Effects of the Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme q10 on metabolomic profiles in elderly men and women.

BACKGROUND: Characterization of the variations in the metabolomic profiles of elderly people is a necessary step to understand changes associated with aging. This study assessed whether diets with different fat quality and supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) affect the metabolomic profile in urine analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy from elderly people. METHODS: Ten participants received, in a cross-over design, four isocaloric diets for 4-week periods each: Mediterranean diet supplemented with CoQ (Med + CoQ diet); Mediterranean diet; Western diet rich in saturated fat diet; low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet enriched in n-3 polyunsaturated fat. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed differences between diets when comparing Med + CoQ diet and saturated fat diet, with greater hippurate urine levels after Med + CoQ diet and higher phenylacetylglycine levels after saturated fat diet in women. Following consumption of Med + CoQ, hippurate excretion was positively correlated with CoQ and ß-carotene plasma levels and inversely related to Nrf2, thioredoxin, superoxide dismutase 1, and gp91(phox) subunit of NADPH oxidase gene expression. After saturated fat diet consumption, phenylacetylglycine excretion was inversely related to CoQ plasma level and positively correlated with isoprostanes urinary level. CONCLUSIONS: The association between hippurate excretion and antioxidant biomarkers along with the relationship between phenylacetylglycine excretion and oxidant biomarkers suggests that the long-term consumption of a Med + CoQ diet could be beneficial for healthy aging and a promising challenge in the prevention of processes related to chronic oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease.

Postprandial antioxidant gene expression is modified by Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q(10) in elderly men and women.

Postprandial oxidative stress is characterized by an increased susceptibility of the organism towards oxidative damage after consumption of a meal rich in lipids and/or carbohydrates. We have investigated whether the quality of dietary fat alters postprandial gene expression and protein levels involved in oxidative stress and whether the supplementation with coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ) improves this situation in an elderly population. Twenty participants were randomized to receive three isocaloric diets each for 4 weeks: Mediterranean diet supplemented with CoQ (Med + CoQ diet), Mediterranean diet (Med diet), saturated fatty acid-rich diet (SFA diet). After 12-h fast, volunteers consumed a breakfast with a fat composition similar to that consumed in each of the diets. Nrf2, p22(phox) and p47(phox), superoxide dismutase 1 and 2 (SOD1 and SOD2), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1), thiorredoxin reductase (TrxR) gene expression and Kelch-like ECH associating protein 1 (Keap-1) and citoplasmic and nuclear Nrf2 protein levels were determined. Med and Med + CoQ diets induced lower Nrf2, p22(phox), p47(phox), SOD1, SOD2 and TrxR gene expression and higher cytoplasmic Nrf2 and Keap-1 protein levels compared to the SFA diet. Moreover, Med + CoQ diet produced lower postprandial Nrf2 gene expression and lower nuclear Nrf2 protein levels compared to the other diets and lower GPx1 gene expression than the SFA diet. Our results support the antioxidant effect of a Med diet and that exogenous CoQ supplementation has a protective effects against free radical overgeneration through the lowering of postprandial oxidative stress modifying the postprandial antioxidant protein levels and reducing the postprandial expression of antioxidant genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 induces postprandial changes in p53 in response to oxidative DNA damage in elderly subjects.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) is a powerful antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress. We explored whether the quality of dietary fat alters postprandial oxidative DNA damage and whether supplementation with CoQ improves antioxidant capacity by modifying the activation/stabilization of p53 in elderly subjects. In this crossover study, 20 subjects were randomly assigned to receive three isocaloric diets during 4 weeks each: (1) Mediterranean diet (Med diet), (2) Mediterranean diet supplemented with CoQ (Med+CoQ diet), and (3) saturated fatty acid-rich diet (SFA diet). Levels of mRNAs were determined for p53, p21, p53R2, and mdm2. Protein levels of p53, phosphorylated p53 (Ser20), and monoubiquitinated p53 were also measured, both in cytoplasm and nucleus. The extent of DNA damage was measured as plasma 8-OHdG. SFA diet displayed higher postprandial 8-OHdG concentrations, p53 mRNA and monoubiquitinated p53, and lower postprandial Mdm2 mRNA levels compared with Med and Med+CoQ diets (p < 0.05). Moreover, Med+CoQ diet induced a postprandial decrease of cytoplasmatic p53, nuclear p-p53 (Ser20), and nuclear and cytoplasmatic monoubiquitinated p53 protein (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Med+CoQ diet improves oxidative DNA damage in elderly subjects and reduces processes of cellular oxidation. Our results suggest a starting point for the prevention of oxidative processes associated with aging.

Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 modifies the expression of proinflammatory and endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes in elderly men and women.

We have investigated whether the quality of dietary fat and supplementation with coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ) modifies expression of genes related with inflammatory response and endoplasmic reticulum stress in elderly persons. Twenty participants received three diets for 4 weeks each: Mediterranean diet + CoQ (Med + CoQ), Mediterranean diet (Med), and saturated fatty acid-rich diet (SFA). After 12-hour fast, volunteers consumed a breakfast with a fat composition similar to that consumed in each of the diets. Med and Med + CoQ diets produced a lower fasting calreticulin, IL-1b, and JNK-1 gene expression; a lower postprandial p65, IKK-b, MMP-9, IL-1b, JNK-1, sXBP-1, and BiP/Grp78 gene expression; and a higher postprandial IkB-a gene expression compared with the SFA diet. Med + CoQ diet produced a lower postprandial decrease p65 and IKK-b gene expression compared with the other diets. Our results support the anti-inflammatory effect of Med diet and that exogenous CoQ supplementation in synergy with a Med diet modulates the inflammatory response and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Postprandial antioxidant effect of the Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 in elderly men and women.

Postprandial oxidative stress is characterized by an increased susceptibility of the organism towards oxidative damage after consumption of a meal rich in lipids and/or carbohydrates. We have investigated whether the quality of dietary fat alters postprandial cellular oxidative stress and whether the supplementation with coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ) lowers postprandial oxidative stress in an elderly population. In this randomized crossover study, 20 participants were assigned to receive three isocaloric diets for periods of 4 week each: (1) Mediterranean diet supplemented with CoQ (Med+CoQ diet), (2) Mediterranean diet (Med diet), and (3) saturated fatty acid-rich diet (SFA diet). After a 12-h fast, the volunteers consumed a breakfast with a fat composition similar to that consumed in each of the diets. CoQ, lipid peroxides (LPO), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), protein carbonyl (PC), total nitrite, nitrotyrosine plasma levels, catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and ischemic reactive hyperaemia (IRH) were determined. Med diet produced a lower postprandial GPx activity and a lower decrease in total nitrite level compared to the SFA diet. Med and Med+CoQ diets induced a higher postprandial increase in IRH and a lower postprandial LPO, oxLDL, and nitrotyrosine plasma levels than the SFA diet. Moreover, the Med+CoQ diet produced a lower postprandial decrease in total nitrite and a greater decrease in PC levels compared to the other two diets and lower SOD, CAT, and GPx activities than the SFA diet.In conclusion, Med diet reduces postprandial oxidative stress by reducing processes of cellular oxidation and increases the action of the antioxidant system in elderly persons and the administration of CoQ further improves this redox balance.