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8B - There Is a Role for Pre-conceptional Treatment with CoQ10

Against

from Section II - IVF Add-ons

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2021

Roy Homburg
Affiliation:
Homerton University Hospital, London
Adam H. Balen
Affiliation:
Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine
Robert F. Casper
Affiliation:
Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto
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Summary

Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), transported in the blood by lipoproteins, is an essential component of the inner mitochondrial membrane and is responsible for electron transport in the mitochondrial respiratory chain for oxidative phosphorylation to generate the energy substrate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and acts as an anti-oxidant within the oocyte. Observational studies suggest that the follicular fluid concentration of CoQ10 diminishes with age (1), and low CoQ10 antioxidant status may indeed correlate with oocyte aneuploidy (2). Consequently it would appear there is a sound rationale for the use of CoQ10 during infertility treatment, perhaps for women with perceived ‘poor oocyte quality’. Furthermore the scientific rationale is supported by several animal studies which demonstrate a beneficial effect of CoQ10 supplementation on embryonic development. However, before all clinicians are encouraged to prescribe Coq10 as the eternal elixir of reproductive youth, evidence for a benefit of supplementation in the IVF clinical setting is required.

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Chapter
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

Ben-Meir, A, Yahalomi, S, Moshe, B, Shufaro, Y, Reubinoff, B, Saada, A. Coenzyme Q-dependent mitochondrial respiratory chain activity in granulosa cells is reduced with aging. Fertil Steril. 2015;104(3):724–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bentov, Y, Hannam, T, Jurisicova, A, Esfandiari, N, Casper, RF. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation and oocyte aneuploidy in women undergoing IVF-ICSI treatment. Clin Med Insights Reproduct Health. 2014;8:31–6.Google ScholarPubMed
Xu, Y, Nisenblat, V, Lu, C, et al. Pretreatment with coenzyme Q10 improves ovarian response and embryo quality in low-prognosis young women with decreased ovarian reserve: a randomized controlled trial. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018;16(1):29.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Norman, RJ, Alvino, H, Hull, LM, et al. Human growth hormone for poor responders: a randomized placebo-controlled trial provides no evidence for improved live birth rate. Reprod Biomed. Online. 2019.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gat, I, Blanco Mejia, S, Balakier, H, Librach, CL, Claessens, A, Ryan, EA. The use of coenzyme Q10 and DHEA during IUI and IVF cycles in patients with decreased ovarian reserve. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2016;32(7):534–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

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