. I'm certainly hoping that my lifestyle changes are helping keep my eyes as healthy as can be for as long as can be. And, I'm hoping this specialist was wrong. I appreciate you. Thanks for the hope today. Wishing you well. -Andrea, <a href='http://MacularDegeneration.net' target='_blank'>MacularDegeneration.net</a> Team Member
susan1 Member
Hi Andrea I enjoy reading your posts. I especially appreciated the part 1 of this post (on supplements) and have CoQ10 on order. I discovered a UK company who produce vegetarian capsules. I'll let you know how I get on!
1. Andrea Junge Moderator
 I'm so happy to hear that you enjoy my articles, <inline-mention user-id="3114477" username="susan1"/> ! I continue to take CoQ10 with my specialist's blessings and am really hoping it's doing some good to my eyes (and my whole body). I think that supplements and nutrition are so important, as they're one of the few things we can do to give our eys a fighting chance. Thank you for your kind words and sending virtual hugs your way! <3 -Andrea, <a href='http://MacularDegeneration.net' target='_blank'>MacularDegeneration.net</a> Team Member
onamission Member
Good information. Andrea, have you researched thiamine and a fat soluble form called Benfotiamine for macular degeneration? It's interesting thiamine requires magnesium to change it to it's active form.
1. Andrea Junge Moderator
 Hi, <inline-mention user-id="3123706" username="onamission"/> ! I have not specifically researched this. But I, too, find it interesting when one nutrient requires another in order to process properly in our bodies. I'll have to check in to this. Thanks for asking! -Andrea, <a href='http://MacularDegeneration.net' target='_blank'>MacularDegeneration.net</a> Team Member

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