Idebenone
Idebenone (pronounced
eye deb eh known) is a synthetic analog (variant) of one of
life's most essential biochemicals, coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10). Co Q10
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.
Co Q10 is also an
important member of the "Electron Transport Chain" 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.
Without CoQ10, or a
good substitute, human life quickly ends, and Idebenone is a "better Co
Q10" that has been extensively researched the past 15 years.
Co Q10’s pro-oxidant
action
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 (O2) 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 Co Q10. As the Co Q10 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.
Why Idebenone is superior to Co Q10
Enter Idebenone to
the rescue! Studies have shown that under the same cellular low oxygen
conditions that cause Co Q10 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 Co Q10's positive and life essential
functions, it doesn't have Co Q10's free radical producing and energy
crashing "dark side" which occurs under hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions.
Idebenone's potential
benefits fall into five categories; antiaging, energy enhancement,
cognition enhancement, organ protector and protector against excitatory
amino acid neurotoxicity.
Idebenone – The anti-aging benefits
The mitochondrial
power plants produce over 90% of all cellular ATP bioenergy. They are
also generally the richest sites in Co Q10 (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 Co
Q10, 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 Co Q10
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.
Mild cellular hypoxia
can occur even from intense exercise, or even from mild exercise done
by out of shape "couch potatoes."
Idebenone – Cognition enhancement
A variety of studies
using brain cells, (animal and humans) have shown Idebenone's ability
to enhance brain structure and function.
Human and animal
studies have demonstrated that Idebenone can enhance serotonin
production, even under far less than optimal conditions, as e.g. with a
very low tryptophan diet, or in patients with cerebrovascular dementia.
Idebenone has
enhanced cholinergic nerve function and consequent learning ability
even under hypoxic conditions, or when an anti-cholinergic drug
(Scopolamine) was administered.
Idebenone has
increased cellular catecholamine (dopamine, adrenalin and
noradrenanlin) production by enhancing cellular uptake of the precursor
amino-acid tyrosine.
Idebenone enhances
long term potentiation in hippocampal nerve cells, a key part of memory
formation and consolidation. Idebenone has restored glucose (brain
fuel) utilization and ATP production in ischemic (poor blood flow)
rat-brain.
Idebenone has been
shown to enhance general cerebral metabolism, lessen the damage from
strokes, and has been used to treat Alzheimer's and other dementias.
And like the original
nootropic drug; piracetam, Idebenone has been shown to promote
information transfer across the corpus callosum, the membrane
separating the right and left brain hemispheres.
This is turn may
promote the union/ integration of the logical (yang) and intuitive
(yin) halves of the brain/ mind.
Idebenone – Organ protector
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.
Idebenone protects
organs in many ways, it cushions them against hypoxic (low oxygen) and/
or ischemic (poor blood flow) damage. Idebenone enhances both normal
and hypoxic ATP energy generation.
Each cell in our
organs must produce the energy it needs for life and health, cells
cannot "borrow" energy from each other.
Idebenone – The free radical quencher
Idebenone is a
powerful antioxidant, more so than Co Q10, and in some studies is 30 to
100 times more effective, than vitamin E or vinpocetine as a free
radical quencher within the brain cells.
Idebenone lessens the
free radical induced mtDNA damage that accumulates acceleratingly over
a lifetime, slowing organ damage and aging.
A 1995 study in the
Journal of Transplantation compared the organ preserving effects of Co
Q10 and Idebenone. The study measured various factors, such as free
radical membrane lipid damage, cell protein damage and cellular energy
production under hypoxia conditions.
The results showed
Idebenone to be dramatically more effective than Co Q10 at preserving
liver tissue under conditions identical to that endured by whole livers
"harvested" and stored (briefly) before transplant to another person.
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!
Protection against excitatory amino acid (EAA)
neuro toxicity
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.
Summary
With all these
powers, Idebenone should now rightfully take its place in the first
rank of anti-aging/ nootropic/ energizer drugs, along with Hydergine,
piracetam, vinpocetine, deprenyl and GH3/ KH3.
**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.
Numerous studies have
shown that idebenone is well distributed through-out the body after
absorption, accumulating in cellular and organelle membranes, as well
as in the electron transport chain, exactly where it does the most good!
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