Ubiquinol CoQ10: The Powerful Antioxidant Your Body Needs
Ubiquinol is the active antioxidant form of CoQ10 and plays a key role in producing the cellular energy your organs need for healthy functioning. To illustrate, a lamp is powered by electricity. A car is powered by gas. Your heart and other organs are powered by cellular energy.
CoQ10, or Coenzyme Q10, is a popular supplement in America. Although many of us buy the supplement to support heart health, many people may not know there are two forms of this nutrient: Ubiquinone and Ubiquinol. Each exists naturally in the body and plays an essential role, but they function differently.
In simple terms, Ubiquinone is the oxidized version of the nutrient, and Ubiquinol is the active antioxidant form. When Ubiquinone, or conventional CoQ10 is consumed, our bodies naturally convert it to Ubiquinol to transport it to the tissues where it is needed. This process becomes less efficient around age 40. That’s where Ubiquinol supplements come in. When Ubiquinol is consumed, it is readily available to perform its antioxidant functions and help support the body's ability to create the cellular energy that organs need.
Ubiquinol vs. CoQ10
It’s important to understand the difference between Ubiquinol and CoQ10, so you can decide which supplement is best for you. Healthy young adults can easily convert a conventional CoQ10 supplement into Ubiquinol, because their body’s ability to do so has yet to be naturally affected by age. However, as this ability diminishes with aging and increased oxidative stress, blood levels of Ubiquinol may decline after the age of 40.1 This is why taking the advanced Ubiquinol form of CoQ10 can be a better option for best supporting your heart health.
Ubiquinol Benefits
CoQ10 has interested researchers for many decades since it was first identified in 1940. The Ubiquinol form of CoQ10 has been commercially available in America since 2007 when Kaneka introduced its patented Ubiquinol supplement ingredient. In that short time, more than 100 peer-reviewed clinical and research studies have been performed and many additional scientific papers have been published regarding Ubiquinol, its mechanism of action, safety and health benefits.
Supports Heart Health
Critical in the production of the antioxidant adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s primary fuel, Ubiquinol supports heart health by helping to provide the cellular energy needed to power the heart.2 ATP is used by the heart for three critical heart functions - contraction, relaxation, and molecular synthesis. Each function requires significant amounts of cellular energy to best support heart health.
Supports the Body’s Cellular Energy Production
Found in every cell of your body, Ubiquinol is required for 95% of your cellular energy production, providing your heart, lungs, and other organs with the energy they need for proper function.
Helps Protect Cells from Damage Caused by Oxidative Stress
Ubiquinol is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells against the damaging effects of oxidative stress. It is the only lipid-soluble antioxidant produced by the body, and acts in the lipid portions of the cell, including the cell membrane.4,5 It is also attached to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in the blood, where it helps protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, a critical factor in the maintenance of healthy blood vessels.6,7
Replenishes CoQ10 Blood Levels Depleted By Statin Cholesterol Medicines
Statin medicines inhibit the body's cholesterol production, which is what makes them effective in reducing cholesterol. This can also lead to a reduction in the body’s natural levels of both CoQ10 and Ubiquinol, as CoQ10 is formed via the same pathway as cholesterol. Supplementing with Ubiquinol helps replenish the body’s reduced CoQ10 levels associated with statin use,8,9 and its superior absorbability makes it the preferred form for statin drug users.8
Ubiquinol as an Antioxidant
Ubiquinol is a very powerful antioxidant thanks to its extra electrons. Those electrons hold the key to neutralizing substances called free radicals. This protection is crucial as excessive oxygen molecules, commonly known as free radicals or reactive oxygen species, disrupt healthy cells in the body and, if unchecked, can lead to cellular damage. In short, Ubiquinol helps neutralize and protect the body from these potentially harmful molecules.
Free Radicals: The Unwanted Guests in Your Body
Free radicals are harmful because they are constantly looking to steal electrons wherever they may be found, including from DNA, proteins and lipids. When this occurs, an electron is removed from the molecule creating oxidation, which can cause damage that ultimately impacts the body’s health.
Unlike CoQ10, the unique molecular structure of Ubiquinol contains extra electrons that can neutralize free radicals that might otherwise cause cellular damage.
A Multitasking Antioxidant: Ubiquinol's Reach in the Body
Additionally, Ubiquinol is one of the few antioxidants that works in the fatty parts of our body such as cell membranes, including the mitochondrial membrane where cellular energy is manufactured in the form of ATP. Like car engines produce exhaust, the mitochondria have their own form of exhaust that is filled with free radicals.
Ubiquinol is the form of CoQ10 capable of neutralizing free radicals and protecting the mitochondria and their lipid membranes from free radical attack. Ubiquinol plays an important role in supporting healthy mitochondrial function.
Take the Ubiquinol Quiz: Are you giving your heart what it needs?
When to Take Ubiquinol
You can take your daily dose of Ubiquinol in the morning, afternoon, or at night, depending on your preference, but be mindful that some individuals have reported differences in sleep quality when taking it at night. For many people, taking Ubiquinol in the morning works best. When starting a daily Ubiquinol supplement, monitor your sleep and overall well-being, and discuss any changes with your doctor to ensure optimal results.
Read Now: 11 Facts about CoQ10 & Ubiquinol: Dosages & Benefits
Ubiquinol Dosage: How Much to take Daily
In general, 100 mg of Ubiquinol per day is recommended on supplement labels for adults. To determine the right dosage of Ubiquinol for you, however, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider. Only your doctor or healthcare provider can make individualized recommendations for you, taking into account factors such as age, health status, lifestyle, and other relevant considerations, including whether you are taking a statin. Depending on your individual needs, your healthcare provider may recommend a higher amount of Ubiquinol per day, and adjust the amount over time based on your daily needs.
Ubiquinol in Food
Although Ubiquinol can be obtained from certain foods like chicken, oily fish, whole grains, peanuts, spinach, avocados, and olive oil, the amount found in these foods is relatively small. For these reasons, it’s not possible to get the same amount of Ubiquinol from foods as you can get when you take Ubiquinol in supplement form.
How to Choose a Quality Ubiquinol Supplement
Make sure to look for the Kaneka Quality Seal when selecting a Ubiquinol supplement, so you can buy with confidence knowing your supplement is made with high-quality Kaneka Ubiquinol. Additionally, take a good look at the supplement’s label. If “Ubiquinol” isn’t on the front label and/or listed as an ingredient inside the “Supplement Facts” box, you’re probably looking at a conventional CoQ10 supplement.
Get More Tips: Ubiquinol Buyer’s Guide
Unlock the Benefits of CoQ10 with the Ubiquinol Form
When comparing the consumption of Ubiquinol to conventional CoQ10, research demonstrates that Ubiquinol is 2x better absorbed by the body than conventional CoQ10.10 In addition, in a clinical study, Ubiquinol levels increased by about 8 times compared to baseline in healthy younger adults who took 200 mg of Ubiquinol daily for at least 30 days.11 The amount your body absorbs will vary based on your age and overall health, but studies have shown Ubiquinol to be the preferred form of CoQ10 for enhanced absorption and use by the body.
Turning conventional CoQ10 into Ubiquinol becomes harder and less efficient as we age, which is why “older” adults who take a CoQ10 supplement may prefer to choose Ubiquinol.
Interested in taking Ubiquinol? Shop for Kaneka Ubiquinol and other Ubiquinol products at NewQ.com.
**All of our Kaneka Ubiquinol is made in the USA at our facility in Pasadena, TX**
About Our Team Here
Ubiquinol is proud to have 9 PH.d’s on our advisory board, all of whom are active members of numerous professional associations such as the The American Chemical Society and The American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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References
1 Wada H, Goto H, Hagiwara S, Yamamoto Y. Redox status of coenzyme Q10 is associated with chronological age. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007 Jul;55(7):1141-2.
2 Becker WM and Deamer DW. Energy from Chemical Bonds: The aerobic mode. In: The World of the Cell, 2nd Ed., The Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company, Inc, Redwood City , CA., pps. 275-313.
3 Martini FH. Muscle tissue. In: Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, Prentice Hall, Inc, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1999-2000 online version, accessed on June 6, 2011.
4 Frei B, Kim MC, Ames BN. Ubiquinol-10 is an effective lipid-soluble antioxidant at physiological concentrations.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Jun;87(12):4879-83.
5 Ernster L, Forsmark-Andrée P. Ubiquinol: an endogenous antioxidant in aerobic organisms. Clin Investig. 1993;71(8 Suppl):S60-5.
6 Forsmark-Andrée P, Lee CP, Dallner G, Ernster L. Lipid peroxidation and changes in the ubiquinone content and the respiratory chain enzymes of submitochondrial particles. Free Radic Biol Med. 1997;22(3):391-400.
7 Sabbatinelli J, Orlando P, Galeazzi R, et al. Ubiquinol Ameliorates Endothelial Dysfunction in Subjects with Mild-to-Moderate Dyslipidemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2020;12(4):1098.
8 Zlatohlavek L, Vrablik M, Grauova B, Motykova E, Ceska R. The effect of coenzyme Q10 in statin myopathy. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2012;33 Suppl 2:98-101.
9 Fedacko J, Pella D, Fedackova P, Hänninen O, Tuomainen P, Jarcuska P, Lopuchovsky T, Jedlickova L, Merkovska L, Littarru GP. Coenzyme Q(10) and selenium in statin-associated myopathy treatment. Can J Physiol Pharmacol.
2013 Feb;91(2):165-70.
10 Langsjoen PH and Langsjoen AM. Comparison study of plasma CoQ10 levels in healthy subjects supplemented with ubiquinol versus ubiquinone. Clinical Pharmacol Drug Dev. 2014;3(1):13-17.
11 Hosoe K, Kitano M, Kishida H, Kubo H, Fujii K, Kitahara M. Study on safety and bioavailability of ubiquinol (Kaneka QH) after single and 4-week multiple oral administration to healthy volunteers. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2007 Feb;47(1):19-28.
