Is ubiquinol for fertility on your radar? Must-knows, dosage, timings & more

Getting granular about your nutrition baseline while trying to conceive? Antioxidants are much-talked about in this context, and are probably high on your list if you’ve landed on this page! One antioxidant in particular that’s gaining attention right now is ubiquinol for fertility.

Ubiquinol is the active antioxidant form of CoQ10. And with decades of research behind it, Kaneka Ubiquinol® is the go-to form used by practitioners, found in over 200 trusted supplement brands and relied on by those looking for support from fertility to heart health, menopause and other key life stages.

With expert input from Melissa Olivadoti , PhD, President of Assisi Consulting and Medical Affairs advisor to Kaneka Nutrients, here’s what you need to know about the ubiquinol fertility​ link and who may benefit.

Starting strong, what is ubiquinol?

Ubiquinol is a powerful antioxidant that’s found naturally in almost every cell in your body. It plays a really important role in cellular energy production, as well as neutralizing damage from free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules produced by your body and absorbed from the environment. Over time, these can build up and cause what’s known as oxidative stress. This is essentially ‘wear and tear’, at a cellular level.

When we’re younger, our bodies produce plenty of ubiquinol to help keep this damage in check. But as we age, our natural levels start to decline. This drop can begin as soon as our early 30s.

In short – as oxidative stress increases and natural levels fall, supporting your antioxidant defences and supplementing with a high quality ubiquinol product like Kaneka Ubiquinol® is one practical way to get back to a healthy level.

Ubiquinol for fertility, in a nutshell

Ubiquinol supports energy production in reproductive cells while also reducing oxidative stress – something that can negatively affect egg and sperm quality.

Taking Kaneka Ubiquinol® for fertility is one way to support and protect egg and sperm health.

Let’s look at the specifics.

How does ubiquinol help with fertility​?

Ubiquinol for female fertility: egg quality, mitochondria & age-related changes

Research on ubiquinol for female fertility is still developing, but interest centers on: 

• support for egg quality
• support for mitochondrial function

Egg cells contain extremely high numbers of mitochondria because they need large amounts of energy to grow and develop. 

These mitochondria also generate free radicals, making antioxidant protection with ubiquinol essential – especially for those in their 30s and 40s. Skip down for more on this. 

Ubiquinol and male fertility​: sperm quality & count

Research on the ubiquinol and male fertility connection is more developed. 

Sperm cells rely heavily on mitochondrial energy to support motility and function, and they are also highly vulnerable to oxidative stress.

Low antioxidant levels can affect:

• sperm count
• motility
• morphology
• DNA integrity

One study found that low ubiquinol levels in seminal fluid were associated with lower sperm count and reduced motility, and two further studies here and here have demonstrated that supplementation with Kaneka Ubiquinol® supports sperm health, quality, and function by promoting antioxidant balance.

Basically, for guys, ubiquinol helps mitochondrial function and reduces oxidative stress, supporting the overall cellular environment sperm rely on to work best.

Ubiquinol and fertility over 40 – what should we know?

As we’ve mentioned, it becomes harder for the body to create ubiquinol as we age. 

In fact, several studies here and here note that the amount of ubiquinol and the oxidative status in the body is actually directly associated with chronological age. These ubiquinol levels start to drop in our 30s and 40s.

Supplementation with a quality ubiquinol product such as Kaneka Ubiquinol® becomes really key during this stage of life, especially for people who need a healthy oxidative status as they try to conceive.

Many travel for specific fertility help and treatment at this age, and going up in elevation can increase oxidative stress due to lower levels of oxygen in the air.

One trial showed that supplementing with Kaneka Ubiquinol® prior to and when at high elevation can help the body mitigate this oxidative stress and bounce back faster.

Can we get enough ubiquinol from food alone?

The short answer is no. Healthy foods contain relatively low levels of ubiquinol, and research has shown that a deficit of ubiquinol in the body cannot be replenished by diet alone.

Cooking also further reduces antioxidant levels in food, because ubiquinol is sensitive to heat, light, and air. 

This makes supplementation even more important, especially if you’ve got fertility goals in the mix.

So, how much ubiquinol is recommended to support fertility?

The most common dosage for adults is between 100-200 mg per day.

Higher doses have been demonstrated to be safe in research studies, but, as always, chat with your healthcare provider for guidance.

How long to take ubiquinol for fertility?

It takes approximately 2 weeks of daily supplementation with ubiquinol to reach steady absorption levels in the bloodstream. Research also shows levels may continue increasing over several months.

Starting a ubiquinol supplement early  in your fertility journey allows your body to improve antioxidant levels and support reproductive cells in preconception.

And finally – which ubiquinol supplement for fertility, exactly?

Not all ubiquinol supplements are created equal. Antioxidants are sensitive to heat, light, air, and processing, and their effectiveness depends on formulation and absorption. 

A high-quality supplement should be carefully manufactured, packaged, and delivered to protect the antioxidant and ensure it’s properly absorbed. 

This looks like:

• opaque bottles
• light- and air-proof capsules
• absorption-enhancing carrier fats

Choosing a supplement backed by current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) and strict quality control is also essential. Kaneka Ubiquinol® meets these standards at every step: from production to packaging and distribution. 

Kaneka even tests products from their partners to ensure the potency listed on the label is what is contained in the products.

Next on your reading list:  Ubiquinol vs ubiquinone (from the brand that really, really knows)