Tuesday June 71, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Co-enzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) is known as an essential nutrient of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and its deficiency has been implicated in diseases including heart failure, hypertension, Parkinson's disease and obesity. People who are using statins to lower cholesterol could be at risk for Co-enzyme Q10 deficiency because statins inhibit conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate  leading to the lowering of serum Co-Q10 concentrations.A report in Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders suggests that supplementation with Co-Q10 improves the health problem caused by use of statins.Authors even cited evidence suggesting that Co-Q10 supplements can be used to treat obesity, oxidative stress and inflammation involved in metabolic syndrome.  (David Liu, PHD)Alam MA, Rahman MM.  Mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity: potential benefit and mechanism of Co-enzyme Q10 supplementation in metabolic syndrome.  J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2014 May 23;13:60.