Your Good Health

Coenzymes - What Are They? What Do They Do?

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By now, you may be familiar with enzymes as catalysts in the body that speed things up. Enzymes are necessary for unlocking the energy in nutrients and rearranging molecules so they can be used effectively. Enzymes are specific in their functions (for example, digestive enzymes) and essential for bodily processes.

Coenzymes
Maybe you’ve heard the word “coenzymes” mentioned in conjunction with enzymes. Coenzymes do what their name implies—they are co-workers (or cofactors) in helping enzymes do their jobs.

A lot of coenzymes are derived from vitamins. For example, the coenzyme derived from vitamin B1 is a long scientific sounding word we’ll shorten to TPP. TPP is responsible for oxidative decarboxylation, a fancy way of saying the cellular process that separates oxygen from carbon dioxide during respiration.

Coenzymes are smaller than their protein enzyme counterparts but essential for many chemical reactions in the body. Without a coenzyme, most enzymes would not function.

Coenzymes actually make up part of the “active site” of an enzyme. Basically, when enzymes attach to a molecules to “unlock” their energy potential they need a good fit to do their jobs properly. Coenyzmes help with this fit on the active site and facilitate molecule attachment.

Coenzymes are available in supplements. You might recognize CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) on your local health food store shelf. This coenzyme assists in cellular membrane health, a hot spot for cellular energy transfer.