Coenzyme Q10: The Different Forms and Heart Health (Part 2: Ubiquinol vs. Ubiquinone)

If you have been looking into supplementing with coenzyme Q10, you may have run into the types "ubiquinol" and "ubiquinone". Both types are very important nutrients to the human body. Understanding the differences in the two can help you be sure that you are maximizing the benefits you receive from supplementing with CoQ10.

CoQ10 is needed to help the organs with the highest energy requirements repair and protect themselves. As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, ubiquinol levels are greatly reduced in cancer and heart disease patients. Levels are also low in patients with neurological and liver conditions. It is believed that low levels of CoQ10 put the body at higher risk for these conditions and supplementing can help you protect yourself.

Ubiquinone is the most widely recognized form of CoQ10. It is a powerful antioxidant produced naturally in the body. It plays a key role in cellular energy production. The body converts ubiquinone into ubiquinol. This conversion is necessary for cellular use. The body combines fats and carbohydrates with oxygen inside the cells to produce energy. Ubiquinol, being fat-soluble, passes freely into and out of the cell. It cleans out free radicals and quickly transports the signal to produce energy from the cellular mitochondria.

So, the body needs ubiquinone to convert into the usable form, ubiquinol. The human body begins to lose ubiquinone in its early twenties. Conversion of ubiquinone into ubiquinol becomes inhibited with age and sharply diminishes after age 40. Without enough ubiquinone and/or ubiquinol, the body becomes susceptible to age related fatigue and does not have the cellular energy to defend against oxidative stress. It also loses its ability to create collagen and elastin without enough CoQ10. These are substances necessary for cellular repair.

Ubiquinone has been available for about thirty years. It is the most recognizable form of CoQ10 because ubiquinol has only been available in supplement form since 2006. Both are equally important, but ubiquinol oxidizes rapidly outside of the body. Therefore, it took many years of research before it was available in supplement form.

Ask your doctor if CoQ10 supplementation is right for you. In general, ubiquinone supplementation may be necessary after age 20, while ubiquinol may not be necessary until after age 40 when the ability to convert ubiquinone diminishes.

Staying healthy and combating oxidative stress is not always possible without the use of vitamins and supplements. Remember from Part 1 of this series, that CoQ10 is most efficient when combined with vitamin C. Vitamin C promotes the production of CoQ10 in the body. Unfortunately for us, human beings do not produce vitamin C and it is necessary for us to get it from food sources and supplementation. Vitamin C powder is the easiest way to get enough vitamin C to be beneficial.

With the right combination of vitamin C, CoQ10 ubiquinol and ubiquinone, you can possibly prevent and repair damage to organs, ward off disease and increase your energy. Be proactive about your health and remember to talk to your doctor about supplementation before you begin any new regimen.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health. For more information about C-Salts, otherwise known as the best Vitamin C, or about other Vitamin C powder products, visit http://www.nutri.com where you can buy Vitamins and Supplements of the highest quality.