Separately, CoQ10 has potential benefits as it relates to cardiovascular health: It’s anti-inflammatory and may also improve the function of blood vessels, helping regulate blood pressure, JoAnn E. Manson, chief of the division of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, said. These upsides could lower risk for heart disease.
Can CoQ10 help you live longer?
Despite the promising mechanisms above, “the evidence base just isn’t yet there,” Manson said. The studies we do have on CoQ10 and longevity are in mice and rats — and while a few suggest a lifespan-extending effect, or a way to reverse some cognitive decline once it starts, others show no anti-aging upsides in healthy animals. Besides, “we find again and again that humans are not just large, non-hairy mice,” Mochly-Rosen pointed out, “so we can’t assume the results transfer.”
Studies in people have been focused on CoQ10 as an intervention for specific diseases, particularly cardiovascular ones. All the experts say the strongest evidence for longevity is in those with heart failure, who have low CoQ10 levels — taking the supplement alongside standard treatment has been shown to reduce the need for hospitalisation and risk of early death, possibly because of its mitochondrial perks.
But logistically, it’s a lot trickier to prove that CoQ10 prolongs life in healthy people versus in those with a medical condition or known CoQ10 deficiency. In the absence of these studies, it might be tempting to take a logical leap: If we know CoQ10 supports mitochondrial function, and levels of both dip with age and disease, supplementing with CoQ10 seems like it should help you live longer. But the problem is, we don’t know exactly what drives the mitochondrial issues that occur with age, Molina said. “So maybe you’re not taking a shot in the dark because we know that mitochondria has something to do with healthy aging, but using CoQ10 as the tool is like taking a shot in a dimly lit room,” he said. “It’s not clear whether you’re hitting the right target.”
What to know before you buy a CoQ10 supplement
As with any supplement, it’s best to ask your doctor before adding CoQ10 to your routine. While there’s a good deal of data to suggest it’s safe and well-tolerated, there are some people who shouldn’t take it, generally because of interactions with prescription drugs, Molina pointed out. The main concern is with blood thinners (a.k.a. anticoagulants) like warfarin (which are often prescribed after a blood clot) — CoQ10 could make these drugs less effective, Manson said. It’s also extra important to check in with your doctor first if you take insulin or are receiving treatment for cancer. Though CoQ10 doesn’t usually cause side effects, you could also wind up with some mild GI upset or insomnia, Manson added.
There’s also the quality-control problem that comes with any supplement. These are not subjected to the same FDA regulations as medications are, meaning you can’t know for sure that you’re getting what the bottle promises. Studies of certain CoQ10 supplements have found that they contained less of the antioxidant than the amount listed on the label, Mochly-Rosen noted. Your best defence against winding up with a sugar pill is to find a product that’s been third-party verified, she said — look for the “NSF certified” or “USP verified” stamp.