CoQ10-Induced Weight Loss?

[jazzbird925]

I began a regime of CoQ10 100 mg in January and upped it over the course of several months to 300 mg daily.

Recently, I had a sudden weight loss of 5 pounds (I only weighed 100). The only change to my routine was the CoQ10 so I've stopped taking it and am under doctor's orders to regain that weight asap.

As per multiple web descriptions of this supplement, "it can increase metabolic fuel efficiency within your cells - stimulating natural weight loss."

This presents an obvious problem as I'd like to continue taking the supplement for what I believe is statin-induced bilateral frozen shoulder and rotator cuff problems (as well as severe bicep pain) but can't afford to lose more weight. I could return to the lower dosage once that weight is regained.

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!

[Allen1]

Hi there jazzbird925,

when you were still taking the q10 did you also become more active?
Any sudden unplanned weight loss like yours which is almost 1/5th of your body weight is quite dramatic, realistically if you had become more active, then you should also eat accordingly to maintain both your weight and energy levels (easier to say after the event though).

Also with the q10 burning energy at a higher and more efficient rate, it may be that all you need to do is to eat more or try a varied diet to maintain your weight. If the culprit is in fact the q10, you would probably need to reduce the amount to see what is best for you and your problems. Personally I would also increase the food intake to balance the weight loss problem, there are many other health problems that can increase or decrease weight so I would watch out for any other problems as/if they arise.

The last bit sounds scary but it is a case of knowing what is happening and taking the appropriate action to sort it out.

Good luck with getting your weight back to where it was,

Allen :)

[Darrell]

5 lbs out of 100 lbs is not 1/5th -- it's 1/20th.

I was on Q10 for well over a year and continuing to GAIN weight before I lost 40 lbs by dieting last year. There's a lot of hype around many supplements, Q10 included. I suspect your overall health and resulting activity level may be a bigger influence than Q10 supplementation.

I tend to gain some weight every year from Halloween to Valentine's Day and then lose some weight when my activity level picks up in early spring. After my leg problems began, I was getting the winter gains without the spring losses.

Anyway, having to gain some weight is not all that difficult -- the trick is to gain it all over and not have it concentrated in a few places. Eat healthy, eat a little more, and take it slowly. Gaining it back fast is probably not a good idea.

Get yourself a really good digital scale if you don't have one, and record your unclothed weight at the same time every day. Don't worry about day-to-day variation -- watch the longer-term trend. Day-to-day variation is affected by everything from hydration level to bowel movements. Drinking 8 ounces of water will instantly "gain" you a half a pound.

[Allen1]

OOP's I stand corrected, I don't know why I wrote 1/5th I had meant 5%


Cheers Darrell