We recently received an inquiry regarding the use of Q-Gel CoQ10 and patients suffering from autoimmune disorders. This is a fairly complicated area and should certainly be discussed with your physician or health care professional.
Autoimmune disorders are disorders caused by an immune response against the body's own tissues. Immune system disorders occur when the immune response is inappropriate, excessive, or lacking. Autoimmune disorders develop when the immune system attacks normal body tissues. This is caused by a hypersensitivity reaction similar to allergies, where the immune system reacts to a substance that it normally would ignore. In allergies, the immune system reacts to an external substance that would normally be harmless. With autoimmune disorders, the immune system reacts to normal “self” body tissues.
As to the specific question regarding the use of Q-Gel CoQ10, (or any Coenzyme Q10 supplement),and patients suffering from autoimmune disorders we received the following comment from one of the senior scientists at Tishcon Corp.
“There is no available evidence whatsoever to indicate that CoQ10 / Q-Gel can be deleterious to persons suffering from autoimmune disorders. This having been said, we must be cognizant of the fact that CoQ10 has been shown in animal studies to restore depressed immune function. If someone is on immuno-suppressive drugs then I would not recommend concurrent administration of CoQ10 to such individuals.”
There is more health information on auto immune disorders at the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health (click on link below):
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000816.htm