Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the brain in which patients develop tremor, slowness of movement and stiffness of muscles. In a recent clinical trial with 80 Parkinson’s disease patients, high dosages of co-enzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) slowed by 44% the progressive deterioration in function that occurs in the disease. The greatest benefit was seen in everyday activities such as feeding, dressing, bathing and walking.

In the clinical trial, 80 patients who had early Parkinson’s disease and did not yet need medications were randomly assigned to receive high dosages of CoQ10 or a placebo. The patients were evaluated at regular intervals for up to 16 months to assess the severity of the disease progression. By the halfway point researchers noted that those taking the highest amounts of CoQ10 had less impairment and better function than those taking the lower dosages, or none at all.

The study’s coordinators caution that while encouraging, the therapy needs to be tested in a larger trial with hundreds of patients before this treatment can be recommended.

Source: University of California, Oct 14, 2002