Coenzyme Q10: Clinical Update and Bioavailability

CoenzymeQ(10) (CoQ(10)) supplementation has been reported to be beneficial in treating a variety of health conditions and diseases, with more than 200 clinical trials investigating its use as a drug or dietary supplement. Numerous reviews of the safety and clinical potential of CoQ(10) have been published. Successful treatment and efficacy is dependent on the bioavailability of CoQ10, which is well known to be poor because of its lipophilic nature and large molecular weight. A number of recent clinical trials on CoQ(10) have investigated new formulations of CoQ(10) for improvements in absorption and bioavailability. This review provides an update of clinical efficacy trials using CoQ(10) and describes recent advances in formulation technology to improve the bioavailability of CoQ(10). The authors also discuss a new method to improve the standards of reporting the bioavailability results of such advanced CoQ(10) formulations to help clinicians and consumers make informed decisions.