By @jenacovello @eatyourbeautyblog

Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, is a supplement that can make a huge difference in your energy levels and overall wellbeing. It’s a powerful antioxidant and enzyme that is naturally produced by your body but it’s production diminishes with age.

One of CoQ10’s primary functions is to generate energy in your cells. It’s needed to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is often referred to as the “energy currency of life”, as it is our main source of energy for most cellular processes. 

CoQ10 also serves as a potent antioxidant and protects cells from oxidative damage. It has anti-aging benefits, especially when it comes to the skin and can help to increase fertility. It also known for its heart health benefits.

Energy Booster 

If you’re dealing with fatigue, it may be beneficial to supplement with CoQ10. In fact, fatigue is a common symptom of a CoQ10 deficiency. I recently started supplementing with ubiquinol, which is the active form of CoQ10 and couldn’t believe the almost immediate energy boost it provided.

CoQ10 is present in every cell of your body and it helps your cells produce energy from the foods you eat. It’s stored in the mitochondria, which are the energy factories of the cells, and where ATP is created. CoQ10 is required for a crucial step in the production of ATP.    

Skin Health

CoQ10 plays an important role in skin health. Taken internally and applied topically, CoQ10 can help to maintain healthy skin in a number of ways.

Energizes Skin Cells: In order to function properly, your skin cells need energy. CoQ10 helps your skin cells create the energy needed to repair damage, detoxify and better absorb nutrients. Without enough energy, the function of your skin cells declines, leading to unhealthy, saggy and wrinkled skin.

UV Protection: CoQ10 protects the skin from the damaging effects of the sun’s UV rays. As a powerful antioxidant, CoQ10 protects the skin at a molecular level helps to prevent collagen degradation and photoaging.

Evens out Skin Tone: Studies have shown that CoQ10 blocks tyrosinase, a necessary enzyme for melanin production. This means that it can help to fade and even prevent dark spots and hyperpigmentation.

Collagen and Elastin Production: CoQ10 supports the body’s natural ability to produce collagen and elastin. According to this study, CoQ10 promoted the proliferation of fibroblasts and increased elastin gene expression in cultured fibroblasts. 

Fertility

CoQ10 may assist with age related infertility. Because CoQ10 production slows with age, the body becomes less effective at protecting eggs from oxidative damage, which causes a decline in the number and quality of available eggs. Supplementing with CoQ10 may help to reverse the age related decline in egg quality and quantity.

Several studies have also shown that CoQ10 may improve sperm quality, activity and concentration by increasing antioxidant protection.

Heart Health

According to several studies, supplementing with CoQ10 has been shown to help manage symptoms of heart failure, reduce hospitalization rates and possibly slow disease progression. A meta-analysis of 16 studies on CoQ10 and heart failure, found that in conjunction with standard treatment, the addition of CoQ10 significantly reduced all-cause mortality.

Ubiquinol

Ubiquinol is the active bioavailable form of CoQ10 that’s found in the body. It’s bioavailability is superior to CoQ10, meaning it gets absorbed into the body and blood stream much faster. This is important as research has shown it becomes more difficult for the body to convert CoQ10 into ubiquinol as you age.

I like the ubiquinol by Smarter Nutrition for its clean, high quality ingredients.