Top 5 benefits of CoQ10

Are you considering coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as part of your healthy lifestyle and healthy aging regimen? There’s a good reason CoQ10 has gained so much traction as a supplement.

CoQ10 is a naturally occurring antioxidant and energy producer found in almost every cell of the body. This vitamin-like nutrient is an essential component of the electron transport chain, a process that generates energy in the mitochondria of our cells. As the powerhouse behind cellular energy, CoQ10 helps power your muscles, heart, kidneys, liver, brain, and more. [1] CoQ10 also scavenges harmful free radicals, playing a pivotal role in your antioxidant status and overall health and vitality. [1][2]

Your body is equipped to make CoQ10, but there are many reasons to also take it as a supplement.

CoQ10 Benefits

Your body’s ability to make CoQ10 declines naturally with age, leaving less energy available for all your system and organs to work properly. Certain medications can also inhibit the body’s ability to make CoQ10, causing levels to fall more rapidly. [3] Thankfully, declining CoQ10 levels can be replenished through supplementation, helping to reduce your vulnerability to related health problems. [2] CoQ10 has many benefits, including:

#1 Healthy aging

Declining CoQ10 production, coupled with increased oxidative stress, are underlying factors in many age-related health issues. Supplementing with CoQ10 is especially important in older individuals who want to replenish declining levels and support overall health and vitality. [2]

CoQ10 is involved in the conversion of food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy source that fuels our cells. By supporting energy metabolism, CoQ10 supplements are a great way for older individuals to fight oxidative stress. [2] As an antioxidant, CoQ10 helps reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing harmful free radicals in the body. Free radicals are big contributors to aging. These unstable molecules damage the body’s cells and contribute to both mental and physical deterioration. [4]

#2 Heart health

CoQ10 is highly concentrated in organs with heavy energy requirements, such as the heart! [1] CoQ10 is particularly important for cardiovascular health because it supports the heart’s energy production and acts as an antioxidant to protect it from damage. CoQ10 also works by inhibiting the oxidation of blood lipids into more reactive forms of LDL that can cause blood vessel damage. [5]

CoQ10 has been studied for its potential role in supporting heart health, including high blood pressure and preventing the adverse effects of certain cholesterol-lowering medications. [3][6]

#3 Brain health

The brain is another organ that relies heavily on cellular energy and antioxidant protection – and CoQ10 plays a vital role in this process! CoQ10 is present in the brain’s neurons and the protective glial cells that surround them. [7]

#4 Skin health

If you want to enhance your skincare routine, CoQ10 can be beneficial. CoQ10 helps protect the skin from oxidative damage, but like the rest of the body, its levels in the skin decline with age. Evidence points to CoQ10’s role as an antioxidant for protecting skin from UV damage and loss of elasticity. [8] In a clinical study, 40 to 65-year-old women who were supplemented with a combination of CoQ10, and collagen benefitted from improved skin density and smoothness, and reduced eye wrinkles. [9]

#5 Migraine prevention

Some migraine sufferers have found relief using CoQ10 as a preventative supplement. When taken regularly, CoQ10 can help reduce the frequency of migraines along with migraine-related nausea and vomiting. [10] In one study, 48% of the patients benefitted from 50% fewer migraines after taking CoQ10 for three months. [11]

Although the exact reason that CoQ10 is so helpful at preventing migraines is not yet fully understood, however it is well known that many migraine sufferers have lower blood coenzyme levels than people who don’t get migraines. [12]

CoQ10 in Food

Eating a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of foods can help keep your overall CoQ10 status up. [1] Great food sources of CoQ10 include:

• Organ meats, such as liver and heart: Approximately 3–11 mg/100 g [13]
• Oily fish, such as salmon and sardines: Approximately 0.5–6 mg/100 g [13]
• Meats, such as beef, pork, and chicken: Approximately 1.5–4 mg/100 g [13]
• Soybeans (cooked): Approximately 1.2 mg/100 g [13]
• Peanuts: Approximately 2.7 mg/100 g [13]

The amount of CoQ10 that most people consume through meals and snacks is only part of what the body needs for optimal function. [14] Food sources alone are typically not enough to fulfill your entire CoQ10 requirements, which is why supplementation is such an important option. [1]

Choosing the Best CoQ10 Supplement for Your Needs

CoQ10 exists as two different forms in the body: ubiquinone and ubiquinol. [14] Ubiquinone is the oxidized form found in most types of CoQ10 supplements, while ubiquinol is the reduced form that enables CoQ10 to perform its functions in the body. [16]

Although ubiquinone and ubiquinol can be used interchangeably, ubiquinol is often considered the more active CoQ10 because it is the form produced by our cells and is more easily absorbed when taken as a supplement. Studies show that you can benefit from taking either form of CoQ10, and that both raise blood CoQ10 levels effectively. [14][16]

When choosing a CoQ10 supplement, dose is an important factor. The best CoQ10 product for your needs will depend on your state of health, age, and lifestyle factors. To meet a variety of needs, we offer both individual and combined CoQ10 formulas, ranging in potencies from 100 mg to as much as 400 mg daily.

Coenzyme Q10 is available in high-potency 100 mg, 150 mg, and 200 mg formulas that support heart health and help reduce the frequency of migraine headaches. Ultra Strength Coenzyme Q10 is uniquely formulated to provide 400 mg per softgel to compensate for age-related or drug-related declines.

Check out our Coenzyme Q10 products page to choose your best CoQ10 formula.

When to Take CoQ10

Planning when and how to supplement with CoQ10 will help you maximize its effectiveness.

With meals

CoQ10 is a fat-soluble compound that is easier for the body to absorb when consumed with dietary fat. Taking CoQ10 with meals or snacks that contain healthy fats, such as avocado, peanut butter, or olive oil, will help you absorb it. [14] This approach can also help avoid the potential stomach discomfort that some people experience from taking CoQ10 on an empty stomach. Supplements that provide CoQ10 immersed in oil, like our line of CoQ10 products, are also formulated for easier absorption.

Multiple doses

CoQ10 can be taken as one daily dose or as multiple divided doses throughout the day. Although there are no set rules, divided doses may help with keeping blood levels steadier. [15] If you find multiple doses inconvenient, you may benefit from choosing a higher potency, one-per-day, CoQ10 formula, such as Coenzyme Q10 200 mg.

All our CoQ10 supplements provide specific instructions for the recommended dosage on the label.