Reducing exercise-induced muscular injury in kendo athletes with supplementation of coenzyme Q10

intensive physical exercise may cause muscular injury and increase oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an antioxidant. coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)), on muscular injury and oxidative stress during exercise training. Eighteen male students, all elite Japanese kendo athletes. were randomly assigned to either a CoQ(10) group (n 10) or a placebo group n 8) in a double-blind manner. Subjects in the CoQ(10) group took 300 mg CoQ(10) per d for 20d, while subjects in the placebo group took the same dosage of a placebo. All subjects practised kendo 5.5 h per d for 6d during the experimental period. Blood samples were taken 2 weeks before, during (1d, 3d, 5d) and I week after the training. Serum creatine kinase (CK) activity and myoglobin (Mb) concentration significantly increased in both groups (at 3d and 5d). Serum CK (at 3d), Mb (at 3d) and lipid peroxide (at 3d and 5d) of the CoQ(10) group were lower than those of the placebo group. The leucocyte counts in the placebo group significantly increased (at 3d) and neutrophils significantly increased in both groups (at 3d and 5d). Serum scavenging activity against superoxide anion did not change in either group. These results indicate that CoQ(10) supplementation reduced exercise-induced Muscular injury in athletes.