In 2023, Americans spent $643.6 million on coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a supplement that devotees say can lower blood pressure, reduce migraines, ward off dementia, and even slow the aging process.1, 2 There are naysayers who maintain these claims are overblown, however, and researchers report that the current evidence is insufficient to back many of these assertions.3 Skeptics also point out that the supplement can interact with a variety of medications—including drugs for diabetes, blood thinners, and beta-blockers for high blood pressure—and some people may need to avoid CoQ10 to prevent dangerous interactions.
If you’re curious about this trendy supplement, then keep reading. Below, we give you the full 411 on CoQ10 so you can decide for yourself if it’s worth taking.
What is CoQ10?
Coenzyme Q10 is a compound produced by the body that helps with the functioning of our mitochondria—organelles that convert oxygen into energy to power our cells.4 This enzyme is also thought to benefit the health of our blood vessels and improve blood flow.5
Adam Splaver, MD, a cardiologist based in Hollywood, FL, explains that CoQ10 is an antioxidant, meaning it prevents damage to your cells. If you don’t have enough of the molecule in your body, your cells “may be more susceptible to cellular damage from free radicals that can threaten a healthy heart or your immune system and energy levels.”
Abby Wadsworth, MS, RD, owner of Whole Health Nutrition in Williston, Vermont, adds that because of its role in energy production, “CoQ10 is concentrated in organs that have a higher energy requirement, including the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas.”6
What to Eat to Increase CoQ10
While CoQ10 exists naturally in the body, some people do not produce enough of this important enzyme.4 In addition, your ability to generate CoQ10 deteriorates as you age.7 You can boost your intake by eating foods high in the coenzyme, such as oily fish (salmon and tuna), organ meats (liver), nuts, and whole grains.8
Keep in mind, research suggests that CoQ10 levels in foods, such as eggs and vegetables, may be lowered by 14% to 32% if you choose to cook by frying.9 Boiling foods, on the other hand, showed no reduction in CoQ10 levels. The recommended supplementation dose is typically 100 to 300 mg—although that can vary. Within this range, very few serious side effects have been reported. However, some people, especially those taking higher doses of the supplement, have reported diarrhea, nausea, and sleeplessness.
What Medications Should Not Be Taken With CoQ10?
CoQ10 has known drug interactions, specifically for cancer patients and those on blood thinners. For patients undergoing chemotherapy, the supplement may help stimulate the immune system and protect the heart. On the other hand, it has been found to decrease the effectiveness of radiation therapy for those with non-small cell lung cancer.
You should always review any supplements you wish to take with your oncologist to review their risks and benefits.
If you’re on warfarin or another blood thinner, you shouldn’t take CoQ10 without consulting your doctor.10 “CoQ10 can reduce the efficacy of a blood thinner,” explains Splaver. “Therefore, it is important to inform your physician before you begin any vitamin supplementation,” so that its impact on your anticoagulation can be monitored closely. (See MedShadow’s Next Gen Blood Thinners: What’s Right for You?)
What Are the Benefits and Risks of CoQ10?
Deciding whether to add CoQ10 to your daily health regimen can be tricky. Levels of CoQ10 produced by the body decrease with aging. And, although there is a lack of adequate scientific evidence supporting the benefits of CoQ10 as a therapy for anti-aging, it’s considered safe and possibly beneficial for some health conditions.7, 11
Here, we discuss a few of the conditions that many experts say may benefit from CoQ10 supplementation.
Is CoQ10 Good for the Heart?
CoQ10 may be helpful when used to treat congestive heart failure and to prevent blood vessel complications caused by heart bypass surgery.12 This is because the compound helps maintain the normal oxidative state of LDL cholesterol and supports circulatory health and optimal functioning of the heart muscle.
Patients with heart failure had improved heart function and fewer hospitalizations and deaths after supplementing with CoQ10, according to a review of 10 meta-analyses.13
The supplement may lower your levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, an analysis of 50 small trials suggests.14
A meta-analysis of eight clinical trials published in 2014 found that taking CoQ10 for specific periods before undergoing bypass surgery prevented the need for drugs to strengthen the heart and reduced the risk of abnormal heart rhythms post-surgery.15
In that same study, the researchers concluded that none of the clinical trials reported any adverse events. However, they did point out that better-quality long-term clinical trials are needed to zero in on the role of CoQ10 for this use.
And, according to Splaver, CoQ10 is sometimes recommended for patients taking cholesterol-lowering statins, such as Crestor (rosuvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin), as these drugs have been shown to lower your levels of CoQ10, which can lead to muscle aches and pains.16 (See MedShadow’s Statins: How Safe Are These Life-Savers?)
Does CoQ10 Help With Inflammation?
Inflammation is one of the immune system’s first responses to injury or infection.17 However, chronic systemic inflammation is present in many metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
A review of nine studies looking at the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on several markers of inflammation revealed that CoQ10 reduced tumor necrosis factor-alpha but not the other two markers studied.18 This demonstrated that supplementing with CoQ10 might result in a partial improvement in the inflammatory state of people with metabolic diseases.
Benefits of CoQ10 for the Brain
Because of its role in producing energy for cells and the fact that some studies suggest CoQ10 levels decrease as we age,19 researchers are interested in the possibility that supplementing with CoQ10 could improve memory and learning in people with cognitive impairment associated with aging. So far, however, studies have provided mixed results,20 and it’s currently unclear whether supplementation helps with memory or prevents cognitive decline in patients with dementia.
CoQ10 for Fatigue, Depression, and Migraines
Millions of American adults are affected by fatigue and/or depression each year, and CoQ10 may be able to help.21, 22
Both healthy patients and those with conditions such as breast cancer, heart failure, fibromyalgia, and obesity who took CoQ10 reported a reduction in their levels of fatigue compared to those who had taken a placebo, according to a 2022 analysis of 13 trials. And this improvement was significant in the participants overall, regardless of their underlying medical condition.23
A small 2019 study showed that for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), taking 200 mg of CoQ10 three times daily for three months, in addition to the patients’ regular disease-modifying drug, improved depression and fatigue.24 Another study looked at the use of natural supplements for improving reduced mitochondrial function associated with the fatigue often experienced in patients with chronic disease. The researchers found that patients who took a combination of several supplements, including CoQ10, had a 30% reduction in their fatigue scores.25
As for easing migraines, a 2018 study in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience showed that CoQ10 supplementation can improve the inflammation associated with these episodes. In the study, 45 women with episodic migraine took either 400 mg of CoQ10 or a placebo daily, in addition to their regular prophylactic medication, for three months. Those taking CoQ10 experienced significant improvement in frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks compared to the placebo group.26
What Does CoQ10 Do for Skin?
CoQ10 levels in our body’s cells decrease as we age, hence the plethora of anti-aging creams and lotions that tout the benefits of CoQ10. Its antioxidant properties work to eradicate free radicals, preventing them from damaging cells. But can this actually make you look younger?
Several studies show that CoQ10 does, indeed, work to help combat the signs of aging skin. A study by researchers from the skincare company Beiersdorf tested the effects of topical CoQ10 on 73 healthy women aged 20 to 60. The women applied a cream and a serum containing different concentrations of CoQ10 twice each day for two weeks. Skin samples taken from treated and untreated areas showed that CoQ10 exerted antioxidant effects on surface levels and penetrated the skin to impact deeper layers.27 The researchers concluded that topical CoQ10-containing formulas can help improve sun damage and provide anti-aging effects.
How and When Should I Take CoQ10?
Ideally, you should talk to your health care professional before adding CoQ10 or any new supplements to your regimen. While it’s generally considered safe for healthy adults, CoQ10 can potentially be harmful to people with certain health conditions or those taking specific medications.
Bear in mind that CoQ10 is fat-soluble. That means it’s better absorbed by the body if taken alongside a meal that contains fat. Also, taking it at night may increase your body’s ability to absorb it.
One last important note: Most experts say that CoQ10 supplements should not be given to children under age 18 unless advised to do so by a pediatric health care professional.
This article was originally published in 2015. It was updated by Emma Yasinski on August 9, 2024.
