The CoQ10 found in supplements comes in two forms: either ubiquinone or ubiquinol. Both forms exist naturally in your blood, but ubiquinone has to be converted by your body into ubiquinol in order to obtain all the health benefits associated with CoQ10. Ubiquinol is the predominant form comprising 90% of the CoQ10 in the blood of a healthy young person.
The first CoQ10 in supplemental form appeared on the market over 30 years ago in the ubiquinone form. Because it was the initial form and has been around for so long, it is the most recognized form and thus is referred to as the conventional, standard or regular form of CoQ10 and it is what is being referred to when the word “CoQ10” is used.
The ubiquinol form was less stable and it was not discovered how to stabilize it for supplementation until 2007 when Kaneka Nutrients introduced Kaneka Ubiquinol. This advanced form is referred to specifically as “ubiquinol, CoQ10 ubiquinol or ubiquinol Coq10.”
This was a major breakthrough in CoQ10 supplementation. By supplementing CoQ10 in the ubiquinol form, your body does not have to convert it from ubiquinone to ubiquinol, and thus it is already in the form your body can use. This is important because in your body, the natural conversion of ubiquinone to ubiquinol declines as you age. It also declines if you experience illness, stress, fatigue or take prescription drugs, especially statins. The resulting reduced levels in turn lead to a decrease in the health of your body. Age-related conversion decline starts in your thirties and declines as you get older. Because of this conversion reduction, conventional CoQ10 supplementation becomes less and less effective as you age, whereas ubiquinol bypasses the conversion process and is utilized directly by your body. Studies confirm ubiquinol to be significantly better absorbed and more effective than conventional CoQ10.
Another benefit of ubiquinol is that it is a powerful antioxidant. Ubiquinone is not, so although some conventional CoQ10 products are advertised as an antioxidant, actually they are not. You will notice on the label of some ubiquinol products, it will say, “Active Form of CoQ10”. Ubiquinol is referred to as the “active” form because it is an active antioxidant, and it is actively promoting cellular energy. The problem with conventional CoQ10 is that your body must convert it into ubiquinol before it becomes active as an antioxidant, and before it can help make the cellular energy your heart and other organs need to function properly.
Beware, some conventional CoQ10 brands falsely promote their products as containing ubiquinol, so be sure and check that ubiquinol is listed on the product label.
If you are under 30 years old, in excellent health and leading a healthy balanced life, conventional CoQ10 would be acceptable to consume. Otherwise, ubiquinol is the superior form of CoQ10 supplementation offering significantly more benefits than conventional CoQ10.
The first CoQ10 in supplemental form appeared on the market over 30 years ago in the ubiquinone form. Because it was the initial form and has been around for so long, it is the most recognized form and thus is referred to as the conventional, standard or regular form of CoQ10 and it is what is being referred to when the word “CoQ10” is used.
The ubiquinol form was less stable and it was not discovered how to stabilize it for supplementation until 2007 when Kaneka Nutrients introduced Kaneka Ubiquinol. This advanced form is referred to specifically as “ubiquinol, CoQ10 ubiquinol or ubiquinol Coq10.”
This was a major breakthrough in CoQ10 supplementation. By supplementing CoQ10 in the ubiquinol form, your body does not have to convert it from ubiquinone to ubiquinol, and thus it is already in the form your body can use. This is important because in your body, the natural conversion of ubiquinone to ubiquinol declines as you age. It also declines if you experience illness, stress, fatigue or take prescription drugs, especially statins. The resulting reduced levels in turn lead to a decrease in the health of your body. Age-related conversion decline starts in your thirties and declines as you get older. Because of this conversion reduction, conventional CoQ10 supplementation becomes less and less effective as you age, whereas ubiquinol bypasses the conversion process and is utilized directly by your body. Studies confirm ubiquinol to be significantly better absorbed and more effective than conventional CoQ10.
Another benefit of ubiquinol is that it is a powerful antioxidant. Ubiquinone is not, so although some conventional CoQ10 products are advertised as an antioxidant, actually they are not. You will notice on the label of some ubiquinol products, it will say, “Active Form of CoQ10”. Ubiquinol is referred to as the “active” form because it is an active antioxidant, and it is actively promoting cellular energy. The problem with conventional CoQ10 is that your body must convert it into ubiquinol before it becomes active as an antioxidant, and before it can help make the cellular energy your heart and other organs need to function properly.
Beware, some conventional CoQ10 brands falsely promote their products as containing ubiquinol, so be sure and check that ubiquinol is listed on the product label.
If you are under 30 years old, in excellent health and leading a healthy balanced life, conventional CoQ10 would be acceptable to consume. Otherwise, ubiquinol is the superior form of CoQ10 supplementation offering significantly more benefits than conventional CoQ10.