Near-death experiences (NDEs) might be more common than most would think, according to a new study by the International Association for Near-Death Studies. 

The study reveals that 23 percent of American adults report having had a near-death experience, after which they returned to normal human existence. The study also reveals that 35 percent of the individuals queried about such experiences who have not had an NDE themselves said they know someone who has. 

“In an NDE, usually during a close brush with death, a person has a vivid, emotionally intense experience of lucidly perceiving the material world from a position outside the physical body and/or perceiving and interacting with beings and environments not of the material world,” said Janet Riley, executive director of the International Association for Near-Death Studies, in an email to The Debrief. “Afterward, experiencers are usually profoundly changed.”

The survey, conducted in March 2026 by Centiment and involving 2,100 Americans, looked more deeply at the effects of these experiences. Among those who reported having an NDE, 51 percent said the experience gave them a deeper meaning and appreciation for life, while 37.6 percent said they felt more connected to a “spiritual realm.”

Overall, thirty-one percent said the experience changed their life priorities; 30 percent said they were less afraid of death than before; 30 percent reported greater empathy for others; and 26 percent said they had become more generous and socially minded.

Among respondents who knew a friend or family member who had experienced an NDE, 44 percent said they became more curious about the afterlife, while 40 percent reported a stronger belief in life after death.

“This remarkable data tells us three important things: NDEs may be more common than we realized; people who have NDEs or hear about them are positively impacted, and the majority of Americans believe evidence exists to support the phenomena,” Riley said in a statement. “The survey also makes clear the importance of normalizing conversations about life, death, and what comes after. Those who have had NDEs or who research them may be some of the best teachers.”

What about those who have never had an NDE?

Additionally, the survey revealed that 27.3 percent of participants who had never experienced an NDE themselves found the evidence significant enough to change their minds, while 31.3 percent said it at least provided reliable evidence for some type of phenomenon.

The smallest category of responding participants, at 15 percent, said there was limited evidence, while 24 percent said there was insufficient evidence.

Nearly four out of five respondents (79.8 percent) said there is either some value (36.7 percent) or major value (41.1 percent) in studying near-death experiences.

A Paradigm Shift? 

Culturally, perceptions about NDEs and related subjects may be changing, and mainstream attitudes may be evolving. Even in the world of pop culture, celebrity gossip columnist Perez Hilton (Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr.), known for his often controversial commentary, has spoken publicly about a near-death experience after taking flu medication without food, which led to a stomach ulcer, perforation, and severe sepsis. He ultimately spent 21 days in the hospital.

After the experience, Hilton said he was appalled by his “selfish behavior” and offered apologies, explaining that after finding God, he came to regret the fact that, as he put it, “I didn’t care who I hurt.”

The International Association for Near-Death Studies survey also asked participants whether death frightened them. Twenty-five percent said the idea of dying scared them “a little,” while 14.8 percent said it scared them “a great deal.” However, 31 percent said they felt confident that they would be in a better place after death, while only 6.2 percent worried they would be in a worse place. Another 25 percent said they had “made peace with death.”

“We were founded as a research organization, and no survey like this had occurred recently,” Riley explained. “Given the strong interest in near-death experiences, we thought a survey would be timely.”

“We also felt that communicating the results could help normalize conversations about the phenomenon, which some people are reluctant to share because they fear not being taken seriously,” Riley added.

With this high level of confidence in life after death, such beliefs may continue to spread further into the mainstream, influencing everyday life and shaping how people view themselves and the world around them.

“We also know from NDE research that those who have had the experiences feel a deep connection to others, feel more loving and spiritual, and often feel more altruistic and generous,” Riley says. “We believe connection, love, altruism, and generosity have the potential to make the world a better place.”

Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and the founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com. To contact Chrissy with a story, please email chrissy @ thedebrief.org.

In the relentless quest to understand and conquer cancer, researchers have honed in on a new molecular frontier—Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) oxidoreductases and their pivotal role in ferroptosis, a unique form of programmed cell death distinguished by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. The insight uncovered by Lee, Yoo, Kim, and colleagues, published in the June 2026 issue of Experimental & Molecular Medicine, unveils a complex interplay between redox homeostasis, cancer cell survival, and ferroptotic susceptibility, promising innovative therapeutic avenues that could revolutionize oncology.

CoQ10, a lipophilic molecule embedded within the inner mitochondrial membrane, functions fundamentally as an electron carrier in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. However, emerging evidence positions CoQ10 oxidoreductases as critical modulators of redox balance, influencing a cell’s propensity to undergo ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is characterized by iron-driven accumulation of lipid-based reactive oxygen species (ROS), disrupting cellular membranes and leading to an oxidative demise distinct from apoptosis or necrosis. This pathway has garnered attention for its potential to selectively target cancer cells resistant to conventional apoptosis-inducing therapies.

The research team deciphers how CoQ10 oxidoreductases exert a finely-tuned redox regulation, effectively governing ferroptotic sensitivity. These enzymes catalyze the reduction of CoQ10, sustaining its antioxidant capacity to mitigate lipid peroxidation. Intriguingly, certain cancers exhibit dysregulated expression or activity of these oxidoreductases, skewing the redox balance and fostering resistance against ferroptotic triggers. This mechanistic insight deepens our understanding of how cancer cells adapt to oxidative stress, potentially exploiting CoQ10 pathways to evade death.

A central revelation from the study is how CoQ10 oxidoreductase activity functions not only as a metabolic safeguard but also as a regulatory nexus controlling lipid peroxide detoxification. By reducing CoQ10, these enzymes replenish ubiquinol pools—powerful chain-breaking antioxidants that inhibit the propagation of lipid radicals in membranes. This antioxidative shield forms a biochemical barrier against ferroptotic induction, supporting cancer cell survival amid fluctuating oxidative milieus.

Ferroptosis has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional apoptosis-centered therapies, particularly in malignancies exhibiting refractory resistance or mutated apoptotic machinery. The modulation of CoQ10 oxidoreductases, therefore, uncovers a therapeutic opportunity to sensitize tumors to ferroptotic death. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic suppression of these enzymes could dismantle the antioxidative defenses, augmenting lipid peroxidation and tipping the scales toward ferroptosis. Such strategies may offer a precision oncology approach, exploiting metabolic vulnerabilities while sparing normal tissues.

Adding complexity, the study highlights the context-dependent roles of different CoQ10 oxidoreductases isoforms across various cancer types. Some enzymes are upregulated, conferring enhanced ferroptosis resistance, whereas others might paradoxically promote oxidative stress under specific metabolic states. This heterogeneity accentuates the necessity for tailored therapeutic designs considering tumor-specific redox landscapes and CoQ10 enzymatic profiles.

Moreover, the researchers explore the cross-talk between CoQ10 oxidoreductases and other ferroptosis regulators, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and membrane lipid remodeling enzymes. Inhibitory effects on CoQ10 oxidoreductases synergize with GPX4-targeting agents, generating combinatorial lethality that dismantles both lipid peroxide scavenging and detoxification pathways. This dual targeting could overcome resistance mechanisms and potentiate ferroptotic responses in challenging cancer subtypes.

Beyond its anti-ferroptotic functions, CoQ10 reduction by these oxidoreductases indirectly influences mitochondrial bioenergetics and ROS generation, highlighting an intricate feedback loop intertwining metabolic flux and redox signaling. As cancer cells often rewire mitochondrial dynamics to fuel aggressive phenotypes, manipulating CoQ10 oxidoreductase activity could disrupt cellular energetics, further sensitizing tumors to ferroptotic death.

The therapeutic implications of these findings are manifold. Small molecules modulating CoQ10 oxidoreductase activity offer a promising class of anticancer agents. Currently, several inhibitors are in preclinical evaluation, aiming to destabilize ubiquinol regeneration and collapse cellular redox defenses. Nanotechnology-enhanced delivery systems engineered to target tumors could also enhance drug specificity, reducing off-target effects and oxidative toxicity to healthy tissues.

Translationally, the elucidation of CoQ10 oxidoreductases as ferroptosis gatekeepers may provide prognostic biomarkers for patient stratification. Expression levels or enzymatic activity profiles could predict tumor susceptibility to ferroptosis-inducing therapies, enabling more personalized treatment regimens. Additionally, monitoring redox metabolites derived from CoQ10 pathways may serve as dynamic markers of therapeutic response.

Despite these advances, challenges remain in fully deciphering the intricate regulation of ferroptosis by CoQ10 oxidoreductases. Tumor microenvironment factors such as hypoxia, nutrient availability, and iron metabolism intricately modulate ferroptotic outcomes and CoQ10 enzyme function. Future studies must integrate multi-omic and spatial profiling to map these interactions comprehensively, paving the way for sophisticated intervention strategies.

In conclusion, the pioneering work of Lee and colleagues spotlights CoQ10 oxidoreductases as critical arbiters of ferroptotic cell death in cancer, functioning through redox regulation of lipid peroxide detoxification and cellular bioenergetics. Their dual role in shielding tumor cells and offering a therapeutic Achilles’ heel heralds a new chapter in redox biology and cancer therapy. As ferroptosis-based interventions advance toward clinical reality, targeting CoQ10 oxidoreductases emerges as a promising strategy to overcome drug resistance and improve patient outcomes in the relentless battle against cancer.

The implications of these findings extend beyond oncology, potentially informing therapeutic approaches for other diseases characterized by dysregulated redox homeostasis and lipid peroxidation, including neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disorders. The nuanced understanding of CoQ10 oxidoreductase function thus heralds broader biomedical significance, representing a cornerstone of future redox medicine.

Subject of Research:
CoQ10 oxidoreductases in ferroptosis regulation and cancer therapy

Article Title:
CoQ₁₀ oxidoreductases in ferroptosis and cancer: redox regulation and therapeutic opportunities.

Article References:
Lee, J., Yoo, I., Kim, M. et al. CoQ₁₀ oxidoreductases in ferroptosis and cancer: redox regulation and therapeutic opportunities. Exp Mol Med (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-026-01736-w

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 03 June 2026