All about: revisiting MitoQ

I first became aware of New Zealand skin solution MitoQ when it was first in its development stages several years ago, and it’s been exciting to watch its progress since. As well as the antioxidant-rich, award winning super serum it’s also a super supplement that targets the mitochondria (above) in our cells. Over $50 million has been invested globally researching MitoQ since it was discovered at the University of Otago a decade ago, and the MitoQ Moisturising Anti-Aging Serum has proved its worth by being awarded ‘Product of the Year’ on New York-based anti-aging site, Truth in Aging www.truthinaging.com.

To blind you a little with science (apologies in advance), the serum delivers antioxidant protection to your mitochondria, your ‘cellular batteries’, and is reportedly an amazing 847 times more effective than any other CoQ10 formula. The serum has just one active ingredient: mitoquinol mesylate, a unique turbo-charged form of ubiquinone (the antioxidant in Coenzyme Q10) that reduces mitochondrial oxidative damage and boosts collagen and elastin production. In contrast to other antioxidants, which distribute evenly throughout the cell, MitoQ's form of ubiquinone is positively charged and is accumulated selectively and extensively by negatively charged mitochondria. By targeting mitochondria to support healthy cell function, MitoQ Serum helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, enhance skin's firmness and fade age spots. It has long been discussed that mitochondria are the key to anti-aging as they are responsible for providing the necessary energy for cell activity. If mitochondria are not working properly, cells cannot get enough energy and organs and skin can develop major problems and diseases. Free radicals form in the mitochondria (which are sometimes described as “cellular power plants”) where they wreak havoc on lipids, proteins and mitochondrial DNA, contributing to the aging process. So there you go – pretty impressive stuff. 

Think of applying the same science to an internal supplement and you have MitoQ’s other key product, which I revisited just over a month ago after a presentation by their PR company that included info from MitoQ’s creator amongst other brains. They talked about its benefits, as well as some amazing results recorded in recent studies. The protection against mitochondrial oxidative damage by MitoQ in disease models led to MitoQ being translated to human clinical trials. The concept of mitochondria-targeted antioxidants based on lipophilic cations originally invented several years ago was patented by the University of Otago, New Zealand, and then these patents were acquired by Antipodean Pharmaceuticals Inc, an Auckland company that developed MitoQ as an oral agent and established a suite of further patents in this area.

To do this, Antipodean Pharmaceuticals carried out toxicity studies leading on to a successful Phase I assessment of oral MitoQ tablets in healthy volunteers and then to two Phase II clinical trials. Thus far results have been impressive, and people suffering from the likes of MS are showing an improvement in their state of wellbeing after starting a dedicated MitoQ regime.

I’ve been popping two capsules daily for the last month and have already noticed a lift in my energy levels during what has been a pretty damn crazy month. I’m going to keep popping them too, for if studies are to be believed an energy lift is just the tip of the iceberg!