Coenzyme Q10 — usually shortened to CoQ10 — is one of the most talked-about supplements in the UK, and one of the most misunderstood. Some of what's written about it online is careful and accurate. A lot of it isn't.
We'll say up front what we always say: we're not neutral here. We make a CoQ10 supplement. That's exactly why we've written this the way we have — plainly, with the limitations named, and without the claims you'll see elsewhere. If you're the kind of person who reads before you buy, this is written for you.
Here's what this guide covers: what CoQ10 actually is, the difference between the two forms you'll see on shelves, what the research is and isn't studying, how much people typically take, how to read a label, and what UK rules do and don't allow anyone to tell you.
What is CoQ10?
Coenzyme Q10 is a fat-soluble compound found in nearly every cell in the body. Your body makes it on its own, and you also take a small amount in through food — organ meats, oily fish, and some nuts and seeds contain the most, though the amounts from diet are modest.
Chemically, CoQ10 exists in two states that convert back and forth: an oxidised form called ubiquinone and a reduced form called ubiquinol. Both are "CoQ10" — they're the same molecule in two states. This matters when you're shopping, because supplements are sold as one or the other, and there's a lot of marketing built on the difference. We cover that properly in the next section.
Natural CoQ10 levels vary from person to person and are influenced by age and other factors. We'll be careful here: it's accurate to say the body's CoQ10 changes over time, but it would not be accurate — or ASA-compliant — to tell you that a supplement fixes anything about that. What we can honestly say is what CoQ10 is and where it comes from. What it does in any given person is not something a supplement label is allowed to promise, and we won't.
Ubiquinone vs ubiquinol — the honest version
This is the single most confusing thing about buying CoQ10, and it's where the most overselling happens. So let's be straight about it.
Ubiquinone is the oxidised, more stable form. It's the form that's been used in the large majority of published CoQ10 research over several decades. It's typically less expensive.
Ubiquinol is the reduced form. It's marketed as "more absorbable" and "the active form", and it usually costs more.
Here's what the evidence actually shows, rather than what the marketing says. Around 90% of the CoQ10 circulating in your blood ends up in the ubiquinol form regardless of which one you swallowed — the body converts between the two during digestion and afterwards. Some crossover studies have reported higher blood levels after ubiquinol in certain groups; other studies have found no meaningful difference between the forms. The picture is genuinely mixed.
What the better reviews tend to conclude is that the formulation matters more than the form. CoQ10 is fat-soluble and notoriously hard for the body to absorb from a plain powder in a capsule. How a product is formulated to get around that — the delivery system, whether it's taken with fat, the particle size — tends to make more difference to how much reaches your blood than the ubiquinone-versus-ubiquinol question does. Some well-formulated ubiquinone products absorb as well as or better than typical ubiquinol ones.
Where Ivvion sits: our CoQ10 is ubiquinone in a liposomal delivery format. We chose ubiquinone because it's the form with the deepest research history and it's more stable, and we put effort into the delivery format because that's the part the evidence says matters most. We're not going to tell you it's "better absorbed" as a bare claim, because absorption varies a lot between individuals and depends on how and when you take it. We'll tell you what it is and how it's made, and let you judge.
What is the research actually studying?
CoQ10 has been studied for a long time and across a wide range of areas. Researchers have looked at its role in the body's cells, at blood levels after supplementation, and at various populations. That research is ongoing and, in most areas, far from settled.
Crucially for a UK reader: the fact that something is being studied is not the same as it being proven, and it is definitely not the same as being allowed to claim it. When the EU and UK food-standards bodies assessed the health claims companies wanted to make about CoQ10 — covering things like energy metabolism and several others — they concluded the evidence didn't meet the bar, and none were authorised.
So if you see a UK CoQ10 product telling you it "supports" your energy, your heart, or anything else, that claim is not authorised, and a careful brand won't make it. We don't. We think the honest position is the more persuasive one anyway: here's a well-made version of a widely-studied compound, at a stated dose, third-party tested — decide for yourself whether you want it in your routine.
How much CoQ10 do people take?
Supplement doses on the UK market vary widely, commonly from around 30 mg up to 200 mg or more per day, and the right amount is an individual matter. We can't and won't tell you a dose "works" or recommend one as a treatment — that would cross the ASA line. What we can do is describe the landscape honestly and point you to the label.
A few practical, non-claim points that are genuinely useful:
CoQ10 is fat-soluble, so it's generally taken with a meal that contains some fat, which is thought to help absorption. Absorption varies considerably between people — two people taking the identical product can end up with different blood levels. If you take prescription medication, talk to your GP or pharmacist before starting any supplement. We say this genuinely, not as a formality.
Always follow the dose on the label of the specific product you buy, and don't exceed it.
How to judge a quality CoQ10 supplement
This is the part where our being a CoQ10 brand is useful to you rather than a reason to distrust us — because the things that make a quality supplement are checkable facts, not opinions. Here's what to look for, on any brand's product, not just ours.
- Is the form and dose clearly stated? A good label tells you whether it's ubiquinone or ubiquinol and exactly how many milligrams per serving. Vagueness here is a red flag.
- Is it third-party tested? Independent testing of each batch is the difference between a company telling you what's in the tub and an independent lab confirming it. Ask whether a certificate of analysis is available.
- Where and how is it made? UK or EU manufacture under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) conditions is a meaningful quality signal.
- Is the delivery format explained honestly? Because CoQ10 is hard to absorb, formulation matters — but "liposomal", "enhanced" and similar words are sometimes used loosely. A good brand explains what its format is without dressing it up as a cure.
- Does the brand overclaim? This is the tell. A CoQ10 product promising energy, anti-ageing, or heart benefits is making claims that aren't authorised in the UK. A brand willing to make those claims is a brand willing to mislead you — ask what else they're stretching.
- Is the price honest for what's inside? Higher price doesn't guarantee better absorption. Judge on form, dose, testing and format — not on the number alone.
CoQ10 and diet — where it comes from naturally
You get a small amount of CoQ10 from food. The richest sources are organ meats (like heart and liver), followed by oily fish such as sardines and mackerel, then some muscle meats, and smaller amounts in nuts, seeds and certain oils. Plant foods generally contain less than animal foods.
The amounts from a normal diet are modest, which is part of why supplements exist. We're not going to tell you that you're "deficient" or that you "need" to supplement — that's not a claim we can stand behind and it's not one we'd want to make. Food first is always reasonable. A supplement is an option, not an obligation.
Is CoQ10 legal and safe to buy in the UK?
Yes. CoQ10 is legal to sell and buy in the UK as a food supplement — the legally correct category. It is not a medicine, and it is not marketed or licensed as one.
Being a food supplement means specific things under UK rules: it can't be sold with medical claims, the label must carry the standard advisory language, and it's regulated for safety and labelling rather than assessed as a treatment. That's the framework we operate inside, and it's the reason this whole article is written the way it is.
As with any supplement, if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or managing a health condition, check with your GP or pharmacist first.
The Ivvion approach — in one honest paragraph
We make a UK liposomal CoQ10, ubiquinone form, 100 mg per daily serving, third-party tested by batch, made under GMP. We chose the form with the longest research history and put the effort into the delivery format, because that's what the evidence says matters most for a compound this hard to absorb. We won't tell you it boosts your energy, supports your heart, or turns back the clock, because those claims aren't authorised in the UK and we don't make claims we can't stand behind. What we offer is a well-made, clearly-labelled, honestly-described version of a widely-studied compound. If that's what you were looking for, we'd be glad to have you.
https://www.ivvion.com/products/liposomal-coq10-100mg
Frequently asked questions
Is ubiquinol better than ubiquinone?
Not clearly. Around 90% of circulating CoQ10 ends up as ubiquinol whichever form you take, and studies on absorption differences are mixed. Most reviews conclude the formulation matters more than the form. We use ubiquinone because it has the deepest research history and is more stable, in a liposomal format because delivery is the part that matters most.
How much CoQ10 should I take?
UK products commonly range from about 30 mg to 200 mg per day, and the right amount is individual. We can't recommend a dose as a treatment. Follow the label on the product you buy, take it with a meal containing some fat, and speak to your GP or pharmacist if you take medication.
Does CoQ10 give you energy?
We can't tell you that. No health claims are authorised for CoQ10 in the UK, including anything about energy. Researchers have studied CoQ10 in various areas, but "being studied" is not "proven" and is not something we're allowed to claim.
Is CoQ10 safe?
CoQ10 is sold legally in the UK as a food supplement. As with any supplement, check with your GP or pharmacist first if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or managing a health condition, and don't exceed the label dose.
What's the best way to take CoQ10?
Because it's fat-soluble, it's generally taken with a meal that contains some fat. Follow the specific product's label for the dose and timing.
Is Ivvion CoQ10 tested?
Yes — batch third-party tested, made in the UK under GMP.
Food supplement. Not a medicine. Does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.