'Overlooked' vitamin could be key to combating fatigue and boosting energy
Despite its benefits, nearly 80% of people have never heard of it according to new research
The nutrient powers cells and reduces oxidative stress
(Image: Getty )
Many people are interested in nutrition. Lifestyle modifications, including nutrition, can fundamentally affect the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurological diseases. Following a balanced diet, alongside regular exercise and making healthy life choices, can make a significant difference to overall well-being.
Up until now, most of the interest has been in macronutrients (energy, carbohydrates, protein, and fibre) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Yet there is growing interest in another 'fascinating' nutritional compound known as ubiquinol.
Yet many do not even know what ubiquinol is. Data from a real-world research study commissioned by Kaneka Ubiquinol - the bioavailable form of Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which offers help for couples struggling to conceive, revealed that 80% were not sure what ubiquinol was.
Three-quarters (74%) had never heard of ubiquinol, 62% disagreed with the statement that they understood what ubiquinol does, and 64% did not know if ubiquinol could play a role in their health. Further data highlighted that:
Just over three-quarters (76%) did not know the difference between coenzyme Q10 and ubiquinol.
Just under three-quarters (72%) were unsure whether ubiquinol or ubiquinone was more bioavailable.
As we age, the body's capacity to transform CoQ10 into ubiquinol diminishes, which may make ubiquinol-rich foods and supplements helpful for older adults. Additionally, some medications such as statins, along with lifestyle elements like sun exposure, can influence CoQ10 and ubiquinol levels.
Article continues below
Over the years, the body's capacity to transform CoQ10 into ubiquinol diminishes
What is ubiquinol?
Public health nutritionist and part of the Kaneka Ubiquinol (the bioavailable form of Co-Enzyme Q10 - CoQ10) expert hub, Dr Emma Derbyshire, says: "Ubiquinol is a vitamin-like substance that acts as a powerful antioxidant, playing a key role in the production of cellular energy needed by human cells and organs.
"Just as a lamp is powered by electricity or a car by electricity or petrol, human cells and organs are powered by cellular energy. Some of us may have heard of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), but many of us are unaware that there are two forms of this nutrient – ubiquinol and ubiquinone."
Ubiquinol is the active and bioavailable form of CoQ10. Other forms of CoQ10, such as ubiquinone, need to be converted to ubiquinol before they can be used by the human body. Ubiquinol is sometimes referred to as 'fully loaded' CoQ10 as it contains extra electrons compared to ubiquinone. Ubiquinol's oral bioavailability has been reported to be greater than that of ubiquinone in healthy adults. Kaneka Ubiquinol is three to five times better absorbed than conventional CoQ10.
Studies suggest that taking ubiquinol can help reduce fatigue
How can ubiquinol improve health?
The vitamin-like substance is found in every cell of the body, with particularly high concentrations in the heart. It's essential for energy production and acts as an antioxidant. Ubiquinol consumption has increasingly been linked to several vital health essentials, including:
1. Reinforcing fertility
Public health nutritionist, Dr Emma Derbyshire who headed a new research review published in the journal of Gynaecology and Women's Health Research, explains: "After reviewing 17 trials we found that Ubiquinol appears to contribute to improvements in female egg quality, fertilisation, markers of sperm quality, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms and hormone levels."
2. Reduction of oxidative stress
Ubiquinol contains extra electrons that can neutralise free radicals, which can damage human cells and contribute to oxidative stress. Free radicals can be generated by exposure to tobacco smoke, fried foods, alcohol and air pollutants.
Oxidative stress happens when there's a mismatch between the generation of free radicals and the body's capacity to counteract them with antioxidants. Ubiquinol, a potent antioxidant, is crucial in reestablishing this equilibrium. It functions by neutralising free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can harm cells and lead to a range of health issues.
Speak to a GP if you have any health concerns, especially regarding tiredness
3. Cellular energy production
Ubiquinol is found in every cell of the human body. It is needed for 95% of cellular energy production, which includes the production of the energy molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Ubiquinol is a key player in the mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of the cell. It helps mitochondria produce energy more efficiently.
4. Offsetting fatigue
Studies suggest that taking ubiquinol can help reduce fatigue, particularly in instances of mild fatigue and fatigue caused by exercise. Research has indicated that ubiquinol may enhance the function of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing, and it can also boost cognitive abilities that might be impacted by fatigue.
Other research has looked at ubiquinol's ability to help offset fatigue. In the study of 20 adults (mean age 44 years) experiencing fatigue in daily life, taking 150mg ubiquinol daily over four weeks was found to significantly relieve feelings of mild fatigue. Ongoing studies are needed, but these are interesting findings that make sense given ubiquinol's ability to power human cells.
Where isubiquinol
Ubiquinol can be found in certain foods, such as oily fish, turkey, poultry, citrus fruits, nuts and seeds, such as pistachio nuts, peanuts, and sesame seeds, but you need to consume a fair amount of these foods to obtain sufficient amounts. It can also be found in supplement form, such as Kaneka Ubiquinol.
Article continues below
"Ubiquinol is certainly a substance that we will be hearing much more about in the future, particularly in relation to reinforcement of fertility, active lifestyles and healthy ageing", reports Dr Emma Derbyshire, Public Health Nutritionist. It is, however, always useful to consult your healthcare provider before taking any formulations.
Ubiquinol is typically regarded as safe for most adults when used as directed, and it has minimal side effects. However, it may interact with certain medications, including blood thinners and medications for blood pressure.
It is best to speak with a healthcare professional before beginning any new supplements, such as ubiquinol, particularly if you have pre-existing health issues or are on other medications. This information is intended for general knowledge and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional prior to starting any new supplement routine.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
Vet nurse shares worries as 90% of dog owners don't know vital skill
Vet nurse shares worries as 90% of dog owners don't know vital skill The vet urged pet owners to take action as she demonstrated how to use the life-saving skill Pet owners could help save a dog by learning the skill (Image: Getty) A veterinary nurse has warned that most dog owners haven't learned a skill that could save their pet's life. The alert was shared by Jade The Vet Nurse (@ who shares educational videos with her 96,000 TikTok followers. In a recent post, she highlighted a life-saving skill animal lovers should learn, reports the Mirror. She claimed: "90% of dog owners don't know how to give CPR," as per results from a survey by PDSA. Keen to help, she then shared a video demonstrating what to do if you ever need to give a dog CPR. Jade said: "Your dog has collapsed and they're not breathing. Would you know what to do? Around 75 to 90% of pet owners do not know how to give effective CPR to their pets. I'm on a mission as a UK-registered vet nurse to educate pet owners on how to give effective CPR as a method of first aid should the worst happen." The vet nurse explained: "Firstly, we need to establish if CPR is definitely necessary. We need to do an initial triage and remember A, B and C. A is for airway, open up the dog's mouth, pull their tongue right forward get a good look at the back of their throat. Is it clear? Is there anything obstructing their airway? "You need to make sure the airway is clear to give effective CPR. If the airway is blocked or your dog is choking, I have got a separate video on what to do if your dog is choking. Once you know the airway is clear, we move on to B, and B is for breathing. Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below "For this, we need to get down to chest height of the dog and watch. Can you see if their chest is rising and falling? If you can't see the chest rising and falling, place their nose to your cheek, can you feel any breath on the side of your cheek? Can you hear that they're breathing?" She added: "If not, check the colour of their gums. Are they turning a shade of blue or purple? If yes, there's already oxygen deprivation, in which case we move on to C, which is for circulation. Can you feel a pulse? Place your hand behind your dog's elbow on their ribs, and can you feel a heartbeat? This can sometimes be a little bit challenging in dogs that are overweight. You can also try and place two fingers on the inside of their upper thigh and try and feel a femoral pulse. If there's no pulse, there's no heartbeat, they're not breathing, they're going a shade of blue or purple, then we need to start CPR." Jade advised: "First things first, if you haven't already, you need to call your vet and alert them of the situation. They will also be able to give you further advice on the phone. You need to make sure that your dog is laying on a flat hard surface, ideally on their right-hand side. If you have got a very large dog who is laying on the left hand side and you are unable to flip them over do not worry, just continue with CPR with them laying on the left, because any CPR is better than none." The expert said the next step includes different advice for different dog breeds. "Now this bit is really important, so pay attention. Where you place your hands for CPR depends on the type of breed and shape your dog is. So for dogs that are round-chested, examples of this are labradors, golden retrievers, spaniels, they have a bit of a dome here on the side, you want to place your hands on the widest part of the rib cage. The vet nurse shared a step-by-step guide (stock photo) (Image: Getty) "If you have got a deep-chested dog like a doberman, an alsatian or a greyhound, who have got particularly deep-keeled chests, then you want to place your hands directly above their heart, which is just behind their elbow, so going behind the elbow. "If you have got a wide-chested dog, such as a French bulldog or an English bulldog, who are pretty much as wide as they are tall, then you want to place these on their backs and you give the compressions directly on top in the middle of their sternum. So for this example, I'm gonna continue as if this is a labrador and if I'm gonna go for the widest part of the rib cage. What we need to do is interlock our fingers. "We're gonna be using the heel of the palm of the hand, so elbows locked straight, shoulders directly above the dog where you're about to give the compressions, and you need to compress the chest to about 1/3 to 1/2 of the depth of their entire chest depth. So we need to do 120 compressions a minute, which works out as two compressions a second, and you can do this to the beat of 'staying alive'. You need to do this 30 times and then stop to give two breaths." Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below Explaining how to 'give breaths', Jade went on: "To give the breaths you need to keep the dog's tongue inside their mouth and clamp your fingers around the mouth creating an airlock, place their nose into your mouth and give two breaths after each breath make sure you check the rib cage is rising sufficiently to make sure they are getting the oxygen. Don't stop after you've given the breaths, straight back into compressions. You need to keep cycling between 30 compressions and giving two breaths." Her caption added: "Note if you have a small dog (under 7kg) or a cat, you can use this same technique but just use one hand for compressions instead of two." Jade said she'd hope your vet will be giving you instructions, but that you can continue CPR for up to about 20 minutes, stopping every two minutes to see if there are any signs of life. "If at any point your dog starts showing signs of life and they're trying to recover, stop CPR, get them to the vet as soon as possible," she concluded. "If your dog isn't showing any signs of life yet, continue CPR or keep going as instructed by your veterinarian."
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
The 3 holiday hotspots with highest risk of deadly ‘suitcase viruses' that attack organs and cause ‘debilitating' pain
Plus, how to protect yourself against the viruses CASE EXPLOSION The 3 holiday hotspots with highest risk of deadly 'suitcase viruses' that attack organs and cause 'debilitating' pain Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH 'suitcase viruses' making a comeback in recent years, experts are urging Brits travelling abroad to take extra precautions. Holidaymakers travelling to three popular European destinations could be at risk of two deadly viruses. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Cases of mosquito-borne viruses like chikunyunga and dengue fever have been on the rise in recent years Credit: Getty Mosquitoes carrying viruses can travel in suitcases, often unnoticed, and pose a risk of introducing diseases to new areas. Two mosquito-borne viruses most prevalent at the moment, particularly for travellers returning to the UK, are dengue fever and chikungunya. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently warned of a "worrying increase in chikunyunga cases" among travellers returning to the UK. Chikungunya virus is primarily spread to humans through the bite of infected aedes mosquitoes. Described as a "nasty disease", it causes severe joint and muscle pain, headaches, sensitivity to light and skin rashes. While Chikungunya is generally not considered fatal, it can be in very rare cases, particularly among vulnerable populations like the very young, elderly, or those with pre-existing health conditions. Most recently, there's been an outbreak in China, with 7,000 cases reported, mostly across the city of Foshan, in the southern province of Guangdong, sparking global fears. In 2024, 904 dengue cases were recorded in returning travellers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - up from 631 in 2023 - with all cases linked to travel abroad. Like chikungunya, dengue fever is spread through the bite of infected aedes mosquitoes. In its mild form, dengue fever causes fever and a rash and lasts about a week. What is Chikungunya Severe dengue can cause shock, internal bleeding, and death. About one out of 20 people with dengue will develop severe dengue within a few hours after symptoms start. To stop the number of cases of chikunyunga and dengue fever increasing, UK health officials recommend keeping up-to-date on health risks in different countries. And a new report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has revealed the holiday hotspots in Europe with the highest number cases of chikunyunga and dengue fever currently. Chikunyunga Since the beginning of 2025, and as of August 13, two countries in Europe have reported cases of chikungunya - France and Italy. So far, France has reported 111 cases of locally-acquired chikungunya in 22 different clusters. And compared to the previous week, the number of cases has increased by 48 cases. Areas in France where cases have been reported include Charente (five cases in one cluster), Côte-d'Or (one case in one cluster), and Haute-Corse (two cases in one cluster). Two new cases were reported in two new clusters in Alpes-Maritime and a one new case in a new cluster in Isère. The largest clusters are located in Vitrolles, with an increase of 20 cases in the last week, Grosseto-Prugna, Salon-de-Provence, Grans, and Lambesc, Castries, Poulx and Caveirac. In the last week, Italy has reported five new cases in three new clusters - three cases in Modena and two cases in Verona province. Dengue fever Since the beginning of this year up until now, dengue fever has also been reported in France and Italy - 11 cases in France, and four in Italy. But Portugal has also reported two. The are currently six clusters reported in France, located in Aubagne, and Bouches-du-Rhône. In the last week, a new case has been reported in Vicenza province in Italy. And the cases in Portugal, reported in January, were in Madeira, and probably transmitted in 2024, says the ECDC. Is it safe to travel to these countries? 2 Preventing mosquito bites is one of the best ways to protect yourself from chikunyunga and dengue fever Credit: Getty It's considered safe to travel to Europe, including areas with reported chikungunya and dengue fever cases. Most reported cases of the viruses in Europe are imported, meaning they are contracted by travellers returning from affected areas outside of Europe. However, local transmission is increasing due to the spread of mosquitoes like the aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito). So when travelling abroad it's crucial to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Follow the tips below...
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
How to get rid of your beer belly WITHOUT giving up booze in six simple steps – and the biggest mistakes to avoid
A CRISP cold beer is a hot-day essential, and an Aperol spritz just tastes better in the heat. While that might be what we tell ourselves during these glorious summer days, boozing can pack in some serious calories, and a 'beer belly' is no myth. But the good news is that with a few simple tweaks and tricks, you can wave that belly goodbye. 4 Beer is high in calories and when consumed frequently, can result in a round stomach Credit: Getty A beer belly, which is fat around the middle, experienced by men and women, often indicates excess of visceral fat; this is the...
