antioxidant · for chronic fatigue
CoQ10
Your cells use it to turn food into energy. People with long-running fatigue are often low on it.
Say that in clinical terms
CoQ10 is essential for mitochondrial electron transport chain function, directly participating in ATP synthesis. Ubiquinol also protects mitochondrial membranes from oxidative damage. Fatigue patients often show depleted CoQ10 levels.
How strong is the research?
Solid evidence
Only one studyA different form was studied
1 paper read, 1 supporting.
Who was studied: The cited review covers ageing, fibromyalgia and heart disease rather than fatigue on its own.
How much to take
daily with meals
100–300 mg
Ubiquinol form is 3-8x better absorbed than ubiquinone. Take with fat-containing meals. Allow 4-8 weeks for energy improvements.
Before you take it
- No established NIH ODS Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for CoQ10; clinical studies have administered doses up to 1,200 mg/day without serious adverse events.
- Warfarin interaction: CoQ10 shares structural similarity with vitamin K2 and may reduce warfarin anticoagulant efficacy; INR should be monitored when initiating or stopping CoQ10 in patients on warfarin.
- Antihypertensive drugs: additive blood-pressure-lowering effect is possible; blood pressure should be monitored when CoQ10 is used concurrently with antihypertensive medication.
- Statins inhibit the mevalonate pathway and deplete endogenous CoQ10 synthesis; supplementation is commonly considered in statin-treated patients, but CoQ10 does not alter statin pharmacokinetics.
- GI effects (nausea, loose stools, epigastric discomfort) reported in some patients at doses above 200 mg/day; dividing the total daily dose reduces incidence.
- Asymptomatic LDH and hepatic transaminase elevations have been reported in some studies at doses above 300 mg/day; clinical significance is unclear.
- Pregnancy and lactation: safety not established; avoid without medical supervision.
When to take it
Best taken: with food