Every second, trillion of biochemical processes power your body’s normal functions.
Each biochemical process requires energy.
CoQ10 is one of the core substrates required for energy production.
CoQ10’s ubiquitous. Not just in humans, but in all animals and even bacteria.
It plummets with age and lifestyle, and when it does, the entire body suffers.
Supplementing CoQ10 can help restore biological energy production and improve:
- Physical and mental energy
- Heart health
- Organ health
- Inflammation
- Fertility
- Healthspan
Before I started using it, I did research.
What I found shocked me.
There’s a lot of junk out there with thousands of four or five-star ratings. Many CoQ10 products like gummies are packed full of sugar and additives that offset the benefits. Some companies lie about their products, and don’t honor their marketing promises.
You’ll also want to know some key details about CoQ10, such as the difference between ubiquinone and ubiquinol.
Top Highest-Absorption CoQ10 Supplements of 2023:
Best Overall: BiOptimizers KAPEX
Best Quality: Thorne CoQ10
Best Liquid: Quicksilver Nanoemulsified COQ10
Best Budget: Bulk Supplements CoQ10 Powder
This post will help you understand this ingredient, and choose the best max-absorption CoQ10 supplement for you and your goals.
What is CoQ10 & Why Does it Matter?
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential antioxidant compound that helps the mitochondria convert food into cellular energy (ATP). CoQ10 is naturally highest in organs with the greatest energy requirements (brain, heart, liver, kidneys, muscle) [R]. Though it’s amazing for optimal mitochondria health, it also helps maintain optimal cellular function, helps quench excess oxidative stress, and acts as a strong anti-inflammatory.
Coenzyme Q10’s a fat-soluble nutrient. It’s so important that scientists consider it a pseudo-vitamin. Unfortunately, it declines significantly with age. Levels drop up to 50% by age 50. Lifestyle, diet, and certain medications can increase need. The foods richest in CoQ10 are organ meats and others that most of us avoid.
Making attaining the minimum daily requirement of 50mg very difficult.
Medications that can cause a CoQ10 deficiency include [R]:
- Antidiabetic medications
- Psychotherapeutic medications
- Heart medications (especially statins and beta-blockers)
- Tricyclic antidepressant medications
Supplements come in two main forms and have been widely used for decades to address a wide variety of conditions.
CoQ10 vs ubiquinone vs ubiquinol
Coenzyme Q10 comes in two forms with different molecular structures: ubiquinol and ubiquinone.
Your body contains both, and actively converts between the two for use in different pathways.
Ubiquinone is the oxidized (inactive) form of CoQ10. For years, it was the most popular. It’s also the cheaper option. Since it’s oxidized, ubiquinone is more stable and the better option for use in skin care products.
Ubiquinol is the reduced (active) form of CoQ10 that’s ready for use throughout the body. Ubiquinol is what’s most prevalent in cells and is specifically used by mitochondria. Up to 90% of the CoQ10 in the blood is in the ubiquinol form [R]. Ubiquinol is bioactive and doesn’t require additional conversion steps for use.
Making ubiquinol the better absorbed and utilized form of CoQ10 for everything but skincare products.
Types of CoQ10 Supplements
Now you know that cheap supplements often contain the inferior form of CoQ10 called ubiquinone (ubidecarenone). Supplements labels that just say “CoQ10” virtually always use this cheap form too.
But there’s another important distinction.
The particle size.
Special liposomal encapsulation technology dramatically increases the absorption and duration of the effects of CoQ10.
Liposomes are nano-sized dietary fat that surrounds the supplement particle and help it have more impact. To bypass harsh stomach acid and enter the bloodstream intact. It’s more expensive to manufacture, so few companies use liposomes.
If you can find it, liposomal CoQ10 is far superior to the normal version.
Now let’s decide on dosage.
Ideal CoQ10 dose
At a minimum, you want to consume 50mg of CoQ10.
The best dose of CoQ10 depends on your goals, lifestyle habits, and the form you’re using.
The most effective way to determine your exact needs is to do a simple CoQ10 blood test.
Certain classes of medications like statins further (dangerously) deplete CoQ10 levels. Then 100mg is the minimal dose just to offset the decline.
The recommended daily doses are:
- Normal CoQ10: 100-200mg
- Liposomal CoQ10: 50-200mg
Of course, with liposomal products you’ll get better effects and for longer with lower dosages.
Since CoQ10 is fat soluble, you’ll either want to use it in the liposomal form or take it alongside a meal containing fat.
If you’re consuming a diet naturally high in CoQ10, you can get away with smaller doses.
Natural sources
CoQ10 and ubiquinol are abundant in certain foods.
The top natural food sources of CoQ10 include:
- Heart
- Liver
- Soy (fermented)
- Mackerel
Unless you’re consuming tons of organs or organ meat supplements, it’s virtually impossible to get enough from your diet. You’d have to consume over 2.2 pounds of pork shoulder or beef shoulder (next on the list) to get the lowest therapeutic 50mg dose.
That’s why most health professionals use supplementation.
The Best CoQ10 Supplements (Max Absorption)
CoQ10 is a straightforward ingredient.
Yet few of the most trustworthy supplement companies sell high-quality CoQ10.
You’ll also notice “CoQ10” on the labels of most products. Products that include the optimal form, ubiquinol, always mention it on the label.
Should you choose normal oral CoQ10, you’ll want to avoid a few things. First, many products use junk fillers and additives.
You’ll want to avoid CoQ10 products that include an ingredient called “BioPerine” (black pepper extract) because it acts like a trojan horse and impairs liver enzymes from doing their job. Resulting in higher absorption of toxins and chemicals.
Be careful with Amazon’s CoQ10 supplements. During my research, some of the popular brands I came across fit the profile of the countless supplement scams that regularly make news headlines.
Here are the liposomal CoQ10 and other awesome ubiquinol (and even some ubiquinone) products I like.
Best Overall: BiOptimizers KAPEX
BiOptimizers might be the world’s highest-rated supplement vendor, with an average customer score of 8.95/10 across their entire catalog. In fact, professional athletes and top health professionals alike endorse BiOptimizers. Although KAPEX isn’t just a CoQ10 product (it only contains 34mg of ubiquinone), it’s beloved because the other ingredients amplify the effects and benefits of CoQ10.
KAPEX turbocharges energy production (mitochondrial function) with carnitine, Innoslim, and trace minerals. An ingredient called 7-keto DHEA encourages the body to burn stored fat and accelerates weight loss.
The blend of nutrients within KAPEX also helps control cholesterol, supports the liver, balances inflammation, and improves the digestion of fats and proteins. It even increases insulin sensitivity, so that food preferentially fuels muscles instead of creating body fat.
This is one of my usual morning supplements. Today I took two servings of KAPEX, got 64mg of CoQ10, and am enjoying stimulant-free energy and weight management.
BiOptimizers is unmatched with their full 365-day money-back guarantee. That’s right, you have a full year to return the product if you don’t like it.
Plus, this company uses zero fillers, excipients, or binders in its supplements. Their support team is awesome and accommodating, and they offer major discounts when you order multiple products.
BiOptimizers KAPEX is the Swiss Army knife of CoQ10 supplements, providing superior energy, mitochondrial support, fat burning, cholesterol, and inflammation management, and even digestive support — all backed up by a 365-day satisfaction guarantee.
Use the BiOptimizers exclusive promo code URBAN to save 10%
Highest Quality CoQ10: Thorne CoQ10 (Q-Best 100)
Thorne is the premium supplement choice of Olympians, the Mayo Clinic, UFC, CrossFit, and anyone that wants a 100% guarantee of the most stringent quality control. Their products are NSF-certified for sport, and often independently verified to control exactly what they claim (and nothing more).
Thorne’s CoQ10 (formerly Q-Best 100) is their answer to the poor bioavailability of most CoQ10 products. One gelcap comes out to 100mg of CoQ10. Although I couldn’t find any research to back the claims, Thorne describes their proprietary, lipid-based, non-crystalline form of coenzyme Q10 as very well absorbed.
While I’m skeptical of their absorption claims, other folks seem to love it.
The main issue with Thorne is price. These supplements aren’t cheap.
If quality (and lack of potential contaminants) is your chief objective, you won’t beat Thorne’s well-absorbed CoQ10 supplement.
Click the button to automatically unlock 15% off Thorne products (some exclusions apply)
Established Ubiquinol: Jarrow Formulas QH-absorb
Jarrow Formulas QH-absorb is possibly the most popular optimized CoQ10 supplement on the market. Treat any review/comparison that neglects it with skepticism. That’s because Jarrow was one of the first (since 2011) to offer the superior form of CoQ10, ubiquinol.
What I like is that you can purchase this formula in either 100mg, 200mg, or 100mg combined with 10mg of another mitochondrial-enhancing ingredient called PQQ. Since the price difference between the first two is negligible, I prefer the 200mg version.
This was the first high-bioavailability CoQ10 supplement I used. Their in-house research suggests that even their 100mg product (powered by Kaneka QH) increases CoQ10 levels by 222%.
My main gripe with the product is that they most likely use GMO ingredients.
Overall, Jarrow is a massive, well-known, and respected name in the supplement industry.
Jarrow Formulas QH-absorb line is great for potent yet affordable ubiquinol but may be derived from GMO materials and contain fillers.
Most Options: Nootropics Depot CoQ10 Line
Nootropics Depot was an online brain supplement store that rapidly grew into one of the largest science-based shops around. They boast a massive catalog. Many ingredients are sold in multiple versions and standardized to different active ingredient concentrations. Such is the case with their CoQ10 line.
Nootropics Depot offers two forms of CoQ10 in capsules and one powder. Of them, only the CoQH-CF capsules are in the highly bioavailable ubiquinol form.
Although the powder contains inferior ubiquinone, it’s completely free of fillers and put through rigorous testing. The CoQsol-CF capsules contain 100mg of ubiquinone combined with d-Limonene and Tocopherols to maximize the benefits. Both of these are cost-effective solutions.
The CoQH-CF capsules are considerably more expensive, but they do contain the same industry-leading version of ubiquinol as Jarrow, called Kaneka ubiquinol (dosed at 100mg). Plus, they’ve added ALA, Capric and Caprylic Acid, and d-Limonene to further boost the stability and bioavailability.
Nootropics Depot is a fan-favorite supplement shop because they’re constantly innovating and dedicated to producing powerful, scientific formulas. Produced in state-of-the-art facilities, and held to the highest quality standards.
All of this at a reasonable price, fast 2-3 day shipping, and with a dedicated customer service team that rights any issues.
Like everything in their supplement catalog, Nootropics Depot (especially their CoQH-CF optimized CoQ10) guarantees the highest quality, thorough science-backed formulations, at a fair price.
Best Budget: Bulk Supplements CoQ10 Powder
When looking for simple, single-ingredient supplements, you’ll be hard-pressed to beat BulkSupplements. At any given time, I generally have a dozen or so bags of their bulk powders laying around that I use in my own formulations. In my morning hydration drink, in my DIY pre-workout stack, in my deep sleep nootropic blend, and much more.
BulkSupplements isn’t your average supplement company. They provide high-quality raw materials directly to consumers. At great prices. These are the same ingredients that other major supplement companies use within their premium, expensive formulas.
This specific product doesn’t specify the form of CoQ10, meaning it’s virtually guaranteed to be ubiquinone. However, I did notice that below the barcode on the back label, the packaging lists ubiquinol. Regardless, each serving is so cheap that you can certainly afford to titrate dosage accordingly. At the same time, it is completely devoid of any other additives or unwanted ingredients. Just pure ubiquinone.
Also, BulkSupplements’ CoQ10 mentions the lot number and best-before date on each bag. Of course, a third-party laboratory tests throughout the stages—from raw material to finished product. That’s been their approach since they started selling CoQ10 back in 2013.
Avoid their CoQ10 capsules, as they contain industrial seed oils and other undesirable fillers.
BulkSupplements’ CoQ10 may not have the highest absorption, but it’s third-party tested, devoid of any fillers at all, and among the cheapest of all.
Quicksilver Scientific Nanoemulsified CoQ10
Dr. Chris Shade of Quicksilver Scientific was the pioneer of liposomal research and supplementation. Today, over 25,000 health practitioners rely on Quicksilver Scientific and their 5-25X greater bioavailability. In fact, they hold 38 different supplement technology patents.
This was the first liposomal CoQ10 product, available to consumers before 2017. Despite only containing 30mg of liposomal and nano-emulsified CoQ10, it’s greatly absorbed through the GI tract and works powerfully.
Some people even report great effects from using the liquid topically. Do note that the liquid doesn’t taste all that pleasant.
Quicksilver Scientific uses the highest quality raw materials and puts each of its liposomal products through rigorous quality controls.
If you’re looking for the original max-absorption CoQ10 and prefer a liquid over huge capsules, consider Quicksilver Scientific Nanoemulsified CoQ10.
Renue by Science LIPO CoQ10
Renue by Science is best known for their NMN product suite, along with all the other popular longevity supplements. They are consistent in creating the hottest products with powder-based liposomes for bioavailability and absorption. With rigorous safety testing and all at a good price.
Renue by Science produces its supplements in a USA-based cGMP facility and proudly displays its Certificates of Analysis (CoAs) for purity and potency directly on each product page.
Each serving contains 200mg of liposomal ubiquinol. The good form, AND in a liposomal encapsulation. Protecting the CoQ10 from digestive enzymes and helping more reach the bloodstream and exert beneficial effects.
Renue by Science LIPO Co is a good choice for the price and potency.
ENERGIZER AM
Renue by Science, the same company listed above, makes another supplement that contains a synergy of highly bioavailable ingredients. This anti-aging stack fortifies your body’s built-in defense systems, increases energy, and powers your mitochondria. ENERGIZER AM contains:
- 25 mg Liposomal Ubiquinol (CoQ10)
- 65mg Liposomal Glutathione
- 65 mg Liposomal Resveratrol
- 15 mg Liposomal Apigenin
Although the doses are lower, note that each is in the special liposomal encapsulation. Dramatically increasing the absorption and duration of effects. RBS produces this product in a USA-based cGMP facility, and you can get a copy of their third-party testing from the product webpage itself.
I like that this product contains the best forms of several key longevity and health ingredients all in one capsule.
ENERGIZER a good choice for those who want to consolidate many pills and powders into one product.
CoQ10 Products I Would Not Buy
Many supplements are “Best Sellers” on Amazon and have tons of customer reviews, but just don’t work as expected.
Few customers know what to look for, how to spot rancid and expired supplements, to thoroughly track effects, or even to do due diligence to find out the accuracy of the marketing claims.
That’s why new scandals constantly surface regarding supplements on Amazon and fraud. Either adulteration (”spiking”) with other ingredients, “fairy dusting” with little to zero active ingredients, or even contamination with toxins.
Although the supplements I’m listing below likely do follow the best practices, I don’t like them for different reasons.
QUNOL
This company claims to be the #1 product recommended by cardiologists. Yet there’s no data to back that claim. Concerningly, it also has a California Proposition 65 warning. Meaning that it contains one or more known carcinogens. The label also states that it contains “a bioengineered food ingredient” which is not shown in the listing. Then, they use a potentially harmful (yet unnecessary) additive called Polysorbate 80. Finally, according to customers, they do not actually honor their “money-back guarantee”.
Nature’s Bounty CoQ10
This product is popular because it’s often found in grocery stores and therefore is a recognized logo. It’s not third-party lab tested—actually, it’s not lab tested at all. Nature’s Bounty contains all kinds of fillers, unhealthy oils, and things I wouldn’t consume even if the bottle was given to me. In fact, there are likely more of these additives than CoQ10 in each soft gel.
Nature Made CoQ10
This is another brand that labels the front of their products with medical endorsements. This time with “#1 Pharmacist Recommended”. Again, they do not substantiate the claim. The label is another recognized logo as Nature Made supplements are widely carried throughout the world. My biggest concern is the actual contents of the bottle. They label the ubiquinone inside as ubidecarenone, a synonym that no credible companies do. Seems like a tactic used to confuse consumers. Then we have the fillers. Soybean oil and rapeseed lecithin. Both are unhealthy and bad for the body. They oxidize easily and increase the body’s inflammatory burden. In fact, many buyers report opening the bottle to discover soft gels of different colors—clearly indicating that some have expired—on the same day of the purchase. This is another product I wouldn’t touch even if gifted.
Doctor’s Best High Absorption CoQ10 with BioPerine
like some of the Doctor’s Best supplement lines. This CoQ10 product, however, isn’t very special. They use ubiquinone and then add some black pepper extract to increase its absorption. The issue with black pepper extract is that it enhances the absorption of effects of all kinds of things you’re using. Making them significantly stronger and longer lasting, especially for those using medications, isn’t always a good thing. And that includes toxins and contaminants too. There are better ways to increase bioavailability. It does contain soy, and it’s not non-GMO or certified organic. Although the product has been around for a while, there are now better options.
Life Extension Super Ubiquinol
This is actually a very interesting formula, and I really wanted it to pass my cursory research. Along with Kaneka Ubiquinol, it contains a highly prized adaptogenic substance called shilajit. Potentially, a very powerful combo. Life Extension generally makes great products. My issue with this formula is the first “other ingredient” is sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is usually heavily oxidized (by temperature and heat) and may offset the benefits of supplementing CoQ10.
The Key Benefits of Supplementing CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 improves full body health through many different mechanisms.
It’s most famous for its key role in supporting youthful cellular energy production. CoQ10 has a proclivity to the heart and improving biomarkers of cardiometabolic health and function.
If you’re not consuming a diet rich in organ meats, these are the reasons to consider using a high-bioavailability CoQ10 product.
Energy production
Coenzyme Q10 plays a major role in the process of energy generation.
It’s one of the key cofactors required to produce the body’s cellular energy currency, ATP. CoQ10 supplements can improve mitochondrial health [R]. In patients with chronic fatigue, ubiquinone appears to repair the mitochondria when used alongside an NADH supplement [R].
Antioxidant properties help this molecule protect against free radical damage that accompanies energy production.
CoQ10 is not just useful to aid conditions. It can also reduce fatigue in healthy people [R].
One of CoQ10’s main roles is to gently increase energy (stimulant-free).
Cardiometabolic health
The heart is rich in mitochondria, so it’s no surprise that a protective substance would support cardiovascular health.
If we follow the doctrine of signatures, since we know that cardiovascular tissue is rich in CoQ10, we can expect consuming it helps.
Unfortunately, most of the research has investigated how this substance works in disease models. CoQ10 seems to work well to improve cardiometabolic health:
- Endothelial function (in T2D [R])
- Lowers blood pressure (in patients with hypertension [R])
- Heart failure symptoms [R]
- Inflammation (in coronary heart disease patients on statins [R])
A study of rats fed a high-fat diet but supplemented with CoQ10 lived 9 human equivalent years longer [R].
CoQ10 should also exert cardioprotective effects.
Clearly, this supplement is crucial for those with heart concerns. But it also benefits healthy hearts too.
Longevity & aging
Supplementing CoQ10 can increase not just lifespan, but the quality of life throughout those years (healthspan).
That’s why manufacturers often include this ingredient within their multi-ingredient longevity products.
As discussed previously, this potent antioxidant scavenges free radicals. Reducing inflammation and the risks of cardiovascular complications. Which is major considering those complications are a leading cause of death.
By acting as an anti-inflammatory, CoQ10 also restores NAD+ levels. If you’ve tried NR or NMN supplements or follow the longevity industry, you’ll recognize NAD+ as a key cellular fuel ubiquitous throughout the body. CoQ10 keeps levels elevated by reducing inflammation (which is a major consumer of NAD+).
A well-designed trial studied 443 CoQ10 (co-administered with selenium) users over a four-year period. Compared to the placebo, results showed higher quality of life combined with fewer days spent in the hospital [R].
In another, rats supplemented with CoQ10 lived an extra 2.5 months (11.7% mean lifespan), and 6 months (24% max lifespan) longer [R].
CoQ10 wouldn’t be my top anti-aging supplement pick, but it’s worthy of inclusion in a proper stack.
Organ protection
Although CoQ10 doesn’t show the powerful organ and bodily system protection of bioregulator peptides, it does have potential.
Specifically for the tissues most dense in mitochondria (heart, eyes, brain, muscle, etc). CoQ10 helps protect these organs.
It also shows potential against neurodegeneration.
CoQ10 acts as an antioxidant and helps shield brain cells against oxidative stress-induced damage [R]. MDMA users consume the supplement to reduce calcium buildup within neurons, helping protect the brain from neurotoxicity.
Inflammation support
Inflammation plays a pivotal role in all chronic diseases. Therefore, substances that can help support healthy levels greatly interest health practitioners.
CoQ10 is one such example of an antioxidant that lends systemic inflammation support.
It works through several mechanisms and balances multiple markers of inflammation, including CRP (C-reactive protein), IL-6, & TNF-a [R].
Recent rat search shows that CoQ10 works by “decreasing lipid peroxidation and increasing the antioxidant enzyme catalase activity” and buffering inflammation-causing free radicals. Leading to healthier levels of the inflammatory markers NF-kB, and COX2 [R].
CoQ10’s anti-inflammatory actions also make it a useful means of reducing migraine frequency, severity & duration [R].
Overall, it’s not the strongest anti-inflammatory, but CoQ10 may help.
Body composition & athletic performance
Athletes and bodybuilders were among the first healthy CoQ10 supplements. They immediately realized the usefulness, especially the ones using performance-enhancing ergogenic aids.
CoQ10’s antioxidant, cardioprotective, and mitochondrial energy production support properties make it popular.
Intense exercise dramatically increases oxidative stress burden (increases up to 3X) [R]. While some oxidative stress is important for cell signaling, excess levels overtax the body and slow down recovery. CoQ10’s antioxidant buffering capacity helps [R].
It can also improve exercise performance and reduce deleterious muscle damage [R].
Finally, when applied alongside other treatments, CoQ10 may help reduce muscle weakness and pain [R].
Fertility
Some limited research suggests that coq10 can improve fertility.
That includes semen quality in men and oxidative stress in the testes.
It also may improve fertility and pregnancy in women, without an effect on live birth or miscarriage rates [R].
Studies on women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) show better ovarian response and embryo quality when supplementing CoQ10 [R].
Side Effects & Contraindications
Always check with your medical professional before beginning a supplement.
CoQ10 may interfere with certain drugs such as:
- Chemotherapy medications (antioxidants may interfere)
- Blood pressure medications (further reduce blood pressure)
- Blood-thinning medications (may reduce thinning effect)
Otherwise, this nutrient is well tolerated and proven safe over many decades of use.
Should You Supplement High-Absorption Coenzyme Q10?
CoQ10 is an essential nutrient required to assist optimal energy production.
Without energy, biological systems fail and disease ensues.
At the same time, this antioxidant helps protect mitochondria-rich organs and tissues (heart, eyes, brain, muscles) from damage by excess free radicals.
Unless you consume a nose-to-tail animal-based diet rich in organ meats, most of us don’t get nearly enough from our diet. And facets of modern living, supplementing, and certain medications can dramatically increase our needs.
You’ll find all kinds of products and formulas that include some form of CoQ10. However, most of them are poorly absorbed and come with all kinds of questionable additives. That is if they even contain CoQ10 (many supplements show it on the label but actually do not).
Potentially offsetting all the benefits of supplementation.
Usually, I either consume organs, heart organ meat supplements (naturally rich in CoQ10) or use one of the above CoQ10 products.
Consult with your medical professional and consider adding CoQ10. Some folks report major improvements in their energy and youthfulness.
Do you use CoQ10? Drop a comment below and let me know your experience!
