A novel study has found that daily supplementation with a synthetic Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) analog can help prevent heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Wellcome Trust, the study looked at the impacts of daily supplementation with mitoquinone, which has previously been touted for its strong capacity to tackle oxidative stress.
When compared with standard of care treatment for type 2 diabetes, a 40mg dose of the widely available antioxidant improved the heart health of participants within four months when compared with the placebo group.
Interestingly, the nutraceutical was also able to reverse the early signs of diabetes-related heart failure during the study period, suggesting the ingredient's strong potential to support cardiovascular health in this population.
Presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference, the study's results also revealed that mitoquinone supplementation facilitated the heart's efficient processing and usage of energy, with those receiving the ingredient experiencing a 15% increase.
Meanwhile, the heart muscles of the mitoquinone group were also able to relax more quickly, suggesting that early indicators of cardiovascular stress and stiffness were reversed during the study period.
“These encouraging results are a sign that mitoquinone could keep hearts healthier for longer in people with diabetes," noted Dr Henry Procter, Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Leeds and the study's lead author.
"If we'd continued the study for longer, it's likely we would have started to see differences in more serious indicators of heart health, so we're now looking to run a larger trial with a type 2 diabetic cohort, which will allow us to gather more evidence that the supplement could protect hearts and prevent heart failure over time."
“If the results of this study is positive, patients with type 2 diabetes could one day be prescribed mitoquinone to help prevent heart failure before it ever affects their lives," he added.
It's estimated that more than 5.8 million people in the UK have diabetes, and around 90% of these have type 2 — with this demographic being up to five times more likely to develop heart failure than the rest of the population.
By providing an efficacious antioxidant supplement, the national healthcare service could guard cells against metabolic stress and tackle diabetes-related heart failure before it occurs.
“This study presents some intriguing initial findings," added Professor Bryan Willians, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation.
"It’s still early days for this research and the results will need to be confirmed in a larger scale trial. The study neatly demonstrates why it is so important to continue to support research and look for solutions in a wide variety of places, so that we can continue to offer hope to people living with, and at risk of, cardiovascular disease.”