Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, was once a niche supplement, known best in wellness circles for its possible benefits for heart health and fertility. But now the antioxidant’s star is rising for a new reason: its purported longevity-boosting powers.
The appeal of CoQ10 has grown as researchers have explored its effects on various conditions, with small studies revealing, for example, it may help boost insulin sensitivity, cut the frequency of migraine attacks, and alleviate muscle aches from statins used for high cholesterol. But as of late, there’s excitement around its broader anti-aging potential because of how it supports our mitochondria, which you may remember from high school biology as the “powerhouse of the cell.”
That role has punched CoQ10’s ticket into the longevity club, alongside other supplements thought to lend a hand to mitochondria (like urolithin A and nicotinamide mononucleotide, or NMN). There’s even a synthetic derivative of CoQ10 designed specifically for better absorption by mitochondria, which is called mitoquinone (or MitoQ), that’s gaining hype among celeb trainers and athletes for boosting energy, recovery, and “cellular health.”
But is CoQ10 all it’s cracked up to be when it comes to longevity? Read on to learn more before grabbing a bottle of this supplement.
Why are people taking CoQ10 for longevity?
Our cells naturally produce CoQ10, a molecule that acts like a conveyor belt for charged particles inside our mitochondria, enabling them to “efficiently create adenosine triphosphate, or ATP,” the “currency for cellular energy,” Anthony Molina, a professor of medicine at UC San Diego who studies aging biomarkers, said. That’s a big deal, as all cells rely on that energy to complete their daily functions. As we age, both the number and energy-producing powers of mitochondria drop off — a process involved in the development of many age-related diseases, Molina pointed out. Meanwhile, CoQ10 levels also decline with age, leading to the idea that we should take it in supplement form for better mitochondrial (and, in turn, overall) health.
Beyond its role in energy production, CoQ10 is also an antioxidant that is “very powerful in capturing free radicals,” or volatile molecules that can harm cells, Daria Mochly-Rosen, a professor of chemical and systems biology at Stanford University and coauthor of The Life Machines: How Taking Care of Your Mitochondria Can Transform Your Health, said. By stabilising those molecules, CoQ10 may help to keep that damage (a.k.a. oxidative stress) from piling up and also contributing to aging and the development of chronic disease.
Separately, CoQ10 has potential benefits as it relates to cardiovascular health: It’s anti-inflammatory and may also improve the function of blood vessels, helping regulate blood pressure, JoAnn E. Manson, chief of the division of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, said. These upsides could lower risk for heart disease.
Can CoQ10 help you live longer?
Despite the promising mechanisms above, “the evidence base just isn’t yet there,” Manson said. The studies we do have on CoQ10 and longevity are in mice and rats — and while a few suggest a lifespan-extending effect, or a way to reverse some cognitive decline once it starts, others show no anti-aging upsides in healthy animals. Besides, “we find again and again that humans are not just large, non-hairy mice,” Mochly-Rosen pointed out, “so we can’t assume the results transfer.”
Studies in people have been focused on CoQ10 as an intervention for specific diseases, particularly cardiovascular ones. All the experts say the strongest evidence for longevity is in those with heart failure, who have low CoQ10 levels — taking the supplement alongside standard treatment has been shown to reduce the need for hospitalisation and risk of early death, possibly because of its mitochondrial perks.
Jennifer Aniston, Hailey Bieber, and Kendall Jenner have reportedly all tried it.
But logistically, it’s a lot trickier to prove that CoQ10 prolongs life in healthy people versus in those with a medical condition or known CoQ10 deficiency. In the absence of these studies, it might be tempting to take a logical leap: If we know CoQ10 supports mitochondrial function, and levels of both dip with age and disease, supplementing with CoQ10 seems like it should help you live longer. But the problem is, we don’t know exactly what drives the mitochondrial issues that occur with age, Molina said. “So maybe you’re not taking a shot in the dark because we know that mitochondria has something to do with healthy aging, but using CoQ10 as the tool is like taking a shot in a dimly lit room,” he said. “It’s not clear whether you’re hitting the right target.”
What to know before you buy a CoQ10 supplement
As with any supplement, it’s best to ask your doctor before adding CoQ10 to your routine. While there’s a good deal of data to suggest it’s safe and well-tolerated, there are some people who shouldn’t take it, generally because of interactions with prescription drugs, Molina pointed out. The main concern is with blood thinners (a.k.a. anticoagulants) like warfarin (which are often prescribed after a blood clot) — CoQ10 could make these drugs less effective, Manson said. It’s also extra important to check in with your doctor first if you take insulin or are receiving treatment for cancer. Though CoQ10 doesn’t usually cause side effects, you could also wind up with some mild GI upset or insomnia, Manson added.
There’s also the quality-control problem that comes with any supplement. These are not subjected to the same FDA regulations as medications are, meaning you can’t know for sure that you’re getting what the bottle promises. Studies of certain CoQ10 supplements have found that they contained less of the antioxidant than the amount listed on the label, Mochly-Rosen noted. Your best defence against winding up with a sugar pill is to find a product that’s been third-party verified, she said — look for the “NSF certified” or “USP verified” stamp.
Even then, there’s still no guarantee that a CoQ10 supplement does anything for your longevity, particularly if you don’t have a health condition. The most effective way to age better and live longer is to subscribe to the lifestyle behaviours you’ve likely heard time and again: Move your body often, eat a range of whole foods, sleep well and find ways to de-stress. Even more reason to revamp your habits? It’s these same behaviours — not any singular supplement — that have been consistently shown to bolster our hardworking mitochondria. “It may be boring, but those things really do work,” Molina said. “They improve mitochondrial function and efficiency, and they have direct health benefits.”
This article originally appeared on SELF.
