A new report from ConsumerLab.com, White Plains, NY, highlights the difficulty consumers have in selecting a supplement containing the antioxidant CoQ10 or its activated form, ubiquinol. ConsumerLab.com’s recent tests found that one widely-sold supplement provides only 3.8% of its listed amount of CoQ10. Even among products found to contain their listed ingredients, consumers should choose carefully: ConsumerLab.com found the cost of a 100 mg dose of CoQ10 to range from 9 cents to several dollars. Some products include additional ingredients, such as those that may improve absorption of CoQ10 and ubiquinol, but may not necessarily justify a higher cost.
 
CoQ10 was the fourth most popular supplement (behind fish oil, multivitamins, and vitamin D) in a recent ConsumerLab.com survey of over 10,000 supplement users. Fifty-four percent of respondents used CoQ10, which was particularly popular with men and people over age 55. U.S. sales of CoQ10 were $519 million in 2011, according to Nutrition Business Journal, an 8.2% increase over the prior year.
 
CoQ10 may help treat congestive heart failure and mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. There is some evidence, although mixed, that it may also help prevent migraine headaches, delay the progression of Parkinson’s disease, and reverse side effects associated with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. Research also suggests potential use in muscular dystrophy, AIDS, hypertension, and other conditions. A study of ubiquinol in elderly people suggested an improvement in self-assessed “vitality.”
 
The new report covers 49 products. ConsumerLab.com selected 24 of these products, and 24 others are included for passing the same tests in CL’s Voluntary Certification Program.  Also included is a product similar to one that passed testing but was sold under a different brand name.
 
Products covered in the report are ARIIX Omega-Q, BioQsorb Active-Q, Bluebonnet Ubiquinol, Bronson Co-Enzyme Q-10, Country Life CoQ10, CVS Pharmacy CoQ10, Doctor’s Best High Absorption CoQ10, Dr. Mercola Ubiquinol, Dr. Sinatra Omega Q Plus, Dr. Whitaker BioActive Q, Finest Nutrition (Walgreens) Co Q-10, Garden of Life RAW CoQ10, GNC Preventive Nutrition CoQ-10, Healthy Origins Ubiquinol, Jamieson CoQ10, Kirkland Signature CoQ10 (Costco), Life Extension Super-Absorbable CoQ10, LifeSource Vitamins Liquid CoQ10, Liquid Health Hydrosoluble CoQ10, Metagenics CoQ10, Natrol CoQ-10, Nature Made CoQ10, Nature’s Bounty Ubiquinol, New Chapter CoQ10+Food Complex, NOW Ubiquinol CoQH-CF, NutriGold CoQ10 Gold, Nutri-Health Supplements Advanced-Q, Nutrilite Coenzyme Q10, ProCaps Labs Andrew Lessman’s CoEnzyme Q-10, Pure Encapsulations Ubiquinol-QH, QGel Chew Q, QGel LiQsorb, QGel Mega 100 Coenzyme Q10, QGel QH Liposomal Ubiquinol, Qunol Ultra CoQ10, Simply Right (Sam’s Club) Co Q-10, Solgar Ubiquinol, Source Naturals Ubiquinol CoQH, Spring Valley (Walmart) CoQ10, Sundown Naturals Q-Sorb, Trader Joe’s Co Enzyme Q 10, Trunature (Costco) CoQ10, Twinlab Ultra CoQ10, USANA CoQuinone, Vitacost CoQ10, Vitamin Shoppe CoQ-10, Vitamin World Ubiquinol, Vitol Q10 200 Maximum Strength and Whole Foods CoQ10.
 
The report provides comparisons of product quality, ingredients, and cost, and includes information about the uses of CoQ10 and ubiquinol, potential side effects, and how formulas differ in absorption.