CoQ10 is found throughout the body, with the highest levels in the heart, liver, kidney, and pancreas. It helps generate energy in cells by making the antioxidant adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is involved in cell energy transfer. It also serves as an antioxidant to protect cells against oxidative stress.
Ubiquinol is the reduced form of CoQ10, while ubiquinone is the oxidized form. The body converts it back and forth between both forms. While both exist in the body, ubiquinol is most common in blood circulation.
What does CoQ10 do for the body?Oxidative stress, or cell damage caused by free radicals, can interfere with regular cell functioning and may contribute to many health conditions. Some chronic diseases are also associated with low levels of CoQ10.
CoQ10 production decreases as you age. Thus, older people can be deficient in this compound.
Possible causes of low CoQ10 levels include:
genetic defects in how the body creates and uses CoQ10increased demands by tissues as a consequence of diseasemitochondrial diseasesoxidative stress due to agingside effects of statin treatments