Human Coenzyme Q10, COQ10 ELI

Coenzyme Q, also known as ubiquinone, is a coenzyme family that is ubiquitous in animals and most bacteria (hence the name ubiquinone).

In humans, the most common form is Coenzyme Q10 or ubiquinone-10.

CoQ10 is not approved by the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of any medical condition; however, it is sold as a dietary supplement and is an ingredient in some cosmetics. It is a 1,4-benzoquinone, where Q refers to the quinone chemical group and 10 refers to the number of isoprenyl chemical subunits in its tail.

In natural ubiquinones, the number can be anywhere from 6 to 10.

This family of fat-soluble substances, which resemble vitamins, is present in all respiring eukaryotic cells, primarily in the mitochondria.

It is a component of the electron transport chain and participates in aerobic cellular respiration, which generates energy in the form of ATP.

Ninety-five percent of the human body's energy is generated this way.

Organs with the highest energy requirements—such as the heart, liver, and kidney—have the highest CoQ10 concentrations.