Some CoQ10 Supplement Labels Misleading: Report

[Murray Charters <mcharters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some CoQ10 Supplement Labels Misleading: Report
Tue January 13, 2004 02:43 PM ET
By Merritt McKinney

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who purchase the antioxidant supplement 
coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may not be getting what
they pay for, according to a report released Tuesday by ConsumerLab.com.

In a review of 32 CoQ10 products on the market, several supplements did not 
contain the claimed amount of the
micronutrient. They contained either too much, too little or none at all.

"Anyone using CoQ10 in managing a disease needs to be aware that with the wrong 
brands they may be getting anywhere
from zero to 175 percent of the dose they are trying to take," said ConsumerLab 
president Dr. Tod Cooperman, "And this
can affect their health."

Unfortunately, "There is no way to tell by looking at a product whether it 
contains what it claims," Cooperman told
Reuters Health.

A list of CoQ10 supplements that met the group's standards is available at 


CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone, is a fatty substance found in cell membranes. 
This substance is involved in
transporting electrons during the cellular respiration process, which is how 
cells get their energy from oxygen.

The micronutrient is an antioxidant, meaning it can counteract the effects of 
byproducts of the oxidation process.

Although CoQ10 is produced in the body, there is preliminary evidence that it 
may be helpful to people with Parkinson's
disease. Some people with other health conditions, including congestive heart 
failure and AIDS, also take the
supplement.

In the U.S., CoQ10 is classified as a dietary supplement rather than a drug, so 
it is not regulated by the Food and
Drug Administration.

In November 2000, ConsumerLab.com found that one product contained only 17 
percent of the CoQ10 claimed on its label.
Following up on this discovery, the group reviewed 32 CoQ10 products.

Most supplements met ConsumerLab.com's standards, but one product did not 
contain any detectable CoQ10. Another product
contained only 71 percent of the amount listed on its label, while another 
product contained 75 percent more than its
claimed amount.

ConsumerLab.com is a privately held company based in White Plains, New York. 
According to the company, it is neither
owned by nor has a financial interest in any companies that make, distribute or 
sell consumer products.

SOURCE: Reuters Health, United States


Reference:

Product Review: Coenzyme Q10 ?
SUMMARY FOR NON-SUBSCRIBERS
Initial Posting: 1/13/04


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