Idebenone – the ultimate anti-aging drug?     
  by James South MA

Idebenone is a synthetic analog (variant) of one of life's most essential biochemicals, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).  CoQ10 is an important antioxidant component of the lipid (fatty) membranes that surround all cells, as well as the lipid membranes surrounding the various organelles ("little organs"), such as mitochondria and microsomes, inside cells.

CoQ10 is also an important member of the "Electron Transport Chain" (ETC) within mitochondria, which are the "power plants" of the cell. Most of the oxygen we breathe is used inside the Electron Transport Chain to produce much of the ATP bioenergy that powers virtually every activity of our cells and bodies.

CoQ10’s pro-oxidant action         to order

When blood flow is seriously reduced to any part of the body, as in a heart attack, stroke, trauma, shock, or chronic poor blood circulation- cellular/ mitochondrial oxygen levels quickly drop in the affected region. Yet because oxygen is seven to eight times more soluble in the lipid zones of cell membrane, compared to the watery compartments of the cell, there is still sufficient oxygen remaining in the membranes of cells and organelles, as well as in the Electron Transport Chain, to auto-oxidize CoQ10.  As the CoQ10 auto-oxidizes, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and hydroxl free radicals are rapidly formed in massive numbers.  These free radicals quickly damage cell/ organelle structure and function, as well as rapidly halt ATP energy generation by the Electron Transport Chain.

Brain and spinal cord cells are especially prone to such damage, and may be irreparably damaged or even destroyed within minutes.

Enter Idebenone to the rescue!  Studies have shown that under the same cellular low oxygen conditions that cause CoQ10 to act as a pro-oxidant producer of damaging free radicals, Idebenone prevents the free radical dam-age and maintains relatively normal cell ATP levels.  In short, while Idebenone can effectively substitute for CoQ10's positive and life essential functions, it doesn't have CoQ10's free radical producing and energy crashing "dark side" which occurs under hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions.

The mitochondrial power plants produce over 90% of all cellular ATP bioenergy. They are also generally the richest sites in CoQ10 (or Idebenone).  Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) allows mitochondria to reproduce them-selves.

While the DNA in a cell nucleus comes from both our parents, mtDNA comes exclusively from our mother's mtDNA.

There are typically two or three copies of mtDNA in each mitochondrion, with average 1000 mitochondria per cell. Because mtDNA exists in the "heart of the fiery furnace" where electron "sparks" are constantly leaking as ATP is produced in the Electron Transport Chain, mtDNA is far more prone to free radical electron damage than is the DNA in our cell nuclei that contains the "blueprint" for our entire organism.

At the same time, the repair capacity of mtDNA is much less than that of our cell nucleus DNA. As a consequence, over the course of a lifetime our mtDNA becomes ever more damaged, and the mitochondria produced therefrom become ever more ineffective at energy generation.

Studies comparing heart tissue from young people with that from elderly people have shown almost no significant mitochondrial dysfunction in young hearts, with significant, often severe mitochondrial dysfunction in elderly hearts.

The cells that are most susceptible to mitochondrial energy depletion with advancing age are the brain, skeletal muscle and heart muscle cells. Idebenone thus offers a prime anti-aging effect here in several ways.  Unlike CoQ10, even under the low oxygen conditions that may occur periodically over a lifetime, Idebenone will serve as a powerful mitochondrial free radical quencher, lessening the ever-increasing mtDNA damage that occurs with age.  Idebenone will work even better than CoQ10 within the Electron Transport Chain to keep energy production high, even under hypoxic conditions. This is especially critical to brain and heart cells that may be rapidly damaged during low ATP production episodes that occur due to poor tissue oxygenation.

Idebenone – Energy enhancement

Iron is a "dual edged sword."  It is absolutely essential for life, it plays a central role in ATP generation in the Electron Transport Chain.  Yet iron can also be a powerful initiator of free radical production and cell structural damage, especially under low oxygen conditions.

This occurs, for example, during stroke, and during the gradual onset of Parkinson's disease.  Studies have shown that Idebenone can tightly couple oxidation to energy production. This prevents iron ions from wastefully and toxically, diverting oxygen to producing free radicals inside the mitochondria, instead of energy.

Studies have shown that Idebenone can almost completely eliminate this, diverting 10% of cellular oxygen away from toxic iron induced free radical generation, to beneficial ATP energy production under hypoxic conditions.

As our organs age or are damaged, we age and are damaged.  Over a lifetime, blood flow to our organs diminishes due to arteriosclerosis and less efficient heart pumping.  This reduces oxygen dependent energy production needed for repair, reproduction and normal function of the organ cells.  Free radical damage accumulates over time, leaving ever more dead, dying or dysfunctional cells within organs.

At some point a critical threshold is reached when too many cells within an organ are dysfunctional, and they can no longer sustain the organ's life and function.  Then the organ- heart, brain, liver etc. fails.

The study recommended using Idebenone to increase the transplant viability of human livers donated for organ transplant.  Why not use Idebenone to increase your own organ viability, while you still have the use of them!

Glutamic acid and aspartic acid are the two chief excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters in the human brain.  Without them we would be "mental vegetables."

Yet under certain conditions, e.g. stroke or traumatic brain injury- excessive amounts of excitatory amino acids accumulate in the fluid surrounding brain cells, causing damage and even death to nerve and glial cells through free radical mechanisms.

Excitatory amino acid toxicity is at least partly responsible for the neurotoxicity of the recreational drug "Ecstasy or MDMA."  Studies over the past 30 years have also shown that excessive dietary intake of excitatory amino acids may also damage brain structure/ function, especially in children or excitatory amino acid sensitive adults.

The two main dietary sources of excitatory amino acids are the flavor enhancer MSG (monosodium glutamate) and the artificial sweetener aspartame (Nutrasweet). Also many processed foods (e.g. canned soups, dry roasted spiced peanuts, beef/ chicken bouillon, canned tuna, spices etc.) contain "hydrolized vegetable protein, yeast extract, soy protein isolate" and similar ingredients that are mostly excitatory amino acids .

In studies with various types of nerve cell, as well as oligodendroglial cells (which make up the protective myelin sheaths surrounding many nerves, the so-called "white matter" of the brain). Idebenone has shown dramatic protective effects against glutamate toxicity.

5. People with heart energetics problems, e.g. cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure. 3 to 6 tablets (45mg each) daily.

10. People wishing to enhance the brain serotonin benefits of tryptophan or oxitriptan (5-hydroxy-tryptophan) supplements or SSRI drugs, such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, or Luvox etc. 2 to 4 tablets (45mg each) daily.

Because of its synergy with other life extension drugs, those also taking any or all of Hydergine, Piracetam (and its analogues), vinpocetine, deprenyl, GH3/ KH3 may benefit from even just one 45mg tablet a day, especially if taken regularly on a long-term basis.  Because idebenone is fat soluble, it is best taken with a fat rich meal, or with lipid absorption enhancing agents such as lecithin or phosphatidyl choline.

Weyer G, Babeji-Dolle RM, Hadler D, Hofmann S, Herrmann WM, "A controlled study of 2 doses of idebenone in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease." Neuropsychobiology 1997; 36(2):73-82  

Suno M, Nagaoka A, "Inhibition of brain mitochondrial swelling by idebenone." Arch Gerontol Geriatr 1989 May; 8(3):299-305.

                                                HOME