Introduction
Coenzyme Q10 is a protein in the body that helps produce energy. It has been used to improve heart function and the health of cells. Coenzyme Q10 can be taken as a pill or powder. It can also be applied to the skin as a cream and has been used to fight signs of aging.
Dosages
100 to 500 milligrams once daily
What Research Shows
Likely Effective
- Coronary artery disease —likely to lower total cholesterol and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol C1
- Heart failure —likely to help manage symptoms E1-E4
- High blood pressure —likely to lower systolic blood pressure G1, G2
- Migraine —likely to reduce migraine duration and number of attacks I1
May Be Effective
- Bipolar disorder —may improve symptoms of depression A1
- Peyronie disease—may ease symptoms and improve erectile function K1
- Polycystic ovary disease —may lower total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol L1
Unlikely to Be Effective
- Parkinson Disease —unlikely to improve symptoms J1, J2
- Statin-induced myopathy—unlikely to improve symptoms M1
Not Enough Data to Assess
- Cardiovascular disease B1
- Diabetes D1-D3
- Heart surgery complications F1
- Male infertility H1
Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.
Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.
Safety Notes
It is likely safe to apply coenzyme Q10 to the skin and to take it orally in small doses for a short time. Not enough studies have been done to say whether it is safe to use for a long period. It is also not known whether it is safe to take by women who are breastfeeding.
Interactions
Talk to your doctor about any supplements or therapy you would like to use. Some can interfere with treatment or make conditions worse.
References
REFA Bipolar disorder
REFA1 Mehrpooya M, Yasrebifar F, et al. Evaluating the Effect of Coenzyme Q10 Augmentation on Treatment of Bipolar Depression: A Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2018;38(5):460-466.
REFB Cardiovascular Disease
REFB1 Flowers N, Hartley L, et al. Co-enzyme Q10 supplementation for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(12):CD010405.
REFC Coronary Artery Disease
REFC1 Jorat MV, Tabrizi R, et al. The effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on lipid profiles among patients with coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Lipids Health Dis. 2018;17(1):230.
REFD Diabetes
REFD1 Suksomboon N, Poolsup N, et al. Effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on metabolic profile in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2015;40(4):413-418.
REFD2 Moradi M, Haghighatdoost F, et al. Effect of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Diabetes Biomarkers: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials. Arch Iran Med. 2016;19(8):588-596.
REFD3 Stojanović M, Radenković M. A meta-analysis of randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trials suggests that coenzyme Q10 at low dose improves glucose and HbA1c levels. Nutr Res. 2017 Feb;38:1-12.
REFE Heart Failure
REFE1 Fotino AD, Thompson-Paul AM, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q₁₀ supplementation on heart failure: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Feb;97(2):268-275.
REFE2 Madmani ME, Yusuf Solaiman A, et al. Coenzyme Q10 for heart failure. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(6):CD008684.
REFE3 Lei L, Liu Y. Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 inpatients with cardiac failure: a meta-analysis of clinical trials. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2017;17(1):196.
REFE4 Jafari M, Mousavi SM, et al. Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of heart failure: A systematic review of systematic reviews. Indian Heart J. 2018 Jul;70 Suppl 1:S111-S117.
REFF Heart Surgery Complications
REFF1 de Frutos F, Gea A, et al. Prophylactic treatment with coenzyme Q10 in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: could an antioxidant reduce complications? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2015 Feb;20(2):254-259.
REFG High Blood Pressure
REFG1 Ho MJ, Li EC, et al. Blood pressure lowering efficacy of coenzyme Q10 for primary hypertension. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Mar 3;3:CD007435.
REFG2 Tabrizi R, Akbari M, et al. The Effects of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Blood Pressures Among Patients with Metabolic Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev. 2018 Mar;25(1):41-50
REFH Male Infertility
REFH1 Lafuente R, González-Comadrán M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 and male infertility: a meta-analysis. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2013;30(9):1147-1156.
REFI Migraine
REFI1 Zeng Z, Li Y, et al. Efficacy of CoQ10 as supplementation for migraine: A meta-analysis. Acta Neurol Scand. 2019 Mar;139(3):284-293.
REFJ Parkinson Disease
REFJ1 Negida A, Menshawy A, et al. Coenzyme Q10 for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2016;15(1):45-53.
REFJ2 Zhu ZG, Sun MX, et al. The efficacy and safety of coenzyme Q10 in Parkinson’s disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Neurol Sci. 2017;38(2):215-224.
REFK Peyronie Disease
REFK1 Safarinejad MR. Safety and efficacy of coenzyme Q10 supplementation in early chronic Peyronie’s disease: a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Int J Impot Res. 2010;22(5):298-309.
REFL Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
REFL1 Samimi M, Zarezade Mehrizi M, et al. The effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on glucose metabolism and lipid profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2017;86(4):560-566.
REFM Statin-Induced Myopathy
REFM1 Banach M, Serban C, et al. Effects of coenzyme Q10 on statin-induced myopathy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015 Jan;90(1):24-34.