A modified form of ubiquinol called a cocrystal is more stable and absorbs better in the body than standard ubiquinol, without degrading during storage.
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
The cocrystal keeps ubiquinol from breaking down in the stomach and gut, so more of it gets absorbed into the blood as is. This means the body gets more of the active form without having to convert it from another version, which often doesn't work well.
Most probable mechanism
The cocrystal structure locks ubiquinol in a stable form that does not break down when exposed to air or stomach acids, so more of it stays intact as it passes through the gut. This allows the body to absorb the full amount directly into the bloodstream without needing to convert it from another form, leading to higher levels in the blood.
The cocrystal structure formed between ubiquinol and nicotinamide physically shields the reduced quinone group of ubiquinol from molecular oxygen and acidic environments in the gastrointestinal lumen.
Intact ubiquinol molecules diffuse across the intestinal epithelial membrane due to enhanced solubility and lipid permeability conferred by the cocrystal formulation.
Absorbed ubiquinol enters the portal circulation without requiring enzymatic reduction from ubiquinone, bypassing a rate-limiting metabolic step that is inefficient in many individuals.
Systemic plasma concentrations of total CoQ10 reflect the absorbed dose of ubiquinol, as any oxidation occurring during sample handling is accounted for by chemical conversion during quantification.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
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