Comparative Bioavailability of Different Coenzyme Q10 Formulations in Healthy Elderly Individuals

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) plays a central role in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Several studies have shown the beneficial effects of dietary CoQ10 supplementation, particularly in relation to cardiovascular health. CoQ10 biosynthesis decreases in the elderly, and consequently, the beneficial effects of dietary supplementation in this population are of greater significance. However, most pharmacokinetic studies have been conducted on younger populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the single-dose bioavailability of different formulations of CoQ10 in a healthy geriatric population. A randomized, three-period, crossover bioavailability study was conducted on 21 healthy older adults (aged 65–74). The treatment was a single dose with a one-week washout period. Three different formulations containing the equivalent of 100 mg of CoQ10 were used: Q10Vital(®) water-soluble CoQ10 syrup (the investigational product—IP); ubiquinol capsules (the comparative product—CP); and ubiquinone capsules (the standard product—SP). Ubiquinone/ubiquinol was followed in the plasma for 48 h. An analysis of the ratio of the area under the baseline-corrected concentration curve (ΔAUC(48)) for total CoQ10 and a comparison to SP yielded the following: The bioavailability of CoQ10 in the IP was 2.4-fold higher (95% CI: 1.3–4.5; p = 0.002), while the bioavailability of ubiquinol (CP) was not significantly increased (1.7-fold; 95% CI: 0.9–3.1, p = 0.129). No differences in the redox status of the absorbed coenzyme Q10 were observed between formulations, showing that CoQ10 appeared in the blood mostly as ubiquinol, even if consumed as ubiquinone.