New studies are showing that increased performance and less tiredness after exercise are among the many benefits of Coenzyme Q10, commonly known as CoQ10 or Vitamin Q.

A naturally-occurring substance that helps cells convert fat and sugar to energy, CoQ10 is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and is often prescribed to aid in recovery from heart surgery. Because of it's powerful anti-oxidant properties, this substance is also believed to be effective in the prevention of a host of age-related disorders, including adult-onset diabetes, macular degeneration, vascular disease, and even Alzheimer's.

Claims that this vitamin-like natural substance can function as a supplemental "fountain of youth" are still under investigation, but an increasing body of research confirms that even a brief regimen of this coenzyme can have marked positive effects on physical performance.

The concept that supplemental CoQ10 can boost energy levels in healthy people was upheld by a recent Japanese study jointly conducted by Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Soiken Incorporation, Kansai University of Welfare Sciences, and Osaka University of Foreign Study. The study results published in theNutritionjournal indicate that sufficient amounts of supplemental CoQ10 made a significant positive impact on exercise, both in terms of the participants' performance and the amount of post-exercise fatigue they experienced.

The study participants, who had an average age of just over 37, were tested on a bicycle ergometer. The participants were separated into three groups and each group was administered either a daily 100 milligram dosage of the supplement, a 300 milligram dosage, or a placebo.

The participants who received the 300 milligram dosage showed measurable improvements in performance during exercise and a marked reduction in fatigue after exercise. The same effect was not observed in participants receiving the 100 milligram dosage or placebo.

The researchers who conducted the study suggest that the improvement can be attributed in large part to CoQ10's potent anti-oxidant properties. The study concluded that not only is this coenzyme indispensable to the mitochondrial membrane (the portion of the cell that produces energy), it also acts as an essential antioxidant and assists in the regeneration of other antioxidants.

Since the body's production of this coenzyme diminishes as we age, supplemental dosages can be particularly effective in those of middle-age and beyond.