CoQ10 Helps Veterans Gulf War Illness Symptoms

Introduction

Roughly one-third of the 700,000 United States troops who fought in the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War have subsequently developed a distinct set of chronic health problems, dubbed Gulf War illness. Their symptoms, from fatigue, muscle pain and weakness to decreased cognitive function and gastrointestinal and skin problems, persist decades after the conflict.

Main Digest

Gulf War syndrome (GWS), also known as Gulf War illness (GWI), (VA refers to these illnesses as "chronic multi-symptom illness" and "undiagnosed illnesses"), is a chronic multi-symptom disorder affecting returning military veterans and civilian workers of the Gulf War. A wide range of acute and chronic symptoms have been linked to it, including fatigue, muscle pain, cognitive problems, rashes and diarrhea. Suggested causes have included depleted uranium, sarin gas, smoke from burning oil wells, vaccinations, combat stress and psychological factors.

According to a report by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan may also suffer from the syndrome. Gulf War Veterans may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including a Gulf War Registry health exam, the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, health care, and disability compensation for diseases related to military service. Their dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits.

In a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of Neural Computation, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that a high quality brand of coenzyme Q10 - a compound commonly sold as a dietary supplement - provides health benefits to persons suffering from Gulf War illness symptoms.

Forty-six United States Gulf War veterans participated in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Each veteran had been diagnosed with Gulf War illness.

"Gulf War illness is not the same as post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, signature illnesses of later deployments, which are caused by psychological and mechanical injury, respectively," said Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and principal investigator on the study.

"Evidence instead links Gulf War illness to chemical exposures, such as pesticides or pills given to soldiers to protect them from possible nerve agents. These chemicals can damage mitochondria, which generate the energy our cells need to do their jobs. When these powerhouses of the cells are disrupted, it can produce symptoms compatible with those seen in Gulf War illness."

The connection to chemical and toxin exposures is fortified by evidence of mitochondrial problems in affected veterans, said Golomb, as well as evidence showing those veterans who became ill are significantly more likely than others to harbor genetic variants that render their enzymes less effective at detoxifying these chemicals.

CoQ10 is a fat-soluble antioxidant made by the body to support basic cell functions, including directly assisting mitochondrial energy production.

Over a course of three and a half months, the veterans in the study received a pill form of either CoQ10 or a placebo.

Researchers found 80 percent of those who received 100mg of CoQ10 had improvement in physical function.

The degree of improvement correlated to the degree in which CoQ10 levels in the blood increased.

The researchers reported that Gulf War illness symptoms like headaches, fatigue with exertion, irritability, recall problems and muscle pain also improved.

"The statistical significance of these benefits, despite the small sample size, underscores the large magnitude of the effects," Golomb said. "Mounting evidence suggests findings in Gulf War illness are relevant to toxin-induced health problems in the civilian sector, so what we learn by studying health challenges of these veterans, will likely benefit others."

Golomb and colleagues are seeking additional funding to test a more complete "mitochondrial cocktail," which combines CoQ10 with additional nutrients that support cell energy and reduce oxidative damage to cells.

Co-authors include: Matthew Allison, Sabrina Koperski, Hayley J. Koslik and Janis B. Richie, all at UC San Diego; and Sridevi Devaraj, Baylor College of Medicine/ Texas Children's Hospital and Health Center.

Funding support for this research came, in part, from the Department of Defense.

Resources That Provide Relevant Related Information

• Institute of Medicine Gulf War Illness Report
• VA Extends Coverage for Gulf War Veterans
• Gulf War Illness: A General Overview

Attribution/Source(s):

This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by University of California San Diego, and published on 2014/11/04 (Edit Update: 2023/06/30), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, University of California San Diego can be contacted at ucsd.edu. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Cite This Page (APA): University of California San Diego. (2014, November 4 - Last revised: 2023, June 30). CoQ10 Helps Veterans Gulf War Illness Symptoms. Disabled World. Retrieved September 10, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/news/veterans/coq10.php

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