Should I Take a CoQ10 Supplement?
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Coenzyme Q10 may sound like something conjured up by clever pharmaceutical scientists—but this fat-soluble, vitamin-like compound is naturally made by the body. And it plays important roles in essential bodily processes, helping enzymes function. “CoQ10 is also known as ubiquinone—a name related to ‘ubiquitous,’ meaning ‘everywhere’—because it is found in almost all plant and animal cells in very low concentrations,” says Dr. David L. Katz, a preventive medicine specialist and past president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
CoQ10 helps generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s primary energy source within the mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cells. “CoQ10 also functions as an antioxidant, in which role it protects cells and mitochondria from injury,” explains Katz. Research suggests CoQ10 can counter the effects of oxidative compounds—thus protecting cellular membranes—and improve blood flow and safeguard blood vessels.
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In addition to being naturally produced in the body, CoQ10 also can be found in foods such as meats, fatty fish (such as salmon and sardines), nuts, and some oils. You don’t need a lot of it. “For individuals who are young, healthy, and eating a balanced diet, there’s little evidence that taking extra CoQ10 offers meaningful advantages,” says Candace Pumper, a staff dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
Some people may benefit from getting more CoQ10, however. “CoQ10 levels naturally peak in early adulthood and gradually decline over time,” explains Pumper. “Lower levels are also associated with a range of health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, fibromyalgia, and neurodegenerative disorders.”
This doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone over a certain age or with a particular medical condition should take CoQ10 supplements. There’s a complicating factor: “Because blood tests can’t reliably show how much CoQ10 is actually inside cells, true deficiencies are difficult to identify,” says Pumper. “When low levels are suspected, health care providers may recommend supplementation based on an individual’s overall health and the best available evidence.”
Who might benefit from taking CoQ10?
Given its ubiquitous presence in the body and the versatile roles it plays, CoQ10 can potentially affect various organ systems and medical conditions. But in some instances, claims about the benefits of taking CoQ10 supplements (to slow the aging process or improve athletic performance, for example) are overblown.
“The clearest benefit is in congestive heart failure, where studies show it can improve heart function and reduce mortality,” says Katz. “By improving energy generation in cells and protecting mitochondria, CoQ10 can improve overall energy levels” or even help the heart pump better.
One of the most popular uses of CoQ10 supplements is for muscle aches related to the use of statin drugs to lower cholesterol. “Statins are the most prescribed cholesterol medicine in the world, and the No. 1 side effect is muscle aches,” says Dr. Wahaj Aman, a cardiologist with the Memorial Hermann Health System and UTHealth Houston. “The hypothesis is that statins reduce naturally occurring CoQ10, and if we add it as a supplement, theoretically this would improve the muscle aches.”
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There is some good evidence supporting the use of CoQ10 supplements to relieve muscle aches associated with statins. And given how safe they are, many doctors believe it’s worth trying CoQ10 supplements if you have this issue. “Sometimes I recommend the supplement to people who report muscle aches with statin use because it poses little risk and it might be helpful,” says Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist and clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Another benefit may be related to lowering blood pressure. A review of 45 randomized controlled trials, published in a 2025 issue of the International Journal of Cardiology Cardiovascular Risk and Prevention, found that CoQ10 supplementation significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number), especially at doses below 200 mg per day and with longer treatment durations lasting more than eight weeks.
There’s also some evidence that CoQ10 supplementation may reduce the frequency of migraine attacks, improve fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, and improve pain and fatigue from fibromyalgia.
“Because of its role in energy generation, there is also a case for use in any condition of chronic fatigue or low energy,” says Katz. Indeed, a meta-analysis in a 2022 issue of Frontiers in Pharmacology found that taking coenzyme Q10 supplements had a significant effect in reducing fatigue.
The bottom line
CoQ10 supplements are broadly considered very safe at a variety of doses. Potential side effects include nausea, decreased appetite, diarrhea, and insomnia, “which is why some people recommend taking it in the morning rather than at night,” Aman adds.
If you do decide to take it, add a hefty dose of patience, because “results will not happen overnight,” says Kristin Gustashaw, an advanced level clinical dietitian at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Studies suggest you should expect to take it for four weeks to four months before noticing sustained benefits.”
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There’s also a concern that CoQ10 supplements can interact with certain drugs. “If you’re interested in taking CoQ10, talk to your doctor about it so they can see it in the context of any other medications they may prescribe,” advises Goldberg. There’s no routine dosage for CoQ10, so you’ll want to follow your health care provider’s advice.
In particular, people who take hypertension medications (such as beta blockers), anticoagulant drugs (such as warfarin), and some diabetes medications may be cautioned against taking CoQ10 or may need to have their dosage adjusted to prevent unwanted interactions, experts say.
And people who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer may be cautioned against taking CoQ10, says Pumper. Because it is an antioxidant, CoQ10 can potentially interfere with cancer treatments that are designed to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells, thereby compromising the effectiveness of those therapies.
“CoQ10 isn’t a catch-all wellness supplement,” says Pumper. “Whether it’s useful for a given person depends on their individual health and guidance from a health care provider.”