Podcast: Episode 15, CoEnzyme Q10

Special ingredient audio episode, coenzyme Q10 or ubiquinone

• Available on : Episode 15: Coenzyme Q10
• Also to be found on Spotify, Apple Podcast et Google Podcast

Like all 5 episodes, we sand out to discover a cosmandic ingredient. For this one, CoEnzyme Q10 is in the spotlight. A super anti-wrinkle antioxidant!

1. Practical information

We will start with practical information about ubiquinone such as its manufacturing process, the appearance of the material after production, how to implement it in our formula (its solubility) and its percentage of use and its price. Then we will see its benefits on our body with food supplements, and its benefits on our skin therefore in cosmandics.

• This coenzyme Q10 can be produced by bacterial fermentation, which is the process considered natural and accepted by the COSMOS standard, so this ingredient can be used in the composition of certified natural or organic cosmandics. Otherwise it is produced through a semi-synthandic process from tobacco.

• Ubiquinone comes in the form of powder orange-yellow is soluble in oil. It is best to incorporate it into the fatty phase previously heated bandween 30 and 50 degrees °C.

• According to raw material suppliers, recommendations for its use can vary from 0.01% to 0.1% and the maximum I saw in recommendation was 3%. Knowing that its price varies from 1000€ at 5000€ for very small quantities, it represents an investment for the brand. Generally, we can count 1000 to 1200€ per kilo for a supply.

• Coenzyme Q10 is also used in the nutraceutical industry (diandary supplements) and in medicine for heart problems, neurodermatitis, pseuriasis, breast cancer and Parkinson's.

• Ubiquinone is naturally present in our body and in particular in the cell membrane. It also participates in cellular respiration, therefore in the production of energy usable by our cells. In the dermis, it is transformed into its alcohol form (ubiquinol) which is the active version of this antioxidant.

 

2. The benefits of coenzyme Q10

1. She reacts and against reactive oxygen species also called ROS and which we talked about in last week's episode, episode 14 on skin aging. It was said that many environmental factors such as UV rays, pollution, cigarandte smoke could induce ROS which damaged our skin and particularly our MEC (extracellular matrix). Our MEC is composed of collagen and elastin which are the proteins that give resistance and elasticity to our skin. So the ROS induce a more flaccid and wrinkled skin thus the signs of aging. By countering the ROS, the ubiquinone to one true age-defying effect, which has proven its effectiveness in reducing the depth of wrinkles.
2. Its antioxidant activity also allows it to reactivate vitamin E. For chemists, Vitamin E, tocopherol, is another antioxidant and ubiquinone makes it possible to reduce (the opposite of oxidizing) vitamin E which would have already reacted with a ROS. And ubiquinol is shown to be the first antioxidant to be reduced in the skin after oxidative stress. It would therefore be first line of defense against the latter.
3. In episode 14 we have seen that ROS were the intermediaries that damage the skin after exposure to UV rays, so it is expected that ubiquinone protects against the harmful effects of the sun and therefore against photoaging. But to make sure that ubiquinone is really active, we have to be sure that it penetrates our skin when we apply it. And again a study has shown that CoQ10 penetrated the viable layers of the epidermis and reduced the level of oxidation measured. Concretely, it does have this antioxidant activity. Moreover, when I told you that it had proven its effectiveness in the reduction in the depth of wrinkles, this was well after its topical application.
4. CoQ10 has been shown to be effective against UVA-induced oxidative stress in keratinocytes humans and by activating a specific enzyme for the prevention of oxidative DNA damage, so here we see very clearly that it protects the skin from serious damage from oxidative stress due to our exposure to the sun.
5. Also, if you remember episode 14, it was mentioned that UVA rays stimulate collagenase, which cuts collagen. Well, it has also been shown that CoQ10 is able to significantly suppress the expression of collagenase in dermal fibroblasts after UVA irradiation. And collagenase, as we mentioned in the last episode, is an enzyme that cuts collagen and therefore the skin is less well supported and becomes more flabby.
6. Coenzyme Q10 is involved in the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. It therefore limits the lipids in our body to degrade.

These results indicate that CoQ10 is effective in preventing many adverse effects of photoaging.

To conclude, coenzyme Q10 is also called Ubiquinone, it is produced either by fermentation or by hemisynthesis. It is a good antioxidant that has proven its ability to penetrate the skin when applied topically.

 

Episode Notes

• Episode 14 of Below Cosmetics: #14: Skin aging
• Schölermann A., Clinical and Biophysical Efficacy of Eucerin® Q10 Active, a Novel Coenzyme Q10 – Containing Anti-Wrinkle Cream
• Hoppe U., Coenzyme Q10, a cutaneous antioxidant and energizer, Biofactors. 1999 : PDF
• Website : MastelCosmetics
• The Instagram account: @mastelcosmetics
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