CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) is a compound your body makes and uses in the process cells rely on to produce energy. It is one of the most popular supplements in the UK, especially for people over 40 and people taking statins. But popularity is not the same as proof. In the UK, there are no authorised health claims for CoQ10, and the research behind many of its uses is mixed or early. This guide sets out what CoQ10 is, what the evidence does and does not show, what it means for women and men, and how to take a CoQ10 supplement, including whether to take it with food.
The quick answer
- What it is: a vitamin-like compound found in every cell, involved in normal cellular energy production. Your body makes it, and small amounts come from food.
- What the evidence shows: research on heart health, statin muscle symptoms, fertility and other uses is mixed, inconclusive or too limited. No UK health claims are authorised.
- How to take it: with a meal that contains some fat, because CoQ10 is fat-soluble. Follow the label serving.
- Check first if you take warfarin, insulin, cancer treatment or other regular medicines.
What is CoQ10?
CoQ10 is short for coenzyme Q10. It is a fat-soluble, vitamin-like compound found in almost every cell of the body, with the highest amounts in organs that use a lot of energy, such as the heart, liver and kidneys. Your body makes most of the CoQ10 it uses, and you get small amounts from foods such as meat (especially organ meats), oily fish, nuts and wholegrains.
It comes in two forms: ubiquinone, the form in most supplements including ours, and ubiquinol. The body converts between them. Our guide to CoQ10 vs ubiquinol explains the difference.
What does CoQ10 do in the body?
Inside your cells, CoQ10 sits in the mitochondria, the parts of the cell that turn the food you eat into usable energy. It is one of the carriers in the chain of reactions that produces that energy.
Body levels can fall for several reasons. Statins lower CoQ10 because they block part of the pathway the body uses to make it, which is covered in our guide to CoQ10 and statins. Levels in some tissues are also reported to fall with age (Garrido-Maraver et al., 2014).
What a supplement does is raise the level of CoQ10 in your blood. Whether that leads to a noticeable benefit is the question the research is still working on.
CoQ10 benefits: what the evidence says
CoQ10 has been studied for many uses. The summary below is based mainly on the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), which reviews the research independently. On a phone, scroll the table sideways.
| Area studied | What the research shows | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|
| Preventing heart disease | Only a few studies, with inconclusive results. | Unproven |
| Heart failure | Research is inconclusive. Heart failure needs medical treatment. | Unproven |
| Blood pressure | The small amount of evidence suggests no meaningful effect. | Probably no effect |
| Statin muscle symptoms | Individual studies vary. Overall evidence does not support it. | Mixed |
| Heart surgery | Some evidence it may reduce some complications. Only under a surgical team's guidance. | Some evidence |
| Parkinson's disease | A large NIH-funded study and later reviews found it did not help symptoms. | Not helpful |
| Cancer | Not shown to be of value in treating cancer, and may not suit some treatments. | Not a treatment |
| Male fertility and other conditions | Studied, but research is too limited to draw conclusions. | Too early to say |
That may look disappointing, but it is an honest picture. Many claims you will see online for CoQ10, such as boosting energy, protecting the heart or lowering blood pressure, have been reviewed and are not authorised for use on food supplements in the UK. We do not make them, and you should be wary of products that do.
CoQ10 for women
There is no evidence that CoQ10 works differently in women. Two questions come up most often:
- Fertility: CoQ10 is popular with people trying to conceive and is sometimes suggested by fertility clinics. The research is still too limited for firm conclusions, so follow your clinic's advice rather than starting on your own.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: there is not enough safety research on CoQ10 supplements at these times. Speak to your GP or midwife before taking it.
Claims that CoQ10 helps with weight loss, menopause symptoms or skin ageing when taken by mouth are not supported by authorised evidence.
CoQ10 for men
Men often ask about CoQ10 for fertility, exercise and heart health. The NCCIH lists male infertility among the areas where research is too limited to draw conclusions, and the evidence on heart disease prevention is inconclusive. Men taking statins, which are prescribed more often from middle age, may want to read our guide to CoQ10 and statins and speak to their GP.
Who might consider CoQ10?
CoQ10 is not essential in the diet, because your body makes it. People most often choose to take it if they:
- take a statin and have discussed CoQ10 with their GP or pharmacist
- are older and want to top up a compound whose levels in some tissues fall with age
- have been advised to take it by a specialist, such as a fertility clinic
If you are taking CoQ10 for a specific health concern, speak to your GP, because that concern may need medical assessment.
Should CoQ10 be taken with food?
Yes. CoQ10 is fat-soluble, which means it dissolves in fat rather than water, and your body absorbs it better when it is taken with a meal that contains some fat. A breakfast with yoghurt, eggs or nut butter, or a lunch with olive oil or oily fish, works well.
- Split larger servings. If you take 2 capsules, taking one with breakfast and one with lunch may help absorption and reduce stomach upset.
- Morning or midday is a safe default. A few people find CoQ10 affects their sleep, so avoid taking it late in the evening if you notice this.
- Consistency matters. Take it at the same meals each day.
How much CoQ10 to take
Follow the serving on your label. Our CoQ10 300mg capsules contain ubiquinone in a vegan HPMC shell, and the serving is 2 capsules a day (600mg). Do not exceed the stated serving.
There is no official UK upper limit for CoQ10. A 2006 safety review by Hathcock and Shao set an observed safe level of 1,200mg a day based on human trials (Hathcock and Shao, 2006). Many studies have used lower amounts, so if you take medicines, ask your GP or pharmacist whether a lower amount would suit you. Starting with one capsule a day for a week or two is a gentle way to begin.
CoQ10 safety and who should check first
The NCCIH reports that no serious side effects of CoQ10 have been reported, and that mild side effects such as insomnia or digestive upset may occur. It also notes that CoQ10 may interact with warfarin and insulin, and may not be compatible with some types of cancer treatment. Our CoQ10 side effects guide covers this in detail.
Speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking CoQ10 if you:
- take warfarin or another blood thinner
- have diabetes or take insulin
- are having chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- take statins, blood pressure medicines or other regular medicines
- are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding
- have a heart, liver or kidney condition
The bottom line: what is CoQ10 good for?
CoQ10 is a compound your body makes and uses in normal cellular energy production, and statins and age can lower its levels. Supplements raise blood levels, but the evidence that this brings a noticeable benefit is mixed or still emerging, and there are no authorised UK health claims for it. If you decide to take it, choose a clearly labelled product, take it with food, stick to the serving and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any regular medicine.
Vanessa holds a Level 3 Diploma in Nutrition and co-founded NutritionGo, where she leads editorial content. She researches and writes our guides, covering ingredient composition, traditional use and nutrition information, and fact-checks them against UK advertising rules and the GB Nutrition and Health Claims register. Every factual statement is verified against sources such as the NHS, the GB Nutrition and Health Claims register or peer-reviewed research on PubMed before publication. Vanessa is not a registered dietitian or healthcare professional, so this guide is for general information and is not a substitute for personal medical advice.
References
View all 4 references and sources
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Coenzyme Q10. Summary of research by condition, safety and interactions.
- Garrido-Maraver J et al. Clinical applications of coenzyme Q10. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed), 2014;19(4):619-33.
- Hathcock JN, Shao A. Risk assessment for coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone). Regul Toxicol Pharmacol, 2006;45(3):282-8.
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register. No health claims are authorised for CoQ10.