What is Coenzyme Q10?
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant that your body produces naturally. Your cells use CoQ10 for growth and maintenance.(1)
It is used by the mitochondria cell organelles to help produce internal energy for the body. The mitochondria are in charge of producing energy. They also protect cells from oxidative damage and disease-causing bacteria or viruses.(2)
However, as we age the natural production of CoQ10 reduces quite dramatically. This may be one of the reasons why children have so much energy (and such radiant skin!) compared to their older adult peers.
Being an antioxidant, Coenzyme Q10 helps to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants are wonderful for our health and our skin because they sacrifice themselves in order to save our cells from these harmful molecules.
The body produces free radicals in the normal course of energy production and we also encounter them in day-to-day life from various sources such as pollution, certain foods and additives, chemicals, and UV rays.
What does this mean for your skin?
Well, if free radicals are allowed to progress unchecked, they can damage the precious cell membrane which protects against dehydration and other detrimental environmental effects. The collagen, which provides resilience and elasticity in our skin, can be compromised - leading to the visible signs of aging such as wrinkles and sagging skin.
By using CoEnzyme Q10 in your daily topical skincare preparations you can help to fight off the damaging effects of free radicals and maintain the beautiful, youthful radiance of your skin!
In fact, CoQ10 applied directly to the skin has been shown to reduce oxidative damage caused by UV rays and even decrease the depth of wrinkles.(3)
1 https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-coenzyme-q10/art-20362602
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23065343
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10416055