How CoQ10 Supplements Work: Benefits, Dosage and Timing

Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10 or Ubiquinone) is a lipid antioxidant that can neutralise free radicals — these damage cell membranes, tamper with DNA and even cause our cells to die — and may reduce, or even prevent, some of the damage they cause. Specifically, CoQ10 helps convert food into energy, improves our energy and augments our immune system.

In many diseases where reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly active, our body’s concentration of CoQ10 decreases, which can lead to issues in our respiratory system.

Taking CoQ10 as a supplement alone, or with other drug therapies, can help prevent or treat diseases and issues like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer, radiation injury, obesity, diabetes, AIDS, allergies, migraines and aging. One clinical study even found that those who took CoQ10 after a heart attack were less likely to have subsequent heart attacks and chest pain.

Some other CoQ10 benefits are that it plays a major role in boosting our immune system and physical performance, as tissues and cells involved with our immune systems require an adequate supply of CoQ10 to function due to needing energy. As we age, our CoQ10 levels decrease.

CoQ10 supplements are available as soft gel capsules, an oral spray, hard shell capsules and tablets. It’s best to take the supplement with a meal containing oil or fat, with typical dosages of 30 to 90mg per day, but the recommended amount can be as high as 200mg per day for certain individuals.

It’s best to take CoQ10 in the morning or afternoon, with benefits often seen within two weeks if taken daily. Some CoQ10 side effects can include diarrhoea and a rash.