Even if we’re not planning on making a bid for the Olympics or take part in an Ironman triathlon, most of us want to see better results when we exercise. We want stronger muscles, faster speed when we run, and although many claims are made about the benefits of this substance or that, ubiquinol – the active form of the popular supplement Coenzyme Q10 - could have the potential to send our physical performance into overdrive.

A 2013 study led by German researchers that appeared in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that in a double-blind study, those in the group that supplemented with ubiquinol for six weeks saw significant improvements in their performances compared to those in the control group who did not take the supplement.

In fact, the seasoned athletes with grueling training schedules – already close to their peak performances - were able to boost their power output by 2.5 percent over the six-week period.the

“This study demonstrates that daily supplementation of ubiquinol significantly enhanced physical performance measured as maximum power output versus placebo in young healthy trained German Olympic athletes,” the authors wrote. “While adherence to a training regimen itself resulted in an improvement in peak power output, as observed by improvement in placebo, the effect of ubiquinol supplementation significantly enhanced peak power production in comparison to placebo.”

And although the study focused on Olympic athletes, the study’s authors said ubiquinol may have increased benefits for non-elite athletes, especially those who can’t devote a lot of time to exercise during the week, and go all out on the weekends.

“Older athletes and ‘weekend warriors’ might profit even more from CoQ10 supplementation than young, well-trained athletes, researchers wrote. “Aging reduces the number of mitochondria and the level of Q10 in all tissues decreases with age. Increasing the Q10 content of remaining mitochondria might at least partly compensate for the lower number of mitochondria. Untrained athletes’ muscles are not as adapted to changing energy needs during exercise as are those of elite athletes. Other supplements have elicited stronger effects in increasing physical performance in recreational athletes and CoQ10 might be another such example.” (Ref. 1)

The 411 on ubiquinol and ubiquinone

Ubiquinol is the non-oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10 and is produced naturally in the body. Vital for energy production, ubiquinol is a power-packed antioxidant, and the news that it could benefit athletic performance caught the attention of many sports enthusiasts.

Ubiquinone vs. Ubiquinol

Ubiquinone has been taken as a supplement for the last 30 years, and in the form of CoQ10, is familiar to consumers.

While ubiquinol is lesser known, it is actually much more valuable than its CoQ10 cousin.

For younger athletes, ubiquinone is effective, experts say, because a younger body can convert the ubiquinone is has available into the necessary ubiquinol, but as the body ages – those 40 and older, experts say – it is more difficult to convert, so ubiquinol is what is needed. (Ref. 2)

Supplementing for athletic health

Our Omega-3 QH Ultra fish oil contains genuine KanekaQH Ubiquinol.  This is the only genuine Ubiquinol on the market today. Manufactured by the world-class Kaneka Corporation in Japan, the ingredient is produced using a fermentation process via food-grade yeast, a process that keeps the easily-oxidized product stable and viable, so it remains fully effective. (Ref. 3)

This can support the following…

• Cardio health
• Boosts cellular energy for optimum functioning
  
• Support normal blood pressure levels
  
• Memory recall
  
• Support repair of damaged cells
  
• Supports the body’s ability to manage free radicals damage
  

References:

    http://www.jissn.com/content/10/1/24#
    http://www.webmedcentral.com/article_view/2347
    http://www.kanekaqh.info/wu_ubiqvsubiq.htm