Maybe you've been reading up on the benefits of Ubiquinol, and you're ready to give it a try. Or maybe your healthcare provider recommended it to you as a way to promote heart health and cellular energy production. Regardless, if you are ready to start taking a Ubiquinol supplement, you may be wondering where to start: how to choose a supplement brand, where to buy it, and what to look for. Here's a quick guide, providing answers to several common questions people ask when they're ready to buy Ubiquinol and start including it in their daily routines.
Where Can I Find Ubiquinol?
Ubiquinol is available at most places where dietary supplements are sold, so you can look for it in any store where you buy other supplements: pharmacies, vitamin shops, grocery stores, and even big box stores. It's often located on store shelves next to Coenzyme Q10 and specialty antioxidant supplements. (Ubiquinol is the active, antioxidant form of CoQ10.) Sometimes Ubiquinol supplements are even labeled "CoQ10 Ubiquinol" to take advantage of the more familiar CoQ10 name. Ubiquinol is also available from many online retailers. If you prefer to order supplements by mail, be sure to purchase only from reliable, trusted sources.
Which Ubiquinol Supplement Brand Should I Choose?
The brand of Ubiquinol supplement you decide to go with is a personal choice. If you are working with a physician or trusted health care provider, they may recommend a brand to you. The best way to distinguish between different supplement brands is to read the labels. Just like food products, supplement labels tell you what is included in a product so you can make an informed decision about whether to buy it.
To identify a supplement containing Ubiquinol, look for “Ubiquinol” or “Ubiquinol (Kaneka QH)” on the product’s front label or listed inside the Supplement Facts box. In addition, most Ubiquinol supplements will include the Kaneka Quality Seal, which signals that the product was made with Kaneka Ubiquinol®. In addition, you should check the list of inactive ingredients or “other ingredients” listed beneath the Supplement Facts panel. Ubiquinol, as with other supplements, needs to be formulated with other ingredients added during manufacturing, generally for stability. Different supplement brands use different inactive ingredients — such as soybean oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil or MCT oil — so check the inactive ingredients in the “Other ingredients” list, just below the Supplement Facts panel, to determine what a particular supplement contains.
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Can I Find Reviews of Ubiquinol Supplements?
Online reviews of different Ubiquinol supplements are available on many websites, but be sure to check the source of online reviews and go with websites that you're familiar with and trust. In addition, ask your healthcare provider if he or she has any recommendations regarding their preferred Ubiquinol supplement brand. Another great resource for researching different brands of Ubiquinol and where you can buy them is our buyer's guide and store locator available on Ubiquinol.org.
What Can I Expect When I Start Taking Ubiquinol?
While Ubiquinol does help support natural energy synthesis, it is not a "quick fix" for people who feel they need an energy boost. Unlike stimulants such as caffeine, it doesn't provide a fast burst of energy followed by fatigue a few hours later. Ubiquinol works by promoting and maintaining natural energy production inside cells. When cells have sufficient levels of Ubiquinol, they are able to efficiently generate energy, which supports the energy requirements for your daily life. If cells do not have sufficient Ubiquinol, their ability to generate energy is limited, meaning the cell's output of ATP (the currency of energy) is suboptimal. Research has shown that taking Ubiquinol every day and continuing for at least one month results in the body steadily accumulating Ubiquinol in the blood.
For individuals who are switching to Ubiquinol from a CoQ10 supplement, the effects of the switch can depend on how well their bodies convert CoQ10 into Ubiquinol. Older individuals may especially experience a benefit from switching to Ubiquinol because the body's ability to convert CoQ10 to Ubiquinol generally slows down after the age of 40.
Why Are Ubiquinol Supplements All Liquid Capsules or Gel Caps?
CoQ10 is a unique nutrient that exists in three redox states: Ubiquinone (completely oxidized), Ubisemiquinone radicals (partially reduced), and Ubiquinol (fully reduced antioxidant form). Ubiquinol is the active antioxidant form, but this also means it is highly reactive and difficult to stabilize. When exposed to air, it naturally oxidizes into Ubiquinone, the more stable form of CoQ10 found in conventional CoQ10 supplements. That's why the Ubiquinone form of CoQ10 has been available as a supplement for decades longer than Ubiquinol. CoQ10 supplements containing Ubiquinone, require the body to convert it into Ubiquinol before it can perform its antioxidant functions. When Ubiquinol is formatted into a lipid solution, however, the penetration and access of oxygen is reduced and the molecule is protected from oxidation and stabilized. This is why Ubiquinol supplements come in either liquid or soft gelatin capsules and why Ubiquinol is not available in multivitamins.
I Have Dietary Restrictions — Can I Take Ubiquinol?
Whether or not you can take a Ubiquinol supplement will depend on your own particular dietary restrictions or concerns. It’s always important to remember that Ubiquinol is a naturally occurring nutrient that we synthesize in the body. High purity Kaneka Ubiquinol® is naturally-derived from yeast and contains no GMO ingredients, no animal products, and no milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, or sesame. However, because Ubiquinol is always combined with inactive ingredients when it is formed into supplements, it is vital to check the label to determine if there are any potential dietary or allergy issues with a given supplement. Kaneka Ubiquinol® is kosher certified, but please be aware that not all Ubiquinol supplements are kosher.
