Coenzyme Q10 and differences in coronary heart disease risk in Asian Indians and Chinese

Indians or South Asians have been found to be particularly susceptible to coronary heart disease (CHD) in many countries. A novel risk factor for CHD may be coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). In this study, plasma CoQ10 (including ubiquinol-10, CoQ10H2, and total CoQ10), various lipid parameters, and antioxidant levels were determined in a random sample of Indians and Chinese from the general population of Singapore. The reduced form of coenzyme Q10, CoQ10H2, and total Q10 concentrations in plasma were significantly lower in Indian males than Chinese males. Although no significant differences were found in plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) between the two ethnic groups, the ratios of ubiquinol and total CoQ10 to triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL were significantly lower in Indian males than Chinese males. There were no significant ethnic differences in other antioxidant levels, including trans-retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and ascorbic acid. The consistently lower values of coenzyme Q10, especially its reduced form, in Indian males may contribute to the higher susceptibility of this ethnic group to coronary heart disease.