Kaneka Ubiquinol supplement, derived via fermentation, may enhance physical performance in athletically trained men, new study shows

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A new study found that athletically trained men who supplemented daily with a trademarked ubiquinol supplement experienced significantly enhanced physical performance. The study was conducted on Kaneka Nutrients’ (Brussels, Belgium) Kaneka Ubiquinol ingredient, a “newly developed form of coenzyme Q10” that past studies have shown improves physical performance in healthy volunteers, study researchers said.

Kaneka describes Kaneka Ubiquinol as “a bio-identical vitaminoid and strong antioxidant that has been scientifically proven by multiple clinical trials to support overall vitality and the body’s natural defenses.” The company calls itself “the pioneer in the development of the first safe and stable ubiquinol produced via a patented process of natural yeast fermentation.”

The six-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study¹ compared the effects of a once-daily dose of 200 mg of Kaneka Ubiquinol, or a placebo, on parameters such as subjects’ VO_2max levels, an indication of aerobic capacity. The subjects included 29 trained men aged 20-30 years who had a VO_2max of at least 40 ml/kg/min, who could perform a one-rep max (1RM) bench press at least 1.0 times their own body weight, and who had been regularly aerobic and weight training for longer than six months.

At the end of the study, ubiquinol subjects had significantly increased VO_2max levels compared to the placebo subjects, as well as significantly decreased body mass index, percent body fat, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels.

The researchers concluded that “daily oral intake of 200 mg ubiquinol supplementation for six weeks’ duration resulted in significantly improved clinical parameters and, most importantly, had greatly enhanced physical performance by increased aerobic capacity measured as VO_2max in trained men.”

Reference

1. Kunching S et al. “The effects of ubiquinol supplementation on clinical parameters and physical performance of trained men.” Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology, vol. 44, no. 1 (January-February 2022): 231-235