CoQ10 is naturally produced by your body and plays a key role in maintaining your overall health, supporting healthy blood sugar levels, mitochondrial function, and brain health.
CoQ10 supplements can treat a variety of diseases, and low levels have been associated with a variety of medical conditions. Since levels drop as you age, it’s important to supplement with CoQ10 on a regular basis.
Below, you’ll find the best CoQ10 supplements, ranked and reviewed by our expert health team.
Rankings
1. HeathWise CoQ10
HealthWise’s 100% natural supplement provides 240 mg of elite CoQ10 per serving without any artificial ingredients. It also promotes healthy joints and immune system responses.
What we like: HeathWise CoQ10 works on a molecular level to improve your cellular energy production and support healthy blood sugar levels. It’s also free of most common allergens, GMOs, and is made in the USA to maximize purity.
Flaws: This CoQ10 doesn’t absorb as quickly as others, which may put some people off. Regardless, it’s our #1 pick of 2020.
2. Essential Elements
Essential Elements CoQ10 is 2.6X more absorbable and will help you maintain a healthy immune function. It contains no GMOs, gluten, dairy, or preservatives.
What we like: With its patented formula, Essential elements delivers a powerful coq10 supplement that has high bioavailability and supports your brain, heart, and vascular system.
Flaws: This supplement help improve exercise capacity as much as other supplements.
3. Qunol Ultra
Qunol Ultra provides 3X better absorption than regular CoQ10, and is 100% water and fat-soluble. It contains no additives, colors, or preservatives.
What we like: QuNol Ultra is the #1 recommended form of CoQ10 by Cardiologists. Since it comes in soft gels, it’s easy to swallow – making it easier to experience the benefits. It can also help rebuild the CoQ10 lost from statin drug users.
Flaws: This CoQ10 supplement doesn’t improve your blood pressure as much as others.
4. Doctor’s Best High Absorption
Doctor’s Best CoQ10 supplement will support brain health, immune performance, skin health, exercise capacity, gum health, and more. It’s easily absorbed and supports your cardiovascular health.
What we like: Formulated with Bioperine to improve absorption, this natural black pepper extract helps to restore your body’s depleted CoQ10 swiftly and efficiently; which is especially beneficial for older folks and those currently taking statin drugs.
Flaws: The dose per capsule might be underwhelming for some and this supplement isn’t known for improving headaches or migraines.
5. Qunol Mega Ubiquinol
Qunol Mega Ubiquinol is designed to provide fast absorption so that you can reap the benefits quickly. It’s patented formula makes it 100% water-soluble and fat-soluble. It’s also important for the production of energy produced by our cells.
What we like: Qunol provides the #1 cardiologist recommended CoQ10. This includes 100mg of Ubiquinol per serving to help saturate your body as quickly as possible without overloading it.
Flaws: While it can be found cheaper, this product isn’t as good as Qunol Ultra.
6. Nature’s Made
Nature’s Made provides 200mg of CoQ10 per serving, ensuring that even the most deficient individual can safely and quickly replenish their levels.
What we like: Nature’s Made CoQ10 will help support your cellular energy production and heart function. It contains a 40 days supply of 200mg of CoQ10 per serving, making it one of the best bang for your buck products on the market.
Flaws: The bioavailability in this supplement is not as good as others.
7. Puritan’s Pride
Puritans Pride will help support a healthy heart and cardiovascular functioning. It contains 100mg of CoQ10 per serving, making it great for newer users.
What we like: Puritan’s Pride CoQ10 provides rapid release soft gels that are easy to swallow. This allows for quick absorption of CoQ10, ensuring that you can receive the benefits as quickly as possible.
Flaws: This supplement doesn’t help combat aging as effectively as others.
8. SmartyPants Women’s Formula
SmartyPants Women’s Formula provides 17 essential nutrients, including vitamin D3 for immune health, vitamin B12 for energy, vitamin K for bones, and vitamin E for antioxidant support. Omega 3’s are also included.
What we like: SmartyPants Women’s Formula includes extra premium ingredients, including beta carotene, vitamin B6, vitamin K12, and choline. These gummy vitamins also include Biotin for women to help them maintain healthy hair, skin, and nails, and iodine for thyroid support.
Flaws: This supplement is only for women and fails to provide the proper nutrients and dosages for men’s bodies.
9. Foxxy Doc
Foxxy Doc provides 200 mg of CoQ10, making it ideal for more experienced users. It’s highly absorbable, providing fast cellular energy to your heart and brain.
What we like: This product will help increase your cognitive function, energy, and endurance. It also slows down the effects of aging. It’s made without any junk fillers, and only contains natural ingredients.
Flaws: You won’t see much muscle pain support.
10. Kirkland Signature
Kirkland Signature CoQ10 is highly potent, making it an excellent option to support your heart, blood pressure, and brain. It’s also great for supporting maximum energy production.
What we like: Kirkland Signature provides one of the highest potency CoQ10 supplements on the market with 300mg per serving. It has no artificial colors and comes in an easy to swallow soft gel formula.
Flaws: The absorption in this supplement could be faster.
Who Needs CoQ10?
Your body naturally produces CoQ10, but if you’re low in this nutrient, it can cause a multitude of problems in your body. Low levels have been shown to put you at risk for degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and cardiovascular disease. Because your levels naturally decline as you age, it makes sense to that people over the age of 35 should look into supplementing with it regularly to restore their levels.
CoQ10 can treat people who are prone to headaches and migraines. CoQ10 is also a beneficial supplement to take if you’re on a statin prescription. Statin, a medication that lowers your cholesterol, lowers your CoQ10 levels, and taking a CoQ10 supplement can balance this drawback.
CoQ10 can also improve your skin health, physical performance, and muscle pain, so even if you’re not deficient in this nutrient, your body may benefit from it. People on medication, especially chemotherapy drugs and blood pressure mediation, should be careful with CoQ10 as it may negatively interact with these medications.
Pregnant, nursing women, and children shouldn’t supplement with CoQ10 unless otherwise directed by a healthcare professional.
How We Ranked
One of the first things we looked at when ranking the best CoQ10 supplements on the market was the absorption and bioavailability. Bioavailability refers to how much of a substance actually gets absorbed and used by your body. As such, products with high bioavailability provided the most powerful doses and best bang for your buck. This is a main reason why Essential Elements was our #1 pick CoQ10, being 2.6X more absorbable. Qunol Ultra also ranked in the top 5 because it’s absorption is better than standard CoQ10.
CoQ10 is well known for providing a multitude of benefits, including improving cellular energy, and managing blood sugar levels. Kirkland sneaked its way on our list for the very reason that it gives you more energy. Nature’s Made also made the list for providing superior CoQ10 that focuses on your body’s natural enhancing cellular energy production.
Top-tier CoQ10 will also improve your exercise performance and improve your skin health. Doctor’s Best High Abortion ranked in the middle of our list because it gives you a broad range of benefits ranging from better brain health, skin health, and exercise capacity.
Lastly, we looked at purity and dosage. In general, we preferred products that contained 200mg or less per serving as this allowed for better dose-tailoring. We also preferred products that contained no common allergens, GMOs, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. Companies that provided third-party lab testing results were a bonus.
FAQ
Q: Who should not take CoQ10?
A: Taking CoQ10 could lower your blood pressure (1) and blood sugar levels. It could also affect your enzyme levels if you take too much. As such, people suffering from chronic diseases, like heart failure, kidney issues, liver problems, or diabetes, should be careful about taking a CoQ10 supplement.
Q: What is the best time to take CoQ10?
A: The best time to take CoQ10 is in the morning or afternoon because taking it too close to bedtime could cause insomnia in some people.
Q: How long does it take for CoQ10 to work?
A: CoQ10 can take up to 12 weeks before you experience any benefits. CoQ10 is used for a multitude of reasons including migraines, heart health, brain health, and skin health.
Q: What are the risks of taking CoQ10?
A: CoQ10 is generally safe to take, and the side effects are usually rare and mild (2). However, if you have a chronic disease like heart failure, kidney, liver problems, or diabetes, you should be careful when using this supplement.
Q: Is CoQ10 worth taking?
A: CoQ10 is naturally produced in your body, but some people have lower amounts and may need to take a CoQ10 supplement. As you age and develop medical conditions, your CoQ10 levels will decrease.
Q: Does CoQ10 make you lose weight?
A: There is some clinical evidence from animal testing that strongly suggests CoQ10 may help with lipid metabolism and weight loss (3). However, until large scale human testing is complete these results will have to be considered preliminary.
Q: What medications interact with CoQ10?
A: Anticoagulant medication may interfere with CoQ10 because it could make blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), less effective. This could increase your risk of blood clotting.
Q: How much CoQ10 should I take daily?
A: Always abide by the dosage recommendations on the product label. However, if you have any doubts make sure to talk to your doctor first.
Q: Does CoQ10 make you gain weight?
A: No, CoQ10 doesn’t make you gain weight. In fact, a deficiency could cause your metabolism to slow down since it helps your cell produce energy, which could make losing weight harder.
Q: What does CoQ10 do for your skin?
A: Research indicates it may help alleviate signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles (4).
Q: Does CoQ10 speed up your metabolism?
A: CoQ10 could speed up your metabolism, which is why it can help you with weight loss.
Q: Does CoQ10 raise cholesterol?
A: CoQ10 could raise your cholesterol because it’s shown that those with low levels of CoQ10 often have low levels of good cholesterol.
Q: Is it a good idea to take CoQ10 with statins?
A: Because statins tend to lower the amount of CoQ10 in the body (5) it may be, but you will need to consult your doctor first.
Q: What does CoQ10 do for the heart?
A: CoQ10 may reduce your risk of experiencing a heart attack. It can also improve outcomes in patients with heart failure, lower blood pressure, and repel the side effects of statin, which lowers cholesterol.
Q: Can CoQ10 reduce the risk of a heart attack?
A: It is unclear whether CoQ10 can reduce the risk of heart attack. Some evidence suggests it can (6). Other evidence in inconclusive.
Q: Is CoQ10 good for your kidneys?
A: Patients with chronic kidney disease can lower their plasma concentrations of CoQ10, so CoQ10 may be good for your kidneys if you suffer from kidney disease.
Q: Is CoQ10 hard on your stomach?
A: Not for most people, but some have reported that CoQ10 caused them mild side effects including an upset stomach, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. But these are rare.
Q: What are the symptoms of low CoQ10?
A: There is a wide variety of symptoms for people with low CoQ10, with the most serious ones being brain dysfunction, muscle weakness, and the failure of other major body systems.
Q: Can you take CoQ10 with high blood pressure medication?
A: Since CoQ10 can help lower blood pressure, taking CoQ10 may allow you to reduce your blood pressure medicine prescription. Always consult a medical provider first.
Q: Does CoQ10 help nerve damage?
A: Because CoQ10 is a strong antioxidant, it may prevent neural tissue damage from oxidative stress, and help to reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory factors that attenuate neuropathic pain behavior.
Q: Can I take CoQ10 with fish oil?
A: Yes, taking CoQ10 with fish oil makes an excellent combo. It will give you the benefits of each supplement while at the same time, enhance CoQ10 absorption.
Q: Do I need CoQ10 if I’m not on statins?
A: Taking CoQ10 may be a good idea while you’re on statins since statins naturally reduce your body’s production of CoQ10. Although you should always speak with your doctor before doing so.
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Recap
CoQ10 is a potent nutrient that your body requires for maintaining optimal cellular and cardiovascular health. Without sufficient CoQ10 levels, you may be at risk for a variety of diseases, including migraines, heart failure, and Alzheimer’s.
CoQ10 is difficult to obtain from your diet, supplementation becomes very important.
For Cpoe.org’s #1 recommended CoQ10 supplement, click here.