Ubiquinol vs Ubiquinone
How ubiquinol and ubiquinone differ in potency, absorption, tolerance, and cost.
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Side by Side
| Ubiquinol | Ubiquinone | |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption | Moderate | Low |
| How it is absorbed | The reduced form, which predominates in plasma. Some studies show higher plasma CoQ10 per mg than ubiquinone, especially in older adults; the body interconverts the two forms. | Highly lipophilic with a large molecular weight; absorption is slow and incomplete, improved by taking with fat and by solubilized or oil-based formulations. Reduced to ubiquinol during or after absorption. |
| Typical dose | 100-200 mg daily with a meal | 100-300 mg daily with a meal |
| Common uses | older adults, people with low plasma response to ubiquinone | statin-associated muscle symptoms (mixed evidence), heart failure adjunct, migraine prevention |
| Side effects | As for ubiquinone. | Mild GI upset, insomnia at high evening doses. May reduce warfarin effect. |
| Cost | High | Low |
| Also called | reduced CoQ10, Kaneka QH | coenzyme Q10, CoQ10 (oxidized) |
| Labels in index | 382 | 393 |
When to Choose Ubiquinol
Choose ubiquinol when plasma levels did not rise adequately on ubiquinone. Oxidizes on air exposure, so it is sold in softgels.
Ubiquinol
Plasma levels ran higher in a small study, and the advantage shrinks when ubiquinone is taken with fat. Not worth double the price by default.
What to look for: Kaneka ubiquinol (Kaneka QH) in softgels, stored away from heat.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkWhen to Choose Ubiquinone
Choose ubiquinone when you want the form used in most trials at a lower cost. The form used in Q-SYMBIO (300 mg/day) and most clinical trials. Formulation affects absorption at least as much as redox state.
Ubiquinone
The form used in Q-SYMBIO. In an oil-based softgel taken with food, it is the value choice.
What to look for: 100-200 mg oil-suspended softgels, taken with the largest meal and split if the daily dose exceeds 100 mg.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkProducts on Titrate
In Titrate's index of NIH label data, 382 labels named as coenzyme Q10 products list ubiquinol and 393 list ubiquinone.
Coenzyme Q10 does not have its own search category yet. Each product above links to its full label in the NIH database.
Related
References
NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Coenzyme Q10.
Sándor PS, et al. Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial. Neurology. 2005;64(4):713-715.
Bhagavan HN, Chopra RK. Coenzyme Q10: absorption, tissue uptake, metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Free Radic Res. 2006;40(5):445-453.
Holland S, et al. Evidence-based guideline update: NSAIDs and other complementary treatments for episodic migraine prevention in adults. Neurology. 2012;78(17):1346-1353.
Mortensen SA, et al. The effect of coenzyme Q10 on morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure: results from Q-SYMBIO: a randomized double-blind trial. JACC Heart Fail. 2014;2(6):641-649.
Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen AM. Comparison study of plasma coenzyme Q10 levels in healthy subjects supplemented with ubiquinol versus ubiquinone. Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev. 2014;3(1):13-17.
Banach M, et al. Effects of coenzyme Q10 on statin-induced myopathy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90(1):24-34.
Qu H, et al. Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on Statin-Induced Myopathy: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7(19):e009835.