You’ve likely heard of CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) and may have even heard about it’s more easily absorbable form, Ubiquinol, but do you know what role it plays in the body?

Here are five you things you should know about the powerful antioxidant that is Ubiquinol.

1. Provides energy

Ubiquinol is the natural booster found in every cell of the human body that can help provide our cells with the energy to function. Our bodies need Ubiquinol to help convert carbohydrates and fats into energy which in turn helps promote cellular regeneration and reduces feelings of fatigue. As we age, however, our body’s ability to produce Ubiquinol declines.[1]

2. A strong antioxidant

One of the main roles of antioxidants in the body is to help combat free radical activity and oxidative stress. Ubiquinol is a powerful antioxidant that can help to regulate the damaging effects of free radicals and oxidative stress, which is directly related to the ageing process.[2]

3. Supports heart health

Research shows that Ubiquinol helps to maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system[3]^,[4] by providing the cellular energy needed to keep the heart pumping well. Energy demands of the heart are among the highest in the body, requiring significant amounts of cellular energy to function.

4. May reduce the side effects of statins

The most common side effect of statins – anti-cholesterol medication – is muscle pain. Studies have shown that a deficiency of CoQ10 as a result of taking statins, may be related to muscle pain.[5]^,[6] Supplementing with CoQ10 may help to reduce mild-to-moderate statin-related muscular pain.[7]

5. May help exercise recovery

As we age the level of Ubiquinol in our body decreases naturally, which makes it harder for us to recover from our workouts, and may leave us feeling higher levels of fatigue. Supplementing with Ubiquinol may lower the degree of inflammation after exertion and intense physical exercise, which may help with muscle recovery.[8]
[1]. Garrido-Maraver J, Cordero MD, Oropesa-Ávila M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 Therapy. Molecular Syndromology. 2014;5(3-4):187-197.

^[2]. Lobo V, Patil A, Phatak A, Chandra N. Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health. Pharmacognosy Reviews. 2010;4(8):118-126.

[3]. Onur S, Niklowitz P, Jacobs G, et al. Ubiquinol reduces gamma glutamyltransferase as a marker of oxidative stress in humans. BMC Research Notes. 2014;7:427.

[4]. Fischer, A, et al. Coenzyme Q10 redox state predicts the concentration of c-reactive protein in a large caucasian cohort. Biofactors 2016; 42(3):268-76.

[5] Harper CR, Jacobson TA: The broad spectrum of statin myopathy: from myalgia to rhabdomyolysis. Curr Opin Lipidol, 2007; 18: 401–8

[6] Wyman M, Leonard M, Morledge T: Coenzyme Q10: a therapy for hypertension and statin-induced mylgia? Cleve Clin J Med, 2010; 77: 435–42

[7] Marcoff L, Thompson PD: The role of coenzyme Q10 in statin-associated myopathy: a systematic review. J Am Coll Cardiol, 2007; 49: 2231–37

[8] Sarmiento, A., Diaz-Castro, J., Pulido-Moran, M., Moreno-Fernandez, J., Kajarabille, N., Chirosa, I., Guisado, I. M., Javier Chirosa, L., Guisado, R. and Ochoa, J. J. (2016), Short-term ubiquinol supplementation reduces oxidative stress associated with strenuous exercise in healthy adults: A randomized trial. BioFactors, 42: 612–622.