Nutraceuticals World (NW): How has scientific understanding about aging evolved in recent years?
 
Risa Schulman, PhD, Senior Science and Regulatory Advisor to Kaneka Nutrients: There is a great deal of work being done both at the molecular and clinical levels to understand how the function, or improper function, of the mitochondria affects conditions of aging — both directly and indirectly. This includes many body systems, including cardiovascular, muscular, reproductive, vision, cognitive, and other areas.  It is an exciting area to watch for new developments.
 
NW: What role do mitochondria play in aging?
 
Schulman: Mitochondria stand at an interesting crossroads in the cell in that they are both a primary source of free radicals as well as the means by which they are neutralized. Free radicals are produced as a by-product of the production of cellular energy, mediated by the mitochondria. Ubiquinol is a natural part of that production machinery, and also functions as the perfectly-situated antioxidant to counteract those free radicals and prevent mitochondrial and cellular damage.
 
With age, ubiquinol levels decrease, and the repair mechanisms that pick up the slack become less efficient. Left unchecked, this leads to an increasing accumulation of long-term free radical damage. Because mitochondria also regulate the “clean-up and recycling” of faulty mitochondria and cells, as well as inflammatory genes, breakdowns in these processes further compromise function. Current research is showing that this very breakdown is at the heart of many conditions of aging.^1,2
 
NW: How can people improve mitochondrial function through supplementation?
 
Schulman: While we cannot measure the amount of ubiquinol in the mitochondria, research has shown that supplementation with Kaneka Ubiquinol^® increases the levels of ubiquinol in the blood and is associated with improvements in bodily functions that are directly related to mitochondrial activity. For example, older subjects with higher blood ubiquinol levels showed greater muscle strength³ and greater physical activity compared to subjects with lower levels.⁴ New research is also showing that ubiquinol and CoQ10 help mediate other vital functions in the mitochondria, including inflammatory gene expression, fission and fusion, and apoptosis.^1,5
 
NW: What advice would you give supplement brands in terms of crafting and validating health benefit claims?
 
Schulman: In today’s climate, it is more important than ever to carefully evaluate the research used to substantiate and formulate claims language. Using randomized, well controlled clinical studies with properly selected population groups, clearly designed protocols, interventions and outcome measures, scientifically sound statistical methods, and reliable study execution has always been a first level of analysis.
 
The next level includes critical scrutiny of the published data based on the full publication rather than relying on the abstract alone or conclusory statements of the authors. The proposed health benefit claims should parallel the details of the study, including the outcome measures and product (or ingredient) used in the study, which should match the product being marketed, both in form and study dosage, evaluated against the suggested intake level in product labeling.
 
Lastly and unfortunately, in this day and age, it is necessary to add another level of scrutiny: that of vetting whether the journal in which the study is published is reliable and whether the reliability of the study has been questioned or the paper retracted. Be on the alert for paper retractions or authors with prior retractions or unanswered inquiries, as well as inconsistencies or implausibilities in study design and reported results which may suggest fraud.

References