Ubiquinol Ubiquinone health benefit, dosage 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg research studies, side effects - Comparing the two nutrients, which form is better?
Ubiquinol is the reduced form of ubiquinone, also known as Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10. Ubiquinol is a potent antioxidant of lipid membranes. Since becoming available over the counter, many vitamin companies have started selling ubiquinol supplements as an alternative to ubiquinone. Here are some of the claims you may read on web sites and our response:
Ubiquinol, the pre-converted, active antioxidant form of CoQ10, offers the
same important health benefits as CoQ10. Because it is pre-converted, ubiquinol
Q10 is ready for immediate use in those 40 and older, and those who have
conditions associated with normal aging.
It is quite possible that ubiquinol offers the same benefits as
CoQ10, but until further studies are published this is a premature statement.
Perhaps it may offer benefits that are superior to coenzyme q10 but this remains
to be evaluated. The former is much more expensive than the latter supplement.
As with ubiquinone q10, there are no known major side effects.
Ubiquinone has minor side effects that include insomnia and next day
fatigue if very high doses are taken daily for a few days or weeks. The long
term side effects of high dosage use are not well known.
Helps compensate for the age-related reduction in the body’s ability to
convert ubiquinone into ubiquinol.
This may be true but still to early to say for certain.
Ubiquinol works better for congestive heart failure than coenzyme Q10.
One human study actually does show this claim to be true.
Purchase Over the counter supplement
on sale
Dosage in supplements
Ubiquinol is sold over the counter on various internet sites in doses but most
commonly ranging from 50 mg to 100 mg. Here are some examples:
Ubiquinol (Reduced Form of CoQ10) 50 mg
Enhanced bioactivity CoQ10 50 mg
Q10 100 mg
200 mg
Question from a consumer regarding the comparison between these two
supplements
I would love to hear your opinion about the different forms and best forms (natural and synthetic,absorbable and less
absorbable? There was an article in our local paper and the writer claimed ubiquinol was better than ubiquinone.
Until several long term studies are done comparing them, in varying dosages, for different medical conditions
and for varied time periods, it is premature to claim one form is better than
another. One preliminary study indicates that ubiquinol may be better in those
with congestive heart failure. As far as people who don't have any major health
issues and want to take these supplements as antioxidants, it is not clear
whether one form holds an advantage over another. Most people who take a ubiquinone supplement use a dosage ranging
from 30 to 100 mg a day. But how many people really benefit from these dosages?
What if these amounts are much higher than what the body needs. Therefore, even
if ubiquinol is better absorbed, would an excess exposure to ubiquinol or
ubiquinone over time cause the body more harm than good?
I have been reading a lot of information on the internet
about Co Q10. Basically it is saying that if you are over 40 and/or have a
chronic illness then ubiquinone is not coverted easily in the body to ubiquinol
which is the form best used. As I am over 40 and have been diagnosed with
C.R.E.S.T. and fibromyalgia (my doctor suggests that the fibromyalgia is a by
product of CREST and that CREST is my real problem), would I be wasting my time
in taking ubiquinone products. These seem to be the most readily available form
in New Zealand and I have been struggling to find a product sold here in the
ubiquinol form. Also have there been any studies done to substantiate this claim
between which is the better of the two to take. Co Q10 appears to be helpful to
patients suffering from ME / CFS and fibromyalgia according to different sites
on the internet.
As of now, for practical purposes, we think both forms are of
benefit.
There is a report on Human Events newsletter by a
Dr. Sears of Primal Force products that states that coq10 as ubquinone is not
absorbed into the body and I was wondering what your response is.
The review of studies we have done shows ubiquinone is well
absorbed.
Dosage for long term use
Until more research is available, those who are healthy and want to take
these supplements for anti-aging or health improving reasons should keep dosage
low. We suggest no more than 50 mg of ubiquinol twice a week. This is also true
for ubiquinone supplements. Those who are taking these supplements for
therapeutic reasons, for instance congestive heart failure, are likely to need
higher dosages or may need to take these pills daily.
Physiological roles
Ubiquinone (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring component present in living
cells. Its physiological function is to act as an essential cofactor for ATP
production, and to perform important antioxidant activities in the body. In many
countries, Ubiquinone has been widely used as a dietary supplement for several
decades.
Ubiquinol, the reduced form of ubiquinone, has an anti-inflammatory effects on various proinflammatory
cytokines and chemokines in vitro.
Ubiquinol Human studies
There have been very few studies in humans compared to many
clinical trials done with ubiquinone.
Ubiquinol for congestive heart failure
Supplemental ubiquinol in patients with advanced congestive heart failure.
Biofactors. 2008; Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen AM. East Texas Medical Center
and Trinity Mother Francis Hospital, TX, USA.
Patients with congestive heart failure, NYHA class IV, often fail to achieve
adequate plasma CoQ10 levels on supplemental ubiquinone at dosages up to 900
mg/day. These patients often have plasma total CoQ10 levels of less than 2.5
microg/ml and have limited clinical improvement. It is postulated that the
intestinal edema in these critically ill patients may impair CoQ10 absorption.
We identified seven patients with advanced congestive heart failure (mean EF
22%) with sub-therapeutic plasma CoQ10 levels with mean level of 1.6 microg/ml
on an average dose of 450 mg of ubiquinone daily (150-600 mg/day). All seven of
these patients were changed to an average of 580 mg/day of ubiquinol (450-900
mg/day) with follow-up plasma CoQ10 levels, clinical status, and ejection
fraction measurements by echocardiography. Mean plasma CoQ10 levels increased. Mean EF improved from 22% (10-35%) up to
39% (10-60%) and clinical improvement has been remarkable with NYHA class
improving from a mean of IV to a mean of II (I to III). Ubiquinol has
dramatically improved absorption in patients with severe heart failure and the
improvement in plasma CoQ10 levels is correlated with both clinical improvement
and improvement in measurement of left ventricular function.
Ubiquinone human studies
Over the past few decades many studies have been conducted with
ubiquinone supplements.
Fertility and sperm health and movement
CoQ10 and male infertility
J Endocrinol Invest. 2009. Endocrinology, Andrology Unit, Polytechnic University of
Marche, Umberto I Hospital, Ancona, Italy.
We had previously demonstrated that ubiquinone is present in well measurable
levels in human seminal fluid, where it probably exerts important metabolic and
antioxidant functions; seminal CoQ10 concentrations show a direct correlation
with seminal parameters (count and motility). Alterations of CoQ10 content were
also shown in conditions associated with male infertility, such as poor motility
of sperm and varicocele. We evaluated CoQ10 concentration and distribution
between seminal plasma and spermatozoa in varicocele, before and after surgical
treatment, and in infertile patients after rh-FSH therapy. In two distinct
studies conducted by our group, twenty-two and sixty patients affected by
idiopathic poor sperm motility were enrolled respectively. CoQ10 and its reduced
form, ubiquinol, increased significantly both in seminal plasma and sperm cells
after treatment, as well as spermatozoa motility. A weak linear dependence among
the relative variations, at baseline and after treatment, of seminal plasma or
intracellular coenzyme Q10, ubiquinol levels and kinetic parameters was found in
the treated group. Patients with lower baseline value of motility and CoQ10
levels had a statistically significant higher probability to be responders to
the treatment. In conclusion, the exogenous administration of CoQ10 increases
both ubiquinone and ubiquinol levels in semen and can be effective in improving
sperm kinetic features in patients affected by idiopathic asthenozoospermia.
Ubiquinone supplements and statin therapy
Effects of ubiquinone on myopathy in statin users.
Curr Opin Lipidol. 2008. Department of Internal
Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Statins are associated with muscle complaints, including myositis. The mechanism
through which statin use causes muscle toxicity is unknown. One of the theories
is that statin therapy reduces ubiquinone levels in muscle mitochondria,
which leads to muscle injury and myopathy. The aim of the present article is to
review published data on the association between ubiquinone and statin-associated
myopathy. Studies have consistently shown that statins reduce ubiquinone levels
in serum and that supplementation of ubiquinone increases these levels. However,
the effect of statin therapy on ubiquinone levels in muscle has been
conflicting. Recently, two pilot studies on ubiquinone supplementation in statin-induced
myopathy and one study on the effect of ubiquinone supplementation on serum
muscle enzyme levels were published. These three studies were the first
randomized trials with ubiquinone supplementation in hypercholesterolemic
patients treated with statins. The results of these trials have been
contradictory; whereas one seems to support supplementation with ubiquinone, the
other two do not.
Manufacturers
Kaneka corporation from Japan is a raw ingredient source of ubiquinol. Kaneka
has their own patented version of this supplement.