Choose science not marketing.
Ubiquinone (standard CoQ10 that is on the market) and ubiquinol (new form that is being marketed at a much higher price) are two forms of CoQ10 that interconvert into one another by the human body depending on their needed function. The difference between the two molecules is the quinone vs. hydroxyl groups. Ultimately their physical properties are extremely similar, the real difference is price.
In the human body, this inter-conversion occurs frequently and rapidly. For instance, ubiquinol instantaneously turns into ubiquinone once it enters the stomach and is absorbed as such. Even if it was absorbed as ubiquinol, the gain would only be one extra turn out of thousands. Once absorbed across the intestine, ubiquinone is immediately converted to ubiquinol in the blood in order to act as an anti-oxidant. However, when CoQ10 is being used to produce energy in the mitochondria, ubiquinone is the form in demand. The human body converts CoQ10 between these two forms readily and during the aging process, the body becomes less able to make the ubiquinone form which causes various health issues.
The real question regarding absorption of the molecules is that in their crystalline forms the human body cannot absorb CoQ10 as its melting temperature is 10 degrees C above body temperature (plain powder absorbs at a rate of 1%). Hence, the critical part of CoQ10 absorption is that it must already be dissolved and, in this case, have lipids and essential fatty acids around it to assist in its transfer across the intestinal tract.
- Ubiquinol and ubiquinone physically are nearly identical, the real difference is price
- They are readily converted to one another in the body
- Ubiquinone is the molecule used by the mitochondria to produce energy and diminishes with age; this means that ubiquinone is the linchpin that ensures every aspect of our living and maintaining ubiquinone at a high level is imperative
- Ubiquinol is used as an anti-oxidant in the blood
- Absorption is dependent on CoQ10 being solubilized and properly processed regardless of its form