Coenzyme Q10 Supplements 101: Potential Benefits, Known Risks, and More

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may not grab headlines the way other nutrients do, but it’s just as critical for overall health. While most of us get enough through our diet, some people may benefit from adding a CoQ10 supplement. Here, we cover what CoQ10 does, how much you need, and what to know about supplements.

What Is Coenzyme Q10?

CoQ10 is a substance that helps cells convert the food you consume into energy for your body, according to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. CoQ10 is also a powerful antioxidant that can be found in almost every cell in your body, with high concentrations in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas, per the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

An article notes that CoQ10 is an essential nutrient that plays a significant role in many processes, as cells rely heavily on energy to function.

As an antioxidant, coenzyme Q10 may prevent or delay some types of cell damage that are believed to play a role in disease, according to the NCCIH. This makes CoQ10 a potentially helpful substance for promoting overall health.

According to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, most people get enough CoQ10, as it is naturally produced by the body through a balanced diet — and therefore do not need to take a supplement or prioritize including CoQ10-rich foods. But for reference, here are some foods that contain CoQ10:

• Meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Nuts
• Vegetables
• Soybeans
• Eggs
• Dairy products

Research suggests that there may be benefits to taking CoQ10 supplements. However, the results are often mixed or have not proven useful. The following are some conditions that have been researched and have some supporting research.

May Help Treat Heart Failure

CoQ10 may help treat heart failure when used alongside conventional treatment. In fact, the authors of a review published in Circulation: Heart Failure concluded that CoQ10 is a relatively safe supplement that may enhance heart function in patients with heart failure.

Heart failure is a serious condition that occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs in your body, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People with this condition may be more susceptible to the harmful effects of reactive oxygen species, unstable molecules that can cause damage to the heart cells, according to a review of studies. As an antioxidant, CoQ10 may help protect the heart from harm.

However, not all studies have shown a positive effect, and using CoQ10 for heart failure is somewhat controversial, warns the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

May Prevent Migraine Attacks

According to the American Headache Society, CoQ10 is one of the most commonly used supplements to help prevent migraine. Research suggests that there may be something to this.

When compared with a placebo, CoQ10 shortened the duration of migraine attacks and reduced the number of total days with migraine symptoms per month in children and adults, per findings from a meta-analysis. A more recent meta-analysis found similar results and also discovered that CoQ10 helped improve nausea associated with migraine.

Yet the authors of both of those meta-analyses say that more studies of larger groups are needed to determine if and how CoQ10 might benefit people with migraine.

May Lower Blood Pressure

CoQ10 may help lower blood pressure, though the research is mixed.

For example, a review of 12 clinical trials revealed that CoQ10 has the potential to lower systolic blood pressure (the force your blood exerts against your artery walls with each heartbeat) in people with hypertension by up to 17 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (the force your blood exerts against your artery walls in between heartbeats) by 10 mmHg, with no significant side effects.

However, the authors of another review of studies, in people with high blood pressure (hypertension), concluded that CoQ10 doesn’t have a significant effect on blood pressure. The problem, they say, is that there aren’t many studies to review. They noted, though, that more research is needed.

CoQ10 has been studied for its potential weight loss effects, but the findings have been mixed and only drawn from animal samples.

For example, one study in obese rats found that CoQ10 reduced body weight by 12 percent after 12 weeks, even though rats receiving the CoQ10 supplement ate similar amounts of food as rats who didn’t receive the supplement. However, another study in obese rats found that CoQ10 supplementation had no effect on weight loss.

Given that human research is limited and the findings in animal studies are mixed, the link between CoQ10 supplements and weight loss remains unclear and unsupported.

CoQ10 is generally considered safe. According to the NCCIH, no serious side effects have been reported. If you do experience side effects, they’re likely to be mild and mainly include nausea and stomach upset, Jankovic Weatherly says.

But CoQ10 supplements may lower blood sugar and blood pressure, according to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. As such, they may interact with certain medications, including beta blockers (a type of medication that lowers blood pressure) and the diabetes drug insulin, per the NCCIH. CoQ10 may also interfere with warfarin, an anticoagulant (blood thinner), Jankovic Weatherly says. And given that CoQ10 is an antioxidant, it may make chemotherapy drugs less effective, she adds.

To be safe and avoid potential interactions, consult your healthcare provider before adding a CoQ10 supplement to your diet, especially if you are living with a health condition or taking a prescription medication.

CoQ10 deficiencies are uncommon, affecting fewer than 1 in 100,000 people, according to MedlinePlus. That said, some people tend to have lower levels of CoQ10 and may benefit from a supplement, in particular, older adults and people with fibromyalgia or heart disease, says Monique Richard, RDN, an integrative registered dietitian-nutritionist in Johnson City, Tennessee, and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. People who take statins (cholesterol-lowering medications) have also been found to have lower levels of CoQ10 and may be good candidates for supplements, the Mayo Clinic notes.

CoQ10 has been studied for a variety of other health conditions, including:

• Lou Gehrig’s disease
• Down syndrome
• Huntington’s disease
• Male infertility

However, the research is too limited to draw any conclusions or to warrant recommending CoQ10 supplements for groups affected by these health-related issues, the NCCIH notes.

As a natural substance in the body, CoQ10 helps translate food into energy and is an antioxidant. Most of us get enough CoQ10 through diet and natural bodily production, but some people have lower levels and may benefit from a supplement. In particular, older adults, people with migraine or heart disease, and those who take statin medications to lower cholesterol may consider consulting their healthcare team about possibly taking a CoQ10 supplement.

CoQ10 supplements are generally considered safe, though they may cause mild side effects, such as stomach upset and nausea. They may also interact with chemotherapy, blood pressure, diabetes, and blood-thinning medications. Don’t take a CoQ10 supplement without checking with your doctor first.