If you’ve ever taken CoQ10 as a supplement you may have noticed that different names are used: sometimes the label says ubiquinone, other times it says ubiquinol. A lot of times it simply says coenzyme Q10, which can make things even more confusing.

So what is the difference between the three? Well, in actuality there are only two real choices: ubiquinone and ubiquinol. Both are forms of coenzyme Q10, which is a general term that encompasses both ubiquinone and ubiquinol.

Ubiquinone is the oxidized form of CoQ10 and is the more common form of commercially available CoQ10. If you’ve ever bought one of the cheaper CoQ10 supplements, it has most likely been in the oxidized form. If the label doesn’t specifically mention which form of CoQ10 the product contains, it’s probably ubiquinone.

This is because ubiquinol, the reduced form of CoQ10, is relatively new and more expensive to produce – so when the supplement does contain ubiquinol, the manufacturer is quick to point it out in big letters. This form of CoQ10 is the antioxidant form which neutralizes free radicals and decreases cellular damage. Ubiquinone does not have this antioxidant effect.

Since the body converts ubiquinone into ubiquinol, there is an extra step involved, and not all of the ingested ubiquinone gets converted into ubiquinol. In healthy people, over 90% of the CoQ10 in the blood is in the form of ubiquinol, but as you get older, both the total level of coenzyme Q10 and the body’s ability to turn it into ubiquinol decline.

So why CoQ10?
CoQ10 plays an essential role in the production of cellular energy. Without this energy, your cells cannot function.

CoQ10 is found in high concentrations in tissues and organs that require a lot of energy. The heart requires huge amounts of energy to function which is why CoEnzyme Q10 is such an important compound for proper heart function. The benefits of CoQ10 are crucial to maintaining cardiovascular health.