Associations between Long-Term Dietary Coenzyme Q10 Intake and New-Onset Hypertension in Adults: Insights from a Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation appears to be associated with a lower blood pressure. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether food-sourced CoQ10 will affect new-onset hypertension in general adults. This study investigated the relationship between dietary CoQ10 intake and new-onset hypertension among the general population. Participants without hypertension at baseline from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) prospective cohort study were included (n = 11,428). Dietary CoQ10 intake was collected by validated dietary recalls and the food weighing method. Linear and non-linear relationships between dietary CoQ10 intake and new-onset hypertension were analyzed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic splines. During follow-up (median: 6 years), 4006 new-onset hypertension cases were documented. Compared with non-consumers, the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) from quintile 2 to 4 total dietary CoQ10 were 0.83 (0.76, 0.91), 0.86 (0.78, 0.94) and 1.01 (0.92, 1.11); total plant-derived CoQ10 were 0.80 (0.73, 0.88), 1.00 (0.91, 1.09) and 1.10 (1.00, 1.20); and animal-derived CoQ10 were 0.65 (0.59, 0.71), 0.58 (0.53, 0.64) and 0.68 (0.62, 0.75). The lowest risk was found at moderate intake, with a non-linear relationship (P nonlinearity < 0.05). Furthermore, the overall inverse association was stronger among individuals without alcohol consumption or eating a low-fat diet. Moderate long-term dietary CoQ10 intake might be protective against new-onset hypertension. However, it follows a non-linear relationship and excessive intake may increase the risk of new-onset hypertension in the Chinese population.