With the vast amount of positive results that have been published about CoQ10 in the last three decades, it is not surprising that CoQ10 has become one of the best selling supplements in the United States. Few dietary supplements are as well proven, or hold as much potential for improving health as does CoQ10.

CoQ10 is fat soluble, and like most other fat-soluble compounds, is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, especially when taken on an empty stomach.

Due to the vast amount of research that has been conducted on CoQ10 supplementation, dosages have varied over a wide range.

In most of these studies CoQ10 was administered in two or three divided doses, with meals, throughout the day. The usual dosages used to correct CoQ10 deficiency in disease states have been from 60 to 200 mg a day. Also, the increase in blood levels seen after supplementation is not uniform, as some people seem to absorb CoQ10 poorly and require large does to attain maximum benefit. One important consideration to keep in mind when determining the appropriate dosage is that despite rarely occurring nausea or gastrointestinal upset, toxicity and side effects have not been encountered in several decades of clinical use at doses up to several hundred mg a day. Younger persons as well as persons with no CoQ10 related deficiency disease, may wish to supplement with CoQ10 in doses of 10 to 30 mg in one daily dose, or even consider taking 30 milligrams with one meal every other day. CoQ10 has a half-life in the body of .several days, so healthy persons can benefit from less frequent supplementation. Those who have CoQ10-related diseases, and should take CoQ10 in several doses throughout the day.

When purchasing CoQ10, the purity the material inside should be carefully considered. Very few companies in the world in manufacture CoQ10, and the pharmaceutical-grade product in its pure state is a bright yellow to orange color. CoQ10 has a very long shelf-life when protected from light and excessive heat, with little deterioration occurring over periods of up to several years at room temperature. When exposed to light, however, CoQ10 will degrade quite rapidly. If a CoQ10 product is being sold at a price that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Production of CoQ10 can barely meet the worldwide demand.

Reprinted with permission from Nutritional News/Vitamin Research Products.