CoQ10 in Canada: Ubiquinone vs Ubiquinol
Short answer: ubiquinone is the standard, oxidized form of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and ubiquinol is its reduced form. Both are sold in Canada as natural health products. Makers of ubiquinol products say it is the "active" form, but we did not find a primary source that proves ubiquinol is better for people in general, and absorption also depends on the formulation: the Canadian labels we reviewed say to take CoQ10 with a meal. Evidence for CoQ10 in statin-related muscle symptoms is mixed. Whichever form you consider, ask your pharmacist first if you take blood thinners or blood pressure medicine.
Ubiquinone vs ubiquinol
| Ubiquinone | Ubiquinol | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The oxidized form of CoQ10; the form covered by Health Canada's CoQ10 monograph (ubiquinone-10) | The reduced form, described on product pages as "active" CoQ10 |
| Examples in stock | Bioclinic Naturals CoQ10 200 mg, NFH CoQ10 SAP (100 mg), Q-Evail 100 (100 mg softgel with Evail technology), NFH PQ10 SAP (100 mg, pea-emulsified) | CoQnol 200 (200 mg ubiquinol per softgel) |
| Taking it | Bioclinic and NFH pages advise a meal containing some fat | CoQnol: 1 softgel daily with food |
| Proven to be better? | Not established in the sources we reviewed; compare the form, dose per capsule and directions on each label | |
Some products use special delivery systems. Q-Evail pairs quillaja extract with MCT oil, NFH PQ10 uses pea emulsification, and CoQnol adds geranylgeraniol and quillaia extract; these are the makers' formulation choices, and the product pages describe them as aimed at absorption. We cannot verify those comparisons from independent sources, so use them as label details, not guarantees.
What CoQ10 is
CoQ10 is a compound found in cells, where it takes part in energy production in the mitochondria and acts as an antioxidant. Product pages note that levels fall with age and that statin medicines can lower them. That is background, not proof of a benefit from supplements. Licensed Canadian labels use modest wording, for example "helps to support cardiovascular health", "helps to support cellular energy production" and "source of antioxidants for the maintenance of good health".
What does the evidence say?
The best-known question is whether CoQ10 helps statin-associated muscle symptoms. Published systematic reviews and meta-analyses have looked at it, and the results have been mixed: some trials show an improvement in symptoms and others do not. If you have muscle pain on a statin, do not stop the medicine or add a supplement on your own; talk to your doctor or pharmacist. For other uses, we did not find evidence strong enough to quote here.
The Canadian angle
- NPN. Look for the Natural Product Number on the label and confirm it in the Licensed Natural Health Products Database; our NPN guide explains how.
- Health Canada monograph. The Natural Health Product monograph for Coenzyme Q10 covers ubiquinone-10 and sets the cautions that licensed products follow.
- No Canadian DRI. CoQ10 is not an essential nutrient, so there is no Dietary Reference Intake. Follow the dose on the label or your practitioner's advice.
- Label reading. See How to Read a Natural Health Product Label in Canada.
Who it may not suit, and interactions
Health Canada's monograph advises asking a health care practitioner before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or taking blood pressure medication, and, for products providing more than 100 mg of CoQ10 a day, if you take blood thinners. The product pages go further: CoQnol and Q-Evail advise consulting a practitioner if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or take blood thinners, blood pressure or other prescription medication, and the NFH pages note CoQ10 may reduce the effectiveness of blood-thinning medication such as warfarin. Bioclinic Naturals adds diabetes medication to its list.
- Do not combine two CoQ10 products without checking the total.
- Tell your pharmacist about statins, blood thinners and any heart medicine you take.
- Take it with a meal containing fat, as the labels direct.
Strengths and directions differ
Directions are not the same across products, which is another reason to read the label. The product pages list one softgel daily for Q-Evail 100 and CoQnol 200, and one capsule two to three times daily for NFH PQ10 SAP, so a "100 mg" capsule and a "200 mg" softgel can lead to different daily totals. Add up everything you take, including CoQ10 found in combination formulas such as Bioclinic Naturals OptiMega-3 Q10, and keep the dose within what your health professional has advised. If you change forms, do not take both at once.
How to choose
- Start with your reason and your medicines, then speak to your pharmacist.
- Pick the form: ubiquinone is the one covered by the monograph; ubiquinol is offered by some makers as the reduced form.
- Compare mg per capsule and the directions, not just the form name: 100 mg and 200 mg products are in stock.
- Check the NPN and cautions, and take it with food.
See more options in our Heart Health collection.
When to see a doctor or pharmacist
- Before starting CoQ10 if you take warfarin or another blood thinner, blood pressure medicine or diabetes medicine.
- For muscle pain or weakness on a statin: this needs a medical review.
- For chest pain, shortness of breath or an irregular heartbeat, seek medical care right away; a supplement is not a substitute.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Sources
- Health Canada. Natural Health Product Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone-10) monograph.
- Health Canada. Licensed Natural Health Products Database.
- Effectiveness of coenzyme Q10 supplementation in statin-induced myopathy: a systematic review. PMC11441719.
- Effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on myopathy in statin-treated patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PMC12554813.
- Product details: the Canadian product pages linked above (Bioclinic Naturals, NFH, Designs for Health).
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Ask your pharmacist or doctor about your own situation.