Coenzyme Q10 helps prevent cataracts

An important study was just published in the journal Acta Ophthalmologica about cataract prevention. As the authors note:

"Cataract is one of the most prevalent eye disease and a major cause for legal blindness in the world."

Key causes of cataracts are cumulative light exposure and apoptotic ("programmed") lens cell death. The authors set out to investigate...

"...possible protective effects of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) regarding light-induced stress and apoptotic cell death in human lens epithelial cells (LEC)."

Human lens cells were exposed to white light, one batch pre-incubated with CoQ10 and one not. Afterward oxidative damage and cell death were measured. What did their data show?

"Phototoxic cell death and apoptosis...was significantly reduced, when cells were pre-incubated with CoQ10."

The authors conclude:

"In this study, CoQ10 significantly reduced light-induced LEC-damage and attenuated phototoxic effects... Therefore, CoQ10 supplementation might also be useful in preventing LEC death and consecutive cataract formation in vivo."