Guide
How long does CoQ10 take to work?
No one knows how long CoQ10 takes to work. What the trials measured, when, and the pharmacokinetics: peak at about 6 hours, half-life about 33 hours.
No study we read defines how long CoQ10 takes to work. The trials we cite measured blood levels or outcomes after 8 days to 4 weeks, at 60 to 300 mg a day, and none tested 200 mg of ubiquinone for an outcome. What is known is timing in the body: levels peak about 6 hours after a dose and the half-life is about 33 hours.
What the studies measured, and when
| Study | Dose | Measured at | What was measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption review (Bhagavan 2006) | Reviewed | Tmax about 6 hours; half-life about 33 hours | Blood levels |
| Formulation trial (Schulz 2006) | 60 mg a day | 14 days | Blood levels |
| Ubiquinol study (Hosoe 2007) | 90, 150, 300 mg a day | 4 weeks | Blood levels, labs, ECG |
| Ubiquinone vs ubiquinol (Langsjoen 2014) | 200 mg a day | 4 weeks | Blood levels |
| Fatigue crossover (Mizuno 2008) | 100 or 300 mg a day | 8 days per arm | A cycling fatigue task, 17 adults |
Sources: Bhagavan 2006 (its authors work for a CoQ10 manufacturer), Schulz 2006, Hosoe 2007, Langsjoen 2014 and Mizuno 2008.
Two things follow. Blood levels of CoQ10 had risen by 14 days and 4 weeks in those trials; for example, trough levels at 4 weeks were 2.61, 3.66 and 6.53 ug/ml at 90, 150 and 300 mg of ubiquinol a day, in a study run by the product's manufacturer (Hosoe 2007). And a rise in blood level is not the same as noticing anything: the only effect measure at a short duration was the 8-day crossover, where the 300 mg arm reported lower fatigue after a cycling task than placebo and no effect was reported for the 100 mg arm (Mizuno 2008).
Our capsule
Electric Tiger CoQ10 200 mg has 200 mg of coenzyme Q10 as ubiquinone per capsule, one a day. None of the trials above tested a plain powder capsule at that dose for an outcome, so we give no timeline and make no benefit claim. It is a capsule that, on subscription, costs as low as $16.31 a bottle.
Questions people ask
How long does CoQ10 take to work? How long for it to start working?
We can't give a time. The trials measured after 8 days to 4 weeks, at 60 to 300 mg a day, and not for our dose or form. Anything more precise would be a guess dressed as a fact.
How quickly does CoQ10 work, and how fast?
In the absorption data, blood levels peak about 6 hours after a single dose (Bhagavan 2006). That is how quickly it enters the blood, not how quickly you would notice any effect.
How long does CoQ10 stay in your system?
The elimination half-life is about 33 hours, per the same review, meaning about half of the extra amount in the blood is cleared in that time. It is an average from reviewed studies, not a prediction for any one person.
Does CoQ10 really work? Do CoQ10 supplements work?
It depends on what you mean by work, at what dose and in whom. Trial results on specific outcomes, and the gaps, are in what the research does and doesn't show. We make no claim for our capsule because no trial matched its dose and form.
How does CoQ10 work in the body?
CoQ10 is a natural compound the body makes, with a fundamental role in cellular energy production, and food supplies about 3 to 6 mg a day on average (Pravst 2010). The basics are in what is CoQ10.
What should I do while I wait?
Take it as the label says, once a day, and pick a consistent time (see the best time to take CoQ10). If something worries you, stop and ask a pharmacist or doctor; see CoQ10 side effects.
Sources
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Antifatigue effects of coenzyme Q10 during physical fatigue In 17 healthy adults, 300 mg a day for 8 days eased a rating of fatigue after cycling; no effect was reported for the 100 mg arm.
- 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.
