Ubiquinol (CoQ10)

What is Ubiquinol (CoQ10)?

Ubiquinol is the active, bioavailable form of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is naturally present in the body (about 95% as Ubiquinol and 5% as Ubiquinone) and acts similarly to a vitamin in its biological functions. But, by definition, ubiquinol is not a vitamin since it can be synthesised by human cells. 

It is a powerful antioxidant and plays a major role in producing energy in cells. Research has revealed CoQ10’s wide range of health benefits. Unfortunately, concentrations decline as you age as well as through fatigue, strenuous exercise, smoking, illness, and even some medications. Thankfully, you can restore your CoQ10 levels with the help of dietary supplements.

Where can it be found in nature?

You can find CoQ10 in meats including, pork, beef, chicken, fatty fish, and organ meat, vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, fruits such as oranges and strawberries, as well as in legumes, sesame seeds, pistachios and peanuts. The CoQ10 you find in supplements is manufactured via a natural yeast fermentation process and is highly-effective.

What are its primary functions and benefits?

CoQ10 has an essential role in supplying all your cells with energy. It’s involved in making adenosine triphosphate (ATP), whose production happens within the mitochondria. To put it simply, CoQ10 acts as a fuel additive that optimizes mitochondrial performance, extracting the most energy with the least damage. Your mitochondria need to burn fuel cleanly and efficiently to assure their own integrity and your own longevity. Studies have shown that animals, from primitive worms to laboratory mice, enjoy dramatic extension of their life spans when supplemented with mitochondrial-protecting CoQ10, which suggests that it has important longevity benefits for humans, too.

Additional benefits from CoQ10's mitochondrial energy-boosting effects include protection from neurodegenerative diseases and mental health disorders, heart and vascular health support, enhanced lung function, healthy blood cholesterol levels and protection from the effects of elevated glucose in diabetes and metabolic syndrome. CoQ10 also has an important role as an antioxidant, protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

Why do we use ubiquinol in our supplements?

We’ve included ubiquinol in our Booster supplement as it is the active, more bioavailable, antioxidant form of CoQ10—it’s ready for immediate use by the body. Ubiquinol is an ideal complement to our NMN product  (a potent NAD+ precursor) since ubiquinol works in synergy with NAD+ to support energy-production and mitochondrial health in every cell of your body. It’s important to note that your body doesn’t store CoQ10. Therefore, to see continued benefits, it's essential to keep up a supplement routine.

Sources

1. Yamamoto, Y., & Yamashita, S. (1997). Plasma ratio of ubiquinol and ubiquinone as a marker of oxidative stress. Molecular aspects of medicine, 18 Suppl, S79–S84. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0098-2997(97)00007-1
2. Hernández-Camacho, Juan D et al. Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Aging and Disease. Frontiers in Physiology. 2018; 9(44) https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00044
3. Castro-Marrero, J., Sáez-Francàs, N., Segundo, M. J., Calvo, N., Faro, M., Aliste, L., Fernández de Sevilla, T., & Alegre, J. (2016). Effect of coenzyme Q10 plus nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide supplementation on maximum heart rate after exercise testing in chronic fatigue syndrome - A randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 35(4), 826–834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2015.07.010
4. Skarlovnik, A., Janić, M., Lunder, M., Turk, M., & Šabovič, M. (2014). Coenzyme Q10 supplementation decreases statin-related mild-to-moderate muscle symptoms: a randomized clinical study. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 20, 2183–2188. https://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.890777