Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, was once a niche supplement, known best in wellness circles for its possible benefits for heart health and fertility. But now the antioxidant’s star is rising for a new reason: its purported longevity-boosting powers.
The appeal of CoQ10 has grown as researchers have explored its effects on various conditions, with small studies revealing, for example, it may help boost insulin sensitivity, cut the frequency of migraine attacks, and alleviate muscle aches from statins used for high cholesterol. But as of late, there’s excitement around its broader anti-aging potential because of how it supports our mitochondria, which you may remember from high school biology as the “powerhouse of the cell.”
That role has punched CoQ10’s ticket into the longevity club, alongside other supplements thought to lend a hand to mitochondria (like urolithin A and nicotinamide mononucleotide, or NMN). There’s even a synthetic derivative of CoQ10 designed specifically for better absorption by mitochondria, which is called mitoquinone (or MitoQ), that’s gaining hype among celeb trainers and athletes for boosting energy, recovery, and “cellular health.”
But is CoQ10 all it’s cracked up to be when it comes to longevity? Read on to learn more before grabbing a bottle of this supplement.
Why are people taking CoQ10 for longevity?
Our cells naturally produce CoQ10, a molecule that acts like a conveyor belt for charged particles inside our mitochondria, enabling them to “efficiently create adenosine triphosphate, or ATP,” the “currency for cellular energy,” Anthony Molina, PhD, a professor of medicine at UC San Diego who studies aging biomarkers, tells SELF. That’s a big deal, as all cells rely on that energy to complete their daily functions. As we age, both the number and energy-producing powers of mitochondria drop off—a process involved in the development of many age-related diseases, Dr. Molina points out. Meanwhile, CoQ10 levels also decline with age, leading to the idea that we should take it in supplement form for better mitochondrial (and, in turn, overall) health.
Beyond its role in energy production, CoQ10 is also an antioxidant that is “very powerful in capturing free radicals,” or volatile molecules that can harm cells, Daria Mochly-Rosen, PhD, a professor of chemical and systems biology at Stanford University and coauthor of The Life Machines: How Taking Care of Your Mitochondria Can Transform Your Health, tells SELF. By stabilizing those molecules, CoQ10 may help to keep that damage (a.k.a. oxidative stress) from piling up and also contributing to aging and the development of chronic disease.