Researchers are finding that CoQ10 may be helpful for treating U.S. Veterans afflicted with the set of chronic conditions that have become known as “Gulf War Syndrome,” or “Gulf War Illness.”

Gulf War Syndrome is associated with exposure to chemicals such as pesticides, or pills given to soldiers to protect them from possible nerve agents. These chemicals can damage mitochondria, which generate the energy our cells need to do their jobs.

When these powerhouses of the cells are disrupted, it can produce symptoms compatible with those seen in this illness.

Symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome include those found in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia, and functional abdominal pain syndrome, among others.

San Diego School of Medicine researchers conducted a study on 41 veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. Over the course of the study, half received either a high-quality CoQ10 supplement or a placebo.

The researchers found that 80 percent of those who received 100 mg of CoQ10 had an improvement in physical function, and that the improvement correlated with the degree to which CoQ10 was increased in the bloodstream.

The study was published in the journal Neural Computation