Guide
Types of CoQ10 compared: ubiquinone, ubiquinol and formulations
Ubiquinone, ubiquinol, solubilised, oil softgel and powder compared with what each trial measured, the mixed results, and where our capsule sits.
No form of CoQ10 has been shown to beat the others. Two head-to-head trials of ubiquinone and ubiquinol point different ways: in one, 200 mg a day of ubiquinol raised blood levels more; in the other, a single 100 mg ubiquinol dose was not significantly different from ubiquinone. Both measured blood levels, not benefits.
The forms, side by side
| Form | What it is | What the trials we read found | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubiquinone | Oxidised CoQ10; the standard supplement form | 200 mg a day for 4 weeks raised total plasma CoQ10 from 0.9 to 2.5 ug/ml in 12 adults (Langsjoen 2014) | Results differ by formulation |
| Ubiquinol | Reduced CoQ10 | Same trial, 200 mg a day: 0.9 to 4.3 ug/ml. Pravst 2020: 1.7-fold vs ubiquinone capsules, not statistically significant | Small trials with mixed results |
| Solubilised or water-soluble | CoQ10 prepared to disperse in water | Highest levels in Schulz 2006 (differences not significant); 2.4-fold in Pravst 2020 | Product-specific results |
| Oil-based softgel | CoQ10 suspended in oil | Highest bioavailability of four at 100 mg in Weis 1994 | Check the oil; 10 adults only |
| Powder in a capsule | Plain CoQ10 powder in a shell | One comparator in Weis 1994 | Absorption depends on the product |
What each study actually tested
Ubiquinone vs ubiquinol, 200 mg a day. In 12 healthy volunteers, 4 weeks of 200 mg a day of ubiquinone raised total plasma CoQ10 from 0.9 to 2.5 ug/ml and 4 weeks of 200 mg ubiquinol raised it from 0.9 to 4.3 ug/ml, with identical softgel excipients; the authors, from a CoQ10 laboratory, concluded ubiquinol was more bioavailable (Langsjoen 2014). The two products were taken one after the other, with a washout between, in a small group.
Ubiquinone vs ubiquinol, single 100 mg dose. In 21 healthy adults aged 65 to 74, ubiquinol capsules' bioavailability was 1.7-fold that of ubiquinone capsules, not statistically significant (95% CI 0.9 to 3.1). The authors also reported that CoQ10 appeared in the blood mostly as ubiquinol even when ubiquinone was consumed (Pravst 2020).
Formulation. A solubilised CoQ10 gave the earliest rise and the highest day-14 levels at 60 mg a day, though between-product differences in the main measures were not statistically significant (Schulz 2006). Whichever was tested, none of these shows an effect on how you feel or function. Blood level is a step before any outcome.
Safety. The safety literature we cite is on ubiquinone (60 to 1,200 mg a day; Hathcock 2006) and a ubiquinol study ran at 90 to 300 mg a day for 4 weeks (Hosoe 2007). Both are written or run by interested parties; see their notes in CoQ10 side effects.
Where our capsule sits
Electric Tiger CoQ10 200 mg is ubiquinone, the oxidised form, not ubiquinol: 200 mg per capsule, as plain powder with rice flour in a hypromellose capsule, no oil, as low as $16.31 a bottle on subscription. The Langsjoen trial tested ubiquinone at the same 200 mg, but in a softgel, so it does not describe our capsule, and we have no absorption data on it. We make no benefit claim for it. If a higher blood level matters to you, that trial is the reason to look at ubiquinol; the other trial found no significant difference.
Questions people ask
Which form of CoQ10 should I take?
The evidence doesn't name one. Two small trials of ubiquinone against ubiquinol disagree, and several formulations did better in single studies. The right choice depends on your priorities: form, dose, the other ingredients and price. See how to choose a CoQ10.
Which form of CoQ10 is absorbed most?
In the trials above, water-soluble and solubilised preparations and an oil softgel gave higher blood levels than comparators in one trial each, and ubiquinol was higher than ubiquinone in one of two. These are single-product results measuring blood levels. See CoQ10 powder and liquid.
How many forms of CoQ10 are there?
Two molecules (ubiquinone and ubiquinol) and many formulations of them: powder, oil softgels, solubilised and liquid products, and others. Food supplies both: about 3 to 6 mg a day on average, about half of it in the reduced form (Pravst 2010).
Does the form change how much to take?
We give no form-specific dose. The doses in the trials we cite are on the dosage page.
Sources
- Comparison study of plasma coenzyme Q10 levels in healthy subjects supplemented with ubiquinol versus ubiquinone In 12 healthy adults, 200 mg a day of ubiquinol for 4 weeks raised blood CoQ10 more than 200 mg of ubiquinone in the same softgel.
- Comparative Bioavailability of Different Coenzyme Q10 Formulations in Healthy Elderly Individuals In 21 healthy older adults, a single 100 mg dose of water-soluble CoQ10 syrup was absorbed 2.4 times as well as ubiquinone capsules; ubiquinol capsules were not significantly different.
- Comparison of the relative bioavailability of different coenzyme Q10 formulations with a novel solubilizate (Solu Q10) In 54 healthy adults taking 60 mg a day for 14 days, a solubilised CoQ10 raised blood levels more than crystalline or oily forms, though the main differences were not statistically significant.
- Risk assessment for coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone) A 2006 review of the clinical literature found no dose-related side effects in studies from 60 to 1,200 mg a day.
- Study on safety and bioavailability of ubiquinol (Kaneka QH) after single and 4-week multiple oral administration to healthy volunteers In healthy volunteers, 90 to 300 mg a day of ubiquinol for 4 weeks raised blood levels without lab or ECG changes; it was not compared with ubiquinone.
- Coenzyme Q10 contents in foods and fortification strategies A food-composition review found meat, fish, nuts and some oils richest in CoQ10, with an average dietary intake of only 3-6 mg a day.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
