L-shaped association between dietary coenzyme Q10 intake and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in Chinese adults: a national cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Chronic inflammation contributes to the occurrence and progression of many diseases. Most previous clinical studies have explored the effect of high-dose CoQ10 supplements on inflammation. Food is another important source of CoQ10, but the relationship between the intake of CoQ10 from dietary sources and inflammation was unknown. We aimed to explore the dose–response association between the intake of dietary-derived CoQ10 and inflammation-related biomarkers. Methods: Seven thousand nine hundred and fifty-three Chinese adults from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) were the subjects of this cross-sectional investigation. Dietary CoQ10 intake was assessed using dietary information from three days. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and white blood cell count (WBC) were assessed using fasting venous blood. Results: In an adjusted linear regression model, CoQ10 consumption from dietary sources was inversely associated with hsCRP, with effect sizes in each group: Q2 (β = −0.85 mg L⁻¹, 95% CI: −1.43 to −0.28 mg L⁻¹, P = 0.004), Q3 (β = −0.70 mg L⁻¹, 95% CI: −1.28 to −0.12 mg L⁻¹, P = 0.017), and Q4 (β = −0.79 mg L⁻¹, 95% CI: −1.39 to −0.19 mg L⁻¹, P = 0.010). Moreover, restricted cubic splines (RCS) revealed a non-linear L-shaped association between dietary-derived CoQ10 consumption and hsCRP (P_nonlinear < 0.001). According to subgroup analyses, these relationships were more significant in males, or >45 years old (P_trend < 0.05). Nevertheless, no significant relationship was found between dietary-derived CoQ10 intake and WBC. Conclusions: These findings suggested a significant negative association between dietary-derived CoQ10 and hsCRP levels.