Results of an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, single-center trial, demonstrating health benefits of Ubiquinol (the reduced form of CoQ10) on endothelial function and antioxidant protection have been published in Nutrients. The Ubiquinol used in this study was supplied by Kaneka Nutrients.
 
This study was designed to measure change in flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in healthy patients with mild-to-moderate dyslipidemia (n=48; per-protocol population) taking Ubiquinol 100 mg or 200 mg versus placebo at week 8. FMD was measured as the percent increase in the diameter of the brachial artery in response to increased blood flow due to removal of an ischemic stimulus, i.e., inflation of a blood pressure monitor cuff to 300 mmHg for 5 minutes. Participants had LDL cholesterol levels of 130-200 mg/dL, were not taking a statin, and had no signs of cardiovascular disease.
 
Regarding the primary endpoint, Ubiquinol significantly improved FMD in both treated groups compared with the placebo group (Ubiquinol 200 mg/day, +1.28% + 0.90%; Ubiquinol 100 mg/day, +1.34% + 1.445%; placebo -0.41% + 1.51%; P<0.001). Response with Ubiquinol was dose-independent. There were no significant changes in plasma lipid profile for any group, and no adverse events were reported.
 
Ubiquinol also provided significant improvements on three secondary endpoints: Ubiquinol increased plasma CoQ10 levels versus placebo (P<0.001), and reduced the percentage of oxidized CoQ10 (P<0.001); serum nitric oxide (NOx) increased significantly in subjects receiving Ubiquinol (P=0.016) versus placebo; and LDL oxidation lag time improved significantly in those receiving 200 mg/day Ubiquinol (P=0.017) versus placebo. 
 
“This is the first evidence of the protective effect of Ubiquinol on endothelial function in healthy adult subjects with mild-to-moderate dyslipidemia,” said Luca Tiano, PhD, a co-author of the study and Professor in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences at the Università Politecnica delle Marche in Ancona, Italy. “According to a 2019 expert consensus report published in the European Heart Journal, each 1% increase in flow-mediated dilation involves a significant 8% to 13% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events. We are conducting a second study with a larger number of patients to further explore if dietary supplementation with Ubiquinol represents a viable non-drug approach to improving biomarkers of cardiovascular health in patients with subclinical arterial conditions.”
 
“Patients need additional options to improve cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death globally,” said Dr. Roberto Antonicelli, MD, who is also an author of the study and is from the cardiology unit of IRCCS INRCA in Ancona. “In this study, the magnitude of the improvement in flow-mediated dilation was comparable to that seen in healthy patients or CVD patients undergoing exercise training. These results suggest that dietary supplementation with Ubiquinol may prove helpful in improving outcomes in cardiovascular patients.”