Guide
CoQ10 powder and liquid: is liquid better than capsules?
Liquid, powder, softgel or capsule: what the formulation trials measured, what none of them tested, and where our powder capsule sits.
One small trial found a water-soluble CoQ10 liquid raised blood levels 2.4 times more than ubiquinone capsules, while ubiquinol capsules were not significantly different from them. That is a single product, one dose, in 21 older adults, so it does not show that liquid is better than capsules in general. Here is what the formulation studies found.
What the formulation studies found
A 2020 crossover trial gave 21 healthy adults aged 65 to 74 a single dose containing 100 mg of CoQ10 as a water-soluble syrup, ubiquinol capsules or ubiquinone capsules, and followed blood levels for 48 hours. The syrup's bioavailability was 2.4-fold that of the ubiquinone capsules (95% CI 1.3 to 4.5); the ubiquinol capsules' 1.7-fold difference was not statistically significant (Pravst 2020). It was a single dose, and it measured blood levels, not any effect on how people feel or function.
The earlier findings point the same way without settling it. In 54 healthy adults taking 60 mg a day for 14 days, a solubilised CoQ10 gave an earlier rise and the highest levels at day 14, though the differences between products in the main measures were not statistically significant (Schulz 2006). In a four-way crossover of 10 healthy adults at 100 mg, an oil-based soybean softgel had the highest bioavailability, and a hard capsule of powder was one of the comparators (Weis 1994).
The common thread is that CoQ10 is hydrophobic and absorbed slowly and to a limited degree, and that how it is delivered matters (Bhagavan 2006; its authors work for a CoQ10 manufacturer). We did not find a trial of a liposomal CoQ10, drops, or a CoQ10 drink, so we can say nothing about those from research.
Powder, liquid and capsule at a glance
| Format | What the trials we read tested | What we don't know |
|---|---|---|
| Powder in a capsule | One comparator in a 10-person trial at 100 mg (Weis 1994); ubiquinone capsules as the reference in Pravst 2020 | How much any specific powder capsule is absorbed |
| Oil-based softgel | Highest bioavailability of four in Weis 1994 (soybean oil) | Whether other oils behave the same |
| Solubilised or water-soluble liquid | Higher blood levels in Schulz 2006 (not statistically significant) and Pravst 2020 (2.4-fold) | Long-term use, outcomes, other liquid brands |
| Liposomal, drops, drinks | Nothing we could find | Everything |
Our capsule
Electric Tiger CoQ10 200 mg is the powder-in-a-capsule kind: 200 mg of coenzyme Q10 as ubiquinone, rice flour and a hypromellose capsule, no oil, one capsule a day, as low as $16.31 a bottle on subscription. We have no absorption data on this exact capsule and make no benefit claim for it.
Questions people ask
Is liquid CoQ10 better than capsules?
One trial of one water-soluble syrup found higher blood levels than ubiquinone capsules after a single 100 mg dose (Pravst 2020). That is a result for that product. A higher blood level is not a demonstrated benefit, and we found no trial comparing liquids and capsules on an outcome.
Does liquid CoQ10 need to be refrigerated?
We have no source that answers this for liquids in general; it depends on the product, so follow its label. Our capsule's label says to store it in a cool, dry place.
What about CoQ10 powder, drops, eye drops, energy drinks and liposomal CoQ10?
We found no trial of CoQ10 eye drops, drops, drinks or liposomal products. Loose powder leaves you measuring the dose yourself; a capsule or a stated serving does it for you. Read the label for the milligrams and the form. See how to choose a CoQ10.
What are the side effects of liquid CoQ10?
The safety literature we read concerned ubiquinone in studies from 60 to 1,200 mg a day, where nausea and other stomach complaints were not dose-related (Hathcock 2006). It was written by an industry trade body, and we found no safety data specific to liquids. See CoQ10 side effects.
What does "800 mg liposomal ubiquinol" or "90 servings" on a label tell me?
Only the amount and the count. Check the milligrams per serving, how many servings a day the label directs, and the form, then compare with the 60 to 300 mg a day in the trials we cite and the 60 to 1,200 mg reviewed for safety. See how much CoQ10 to take.
Sources
- 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.
- Bioavailability of four oral coenzyme Q10 formulations in healthy volunteers In 10 healthy adults, 100 mg CoQ10 in a soybean-oil softgel was absorbed best of four formulations; a powder capsule was one comparator.
- Coenzyme Q10: absorption, tissue uptake, metabolism and pharmacokinetics A review by authors at a CoQ10 manufacturer reports slow, limited absorption, a peak about 6 hours after a dose and a half-life of about 33 hours.
- 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.
*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.
