Comparative study of the bioavailability of two coenzyme Q10 products following single-dose and 3-week oral administration in healthy adults

Background Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a widely used food supplement due to its potential therapeutic benefits, which largely depend on its bioavailability. This study compared the bioavailability of two CoQ10 formulations—unencapsulated ubiquinone (standard) and microencapsulated CoQ10 (BMT®)—in healthy adults following both acute and chronic oral administration, and examined their effects on selected metabolic parameters. Methods This randomized, two-way crossover trial included 25 healthy adult participants. Each received a single 100 mg dose of both formulations, as well as a 3-week daily regimen of 100 mg of one of the formulations. Bioavailability was assessed by calculating the area under the curve for plasma CoQ10 concentrations over 48 h after a single dose administration and over the 3-week supplementation period. Results The microencapsulated CoQ10 demonstrated significantly superior bioavailability at 6, 12, and 24 h, with an average fold increase of 1.8, 2.4, and 1.9, compared to standard. Following chronic supplementation, plasma CoQ10 concentrations increased by approximately 80% with standard and 95% with the microencapsulated formulation relative to baseline, while differences between formulations were no longer significant. A significant effect on vitamin D levels was also observed: microencapsulated CoQ10 led to higher vitamin D concentrations after 3 weeks ( P = 0.001). Conclusion These results confirm the safety and superior acute bioavailability of microencapsulated CoQ10 and suggest possible broader metabolic benefits. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06736366). Registered 11 December 2025, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06736366#study-record-dates