You sleep well, eat a balanced diet, exercise, and try to get out into the fresh air as often as possible. Yet you still feel tired—or not as alert as you feel you should be. Q10 is often highlighted as important for cellular energy, but can it actually make you feel more energetic?
When we talk about how the body gets energy, we often think of food. That is, of course, true, but carbohydrates, fat, and protein are only the basic prerequisites and part of the equation. The energy in food is not ready to use simply because it has reached your stomach.
For your muscles to move, your heart to beat, and your brain to keep working, your cells first need to convert the energy from food into a form they can actually use. And this is where the importance of Q10 comes in.
Cells need to make energy usable
Inside almost all cells are mitochondria, which are often described as the cell’s power plants. A large part of the work of converting energy from food into ATP, the cells’ own usable form of energy, takes place here.
This process consists of several steps, and one of them depends on Q10.
Q10 transports electrons between different parts of the system that ultimately enables the cell to produce ATP (energy). If there is too little Q10, the mitochondria’s ability to produce energy may be affected.
Studies have shown that a significant Q10 deficiency causes disruptions in mitochondrial function, demonstrating how important this substance actually is for the body’s energy production.
Does more cellular energy mean you feel more energetic?
As with everything else, health, energy, and well-being depend on several factors. If, for example, you consistently sleep poorly, have an iron deficiency, an ongoing infection, or have been under stress for a long time, a Q10 supplement will not necessarily solve your energy problem on its own.
However, several studies suggest that Q10 may reduce perceived fatigue. In one meta-analysis, for example, researchers compiled 13 randomized studies with a total of 1,126 participants. The researchers found that those who received Q10 experienced a greater reduction in fatigue than those who received a placebo—and the effect was seen both in healthy participants and in people with various illnesses.
The researchers also observed an association in which higher doses and longer use were linked to less fatigue compared with those who took lower doses for a shorter period.
That’s when it may be worth increasing the amount of Q10 you get
Research shows that some people notice reduced fatigue, while we also know that Q10 plays a central biological role in the process by which cells produce their energy.
But, of course, the effect of Q10 cannot be equated with the same boost you can get from caffeine. Rather, the effect is about giving cells better conditions for producing the energy they need, which may be noticeable as less fatigue and a higher baseline energy level in everyday life.
And above all, the difference may become more noticeable as we get older, since the body’s Q10 levels naturally decline over time in certain tissues.
How can you get more Q10?
Q10 is found in foods such as:
- meat and chicken
- fatty fish
- nuts and seeds
- vegetable oils
- broccoli and cauliflower
As usual, food is the most important foundation, but if you want to supplement with a product, it is best to take it together with some type of healthy fat, since Q10 is fat-soluble and is therefore absorbed more easily by the body.
