Associations between dietary coenzyme Q10 intake and lipid profiles in adults: a national cross-sectional study

This study aimed to determine the average intake of CoQ10 from dietary sources and explore the dose-response relationships between the dietary-derived CoQ10 intake and lipid profiles.

We performed a cross-sectional study based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey, which included 7,938 adults. The dietary intake assessment used three consecutive 24-h recalls combined with a household inventory. Serum was used for lipid profiling.

The average dietary-derived CoQ10 intake was 5.4 mg/day in Chinese adults. The dietary CoQ10 intake of the highest quartile (Q4 ≥ 6.96 mg/day) was negatively associated with total cholesterol (TC) [-0.12 (-0.19, -0.06) mmol/L], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) [-0.17 (-0.23, -0.10) mmol/L], and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) [-0.12 (-0.18, -0.05) mmol/L], while positively associated with apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) [0.10 (0.08, 0.13) g/L] and triglycerides (TG) [0.14 (0.05, 0.23) mmol/L], compared to the lowest quartile (Q1 < 1.88 mg/day). Besides, dietary CoQ10 intake showed nonlinear dose-response associations with the above lipid variables (all P _nonlinear < 0.05).

Dietary-derived CoQ10 intake may be associated with some lipid profiles, such as TG, ApoA1, TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C. However, CoQ10 from dietary sources may not be a good choice for individuals who need to CoQ10 supplement.