Ubiquinol supplement health benefit,
dosage, comparison to ubiquinone - Is it
superior to CoQ10? What is the right dosage, how often should you take it?
Ray Sahelian, M.D.
October 10 2016
Ubiquinol is the
reduced form of coenzyme Q10.
Long term human research regarding its benefit versus regular
CoQ10 have not been done, therefore it is premature to
make any claims that a ubiquinol supplement is preferable to regular CoQ10
supplement or vice versa. There have been hundreds of studies in humans with
CoQ10 and hardly any with ubiquinol. This does not mean the latter offers less
medical benefit, we just don't know as much about it yet.
CoQ10 cycles between ubiquinone and ubiquinol in the production of
energy in mitochondria.
Q. The owner of the health food store where I buy my
supplements is a pretty knowledgeable guy and when I stopped there today to pick
up more CoQ10 he said he was pushing the folks that buy CoQ10 towards ubiquinol.
The small print on the bottle says it is a reduced form of CoQ10 for
enhanced absorption. Do you think it is indeed as good as (or maybe
better) than CoQ10 as an antioxidant / energy enhancer (what I use it for) or a
cholesterol lowering / diabetes controlling supplement (what my husband uses it
for...we both take 50 mgs/day, 7 days a week.
A. It's going to take a few years of additional clinical trials before
we can be more knowledgeable regarding their benefits and differences.
Role in animals
Ubiquinol is the two-electron reduction product of ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10 or
CoQ10 and functions as an antioxidant in both mitochondria and lipid membranes.
In humans and most mammals, including dogs, the predominant form of coenzyme Q
is coenzyme Q10, whereas the primary form in rodents is coenzyme Q9 or CoQ9.
Heart failure benefit
Nurs Health Sci. 2014. Myocardial energetics and ubiquinol in diastolic
heart failure. Diastolic heart failure, or heart failure with preserved ejection
fraction, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. There are no current
therapies effective in improving outcomes for these patients. The aim of this
article is to review the literature and examine the role of coenzyme Q10 in
heart failure with preserved ejection fraction related to mitochondrial
synthesis of adenosine triphosphate and reactive oxygen species production. The
study results reflect that myocardial energetics alters in diastolic heart
failure and that there is defective energy metabolism and increased oxidative
stress. Studies are emerging to evaluate coenzyme Q10 , particularly ubiquinol,
as a supplemental treatment for heart-failure patients. In diastolic
heart-failure patients, clinicians are beginning to use supplemental therapies
to improve patient outcomes, and one promising complementary treatment to
improve left ventricular diastolic function is ubiquinol. Additional studies are
needed using large-scale randomized models to confirm if ubiquinol would be
beneficial. Since ubiquinol is an antioxidant and is required for adenosine
triphosphate production, clinicians and health scientists should be aware of the
potential role of this supplement in the treatment of diastolic heart failure.
Kidney disease
Free Radic Res. Feb 2014. Ubiquinol supplementation protects against renal
ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats.
Statin cholesterol drug, protection from damage to
muscle testimonial received from the Netherlands April 2014
Dear Dr Sahelian, I just saw your video about co q10 and wanted to react on
the information given by you because I found out myself that in certain
circumstances at least up to 200 mg daily does not produce any counterreaction
regarding for example fatigue. I'm a survivor (realizing the reason for strong
deterioration of my brain about a year after my stroke plus lots of other sudden
serious problems like gonartrosis, Pds etc. Just in the right moment and
stopping 40mg of simvastatine plus 5mg of amlodipine (a devilish combination),
severe and partially NOT reversible statin damage (i stopped the statin in 2011 and started the co q10) I am suffering from muscle weakness while young,
having been sportive. My lack of energy /fatigue is extreme. Ubiquinol shoud be taken not just in one
dosage. I take 2 x 100mg a day. If i forget my afternoon dosage, my muscles
especially in arms and legs worsen immediately. pain, stiffness, difficulty to
get up and walk a bit. My fatigue then is extreme while sleeping also during the
day an hour. When i feel this way this is the reminder that i forgot my second
dosage. Within hours i can feel it in diverse ways the realization that i'm sooo
tired and muscles are hurting always comes first, then always i realize...
forgot to take my second dosage. Without the 200mg I cannot get through the day
and then i cannot work anymore and merely can do little of whatever on a day.
but with ubiquinol i can do some every day although i do have household help
etc. the pain in my colon / sigmoid was so strong that after three quarter of a
year i decided that if it does not get better over half a year i would ask for
euthanasia. there was no help, no understanding. i went through a hell.
fortunately shortly after having taken that decision i understood why i was so
sick. my muscles got better after stopping the statin (it was much worse than
now while this is difficult to live with), my brain stopped deteriorating but
did not improve since then anymore. my kidney pain and heart pain stopped
immediately. my colon needed a lot of time to heal a bit. still i cannot take
even melatonine... the colon immediately gets attacked and i will suffer for two
monthes again lots of pain just for having taken some pills of melatonine. my
colon still behaves strange. Just wanted to let you know how damaging statins
can be and how helpful ubiquinol can be. i could not live without it anymore.
and the 200mg a day make my day, give me the energy i at least need to get along
anyhow. without the second dosage of 100mg a day my fatigue catches up with me
extremely. i think you might warn people of a dosage too high, surely of not
taking it just before going to sleep, but you might also tell them that with for
example statin damage a dosage as high as i take might be necessary.
Q. I am confused about the difference between CoQ10 and
the concentrated Ubiquinol. I take 10 mg of a statin medication.
A. There are no studies yet to tell us which is better or more effective.
Safety, side effects, risk,
danger
Study on safety and bioavailability of ubiquinol (Kaneka QH) after
single and 4-week multiple oral administration to healthy volunteers.
Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2007. Pharmacology and Toxicology Group, Life Science
Research Laboratories, Kaneka Corporation, Takasa-cho, Takasago-shi, Hyogo, Japan.
The safety and bioavailability of ubiquinol, a naturally occurring lipid-soluble nutrient, were evaluated for the
first time in single-blind, placebo-controlled studies with healthy subjects
after administration of a single oral dose of 150 or 300mg and after oral
administration of 90, 150, or 300mg for 4 weeks. No clinically relevant changes
in results of standard laboratory tests, physical examination, vital signs, or ECG induced by ubiquinol
were observed in any dosage groups. Following single or multiple-doses of ubiquinol in
healthy volunteers, significant absorption of ubiquinol from the
gastrointestinal tract was observed, and no safety concerns were noted on
standard laboratory tests for safety or on assessment of adverse events for
doses of up to 300mg for up to 2 weeks after treatment completion.
Testimonial
I am taking 50 mg of Coq10 (active form - Ubiquinol) and 50 mg Alpha Lipoic
Acid. After a week or two I started to get this new sense of calm. It felt good.
But, then my insomnia (which was improving) got worse. Waking up at 3 or 4 am,
weak sleep, feeling non refreshed etc. But, I had plenty of energy during the
day. So, I’m trying to figure out if the worsening insomnia is the Coq10 or ALA.
I also felt the ALA has helped me feel better between meals as I had some
reactive hypoglycemia.
A. They both can cause insomnia, therefore taking both together at
these dosages can make the sleep problems worse.
Studies and research
Biofactors 2016. Coenzyme Q10 redox state predicts the concentration of
c-reactive protein in a large caucasian cohort. In the present study the
relationship between the CoQ10 redox state (% oxidized form of CoQ10 ) and the
serum level of c-reactive protein (CRP) was investigated in a large Caucasian
study population. In order to evaluate independently the influence of the
variables that predict the outcome of CRP. It was discovered that the ubiquinol
status significantly correlated to the concentration of the inflammation marker
monocyte chemotactic protein 1. It is concluded that CoQ10 redox state predicts
the concentration of CRP. Persons at risk with lower ubiquinol status, higher
BMI, and low grade inflammation may benefit from ubiquinol supplementation.
Ubiquinol and the papaverine derivative caroverine
prevent the expression of tumour- promoting factors in adenoma and carcinoma
colon cancer cells induced by dietary fat.
Biofactors. 2005.
High consumption of dietary fat promotes colon carcinogenesis. While this effect
is well known the underlying mechanism is not understood. Fatty acid
hydroperoxides (LOOH) arise from unsaturated fatty acids in the presence of
oxygen and elevated temperature during food processing. An approach was made
starting from the assumption that LOOH are present in dietary fats as a result
of boiling. LOOH undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of iron. We
studied their effects on gene expression in colorectal tumour cells using
linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LOOH) as model compound. Addition to the medium of
LT97 adenoma and SW480 carcinoma cells enhanced the production of hydrogen
peroxide. Both cell lines were observed to increase VEGF and COX-II expression
based on mRNA. Expression of VEGF was inhibited by caroverine and ubiquinon.
Kaneka Corporation ubiquinol
Scientists at Kaneka Corporation, the world's largest manufacturer of CoQ10,
developed the method to produce ubiquinol, commercially available as KanekaQH,
for supplemental use.
Bluebonnet Nutrition Announces
Free March 29 Retailer Webinar On Ubiquinol
SUGAR LAND, TEXAS, 2007 – Bluebonnet Nutrition is proud to sponsor
the first in a series of free online educational seminars through Virgo
Publishing’s Nutrilearn.com website geared towards retailers in the natural
products marketplace. Set for Thursday, March 29 at 2:00pm EDT, the first
retailer Webinar entitled: "The Most Relevant Breakthrough in Baby-Boomer
Nutrition Since Glucosamine: Ubiquinol - The Active Form of CoQ10 " will be
presented by Carl Germano, RD, CNS, LDN, clinical nutritionist, best-selling
author, frequent radio guest/lecturer and SVP, R&D at Millennium
Biotechnologies. With more than 20 years of product development experience, Mr.
Carl Germano has been instrumental in bringing some of the most cutting-edge
nutritional ingredients and formulations to the dietary/medical supplement
industry. This free retailer Webinar will focus on the science behind this
revolutionary ingredient and how converging health factors in the baby-boomer
market as well as the tremendous growth of CoQ10 sales over the past decade make
Ubiquinol the most important innovation to hit the senior market in years.
About Bluebonnet Corporation
Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation, headquartered in Sugar Land, TX, is a
nutritional supplement manufacturer providing a full line of dietary supplements
to natural food retailers throughout the U.S.
About Nutrilearn and Virgo Publishing
Virgo Publishing produces the SupplySide Trade Shows and Conferences, Focus on
the Future Executive Conference and Retreat, and the online education website,
Nutrilearn; and publishes Natural Products INSIDER, Food Product Design and
Natural Products Marketplace magazines.
Questions
Q. I read your article on coenzyme Q10, and was wondering what your thoughts are
about an article on ubiquinol on the Life Extension Foundation website that
claims this, "In what may be the most significant breakthrough in the history of
the dietary supplement industry, Japan’s largest CoQ10 producer has discovered a
way to deliver the highest concentrations of the most biologically active form
of coenzyme Q10 to the bloodstream. This improved form of CoQ10 not only absorbs
up to eight times better, but also has demonstrated unprecedented anti-aging
effects compared to placebo and compared to the coenzyme Q10 you are using now.
This novel CoQ10 compound ubiquinol could revolutionize how a number of
age-related disorders are both prevented and treated. In order for the
ubiquinone form of CoQ10 to be properly utilized, it first must be reduced in
the body to its active metabolite known as ubiquinol. While most
ubiquinone is
naturally reduced to ubiquinol, the optimal way to supplement with CoQ10 would
be to ingest it in its ready-to-use ubiquinol form. After years of painstaking
research, Japan’s largest producer of coenzyme Q10 has developed a patented
method to stabilize ubiquinol so that it can be swallowed in a capsule for
utilization by cells throughout the body. The ramifications of widespread use of
this novel form of CoQ10 are profound. For the first time, it may be possible to
achieve the sustained high blood levels of biologically active ubiquinol CoQ10
needed to delay certain manifestations of aging and its related disorders."
A. In order to make claims that a particular supplement is better
than another version, human studies have to be done head to head for at least a
few months or preferably a few years. Such studies have not been done with
ubiquinol and CoQ10. Hence, the claims made above are premature and appear to be
more marketing than science. We are not saying that ubiquinol is not beneficial.
We are just saying that it is premature to make any such claims when not even
one good human study has been done, and it appears that the claims are being
made by those who want to sell ubiquinol. It is possible that too high a dose of
ubiquinol in the body may actually be harmful or throw body chemistry off
balance.
Q. I noticed that your webpage about ubiquinol states
that there have been no studies indicating that health benefits of ubiquinol
might be superior to ubiquinone.
There is a Cardiologist, Peter Langsjoen, MD, in Tyler, TX, who has been
studying CoQ10 and recently conducted a clinical trial, supplementing ubiquinol,
in patients with CHF, with very impressive results. Perhaps there are no head to
head clinical studies directly comparing ubiquinol to ubiquinone yet, but the
results Dr. Langsjoen reports considerably exceed beneficial effects previously
observed with ubiquinone supplementation. The article says, "Ubiquinol, only
available in supplement form since late 2006, is the active antioxidant form of
Coenzyme Q10. CoQ10, a vitamin-like substance found in every cell in the
body, plays a vital role in cellular energy production and protects cells from
free radical damage. In the first clinical trial evaluating ubiquinol effects on
late-stage congestive heart failure, cardiologist Peter Langsjoen found that
critically ill patients who supplemented with ubiquinol for just three months
experienced a 24 to 50 percent increase in their hearts' ability to pump blood.
In some cases, patients' plasma levels of CoQ10, which are key to overall heart
health, more than tripled. At the start of the study, each of the patients
evaluated had a life expectancy of less than six months. However, all
demonstrated significantly improved heart function by the trial's end, and
survived past initial expectations.
A. It would be helpful to see a head to head comparison.
Q. I found out myself that in certain circumstances at least up to 200 mg daily does not produce any counterreaction regarding for example fatigue. I'm a survivor (realizing the reason for strong deterioration of my brain about a year after my stroke plus lots of other sudden serious problems like gonartrosis, Pds etc. Just in the right moment and stopping 40mg of simvastatin plus 5mg of amlodipine (a devilish combination), severe and partially NOT reversible statin damage (i stopped the statin in Nov 2011 and started the co q10) I am suffering from muscle weakness while young, having been sportive etc... putting up the washing to dry is very hard for me... my lack of energy /fatigue is extreme. Ubiquinol shoud be taken not just in one dosage. I take 2 x 100mg a day. If i forget my afternoon dosage, my muscles especially in arms and legs worsen immediately. pain, stiffness, difficulty to get up and walk a bit. My fatigue then is extreme while sleeping also during the day an hour. When i feel this way this is the reminder that i forgot my second dosage. Within hours i can feel it in diverse ways the realization that i'm sooo tired and muscles are hurting always comes first, then always i realize... forgot to take my second dosage. Without the 200mg I cannot get through the day and then i cannot work anymore and merely can do little of whatever on a day. but with ubiquinol i can do some every day although i do have household help etc. the pain in my colon / sigmoid was so strong that after three quarter of a year i decided that if it does not get better over half a year i would ask for euthanasia. there was no help, no understanding. i went through a hell. fortunately shortly after having taken that decision i understood why i was so sick. my muscles got better after stopping the statin (it was much worse than now while this is difficult to live with), my brain stopped deteriorating but did not improve since then anymore. my kidney pain and heart pain stopped immediately. my colon needed a lot of time to heal a bit. still i cannot take even melatonine... the colon immediately gets attacked and i will suffer for two months again lots of pain just for having taken some pills of melatonin. my colon still behaves strange. Just wanted to let you know how damaging statins can be and how helpful ubiquinol can be. i could not live without it anymore. and the 200mg a day make my day, give me the energy i at least need to get along anyhow. without the second dosage of 100mg a day my fatigue catches up with me extremely. i think you might warn people of a dosage too high, surely of not taking it just before going to sleep, but you might also tell them that with for example statin damage a dosage as high as i take might be necessary.
Healthy
Origins Ubiquinol
Buy Ubiquinol pills
Healthy
Origins Ubiquinol (also called Kaneka QH) is the active "antioxidant" form of
CoQ10, responsible for the powerful preventative benefits associated with CoQ10.
Normally, the conversion process from CoQ10 to Ubiquinol occurs naturally in the
body. Supplementing with Ubiquinol is important for individuals who may have
difficulty with the natural conversion of CoQ10 to Ubiquinol.
Buy Ubiquinol 50 mg pill
Supplement Facts | ||
Serving Size: 1 Softgel | ||
Amount Per Serving | % DV | |
Ubiquinol (Kaneka QH) | 50 mg | † |
Dosage: Take one pill in the morning a few times a week.