What is Coenzyme Q-10 for dogs?

Coenzyme Q-10 for dogs or CoQ10 for short is naturally made in the body with the most being made in the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas. ¹Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ®) – PDQ Cancer Information Summaries – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)  As your dog ages, less CoQ10 is produced by the body.

CoQ10 is an antioxidant which can help fight free radicals. When there are too many free radicals in the body they can cause damage to the DNA which in turn can lead to other cell, tissue and organ damage.   

Is fat-soluble or water-soluble CoQ10 for dogs better?

So, the majority of CoQ10 out there in the market is fat soluble, the problem is that coenzyme Q10 has a high melting point of 118.4 degrees Fahrenheit ²Coenzyme Q10 | Coq10 benefits and absorption (pharmanord.com)  Your dog’s internal body temperature doesn’t get that high which is why fat soluble CoQ10 is not readily absorbed, well by the body.  

Water-soluble Coenzyme Q10 has been deemed as being more readily absorbed and therefore more bioavailable for the body. In a study with mice with both fat and water-soluble CoQ10 it was deemed that water soluble  

“has a better therapeutic effect in Tac-induced renal injury than conventional CoQ10-L, possibly associated with improved CoQ10 bioavailability.” ³Cui, S., Luo, K., Quan, Y., Lim, S. W., Shin, Y. J., Lee, K. E., Kim, H. L., Ko, E. J., Kim, J. H., Chung, S. J., Bae, S. K., Chung, B. H., & Yang, C. W. (2021).

Water-soluble coenzyme Q10 provides better protection than lipid-soluble coenzyme Q10 in a rat model of chronic tacrolimus nephropathy. ⁴The Korean journal of internal medicine, 36(4), 949–961. https://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2020.211   

What is the difference between ubiquinone and ubiquinol CoQ10 for dogs? 

What is ubiquinone? This is the inactive form of coenzyme q-10 for dogs and then your dog’s body has to work to convert it into ubiquinol which is the active form. As you age the process becomes harder for your body to convert it.  

In a study of 10 men given 200mg a day of each form of CoQ10.  6 of the 10 responded better to ubiquinol as opposed to ubiquinone giving the impression that;  

“ubiquinol appeared to be a better supplemental form to enhance the CoQ10 status”. ⁵Zhang, Y., , Liu, J., , Chen, X. Q., , & Oliver Chen, C. Y., (2018). Ubiquinol is superior to ubiquinone to enhance Coenzyme Q10 status in older men. Food & function, 9(11), 5653–5659. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8fo00971f   

There are products on the market specifically for dogs, such as the ubiquinol form http://amzn.com/dp/B07GTDCP3H

What foods naturally contain coenzyme q-10 for dogs?

Coenzyme q-10 for dogs or CoQ10 can be found naturally in the foods your dog eats. In fact, organ meats contain the highest amount of CoQ10 with the 3 most common organ meats listed below and the amount of CoQ10 is per 100 grams of organ meats. ⁶CoQ10 Foods: The 50 Highest Natural Dietary Sources – Superfoodly    

• Chicken liver, 11.6mg  
• Beef heart 11.3mg  
• Chicken heart 9.2mg 

You can also CoQ10 in fruits, vegetables and dairy such as in soybeans, broccoli, sweet potato, eggs and strawberries but these amounts are very small.  

What are the health benefits of coq10 for dogs? 

CoQ10 for dogs with heart disease  

Coenzyme q-10 for dogs or CoQ10 for dogs with cardiovascular disease as a supplement has been proven as ;

” patients with heart failure not only improved functional capacity, but also significantly reduced cardiovascular events and mortality”⁷ Ayers, J., Cook, J., Koenig, R. A., Sisson, E. M., & Dixon, D. L. (2018). Recent Developments in the Role of Coenzyme Q10 for Coronary Heart Disease: a Systematic Review. Current atherosclerosis reports, 20(6), 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-018-0730-1  

In 34 controlled trials it has also been concluded that it coenzyme q-10 for dogs; 

“has the potential for prevention of cardiovascular disease through the inhibition of LDL cholesterol”⁸ Langsjoen, P. H., & Langsjoen, A. M. (1999). Overview of the use of CoQ10 in cardiovascular disease. BioFactors (Oxford, England), 9(2-4), 273–284. https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.5520090224   

Dosing in trials has ranged from 60mg-300mg a day for humans and 100mg has been found to increase CoQ10 levels in humans. ⁹Di Lorenzo A, Iannuzzo G, Parlato A, Cuomo G, Testa C, Coppola M, D’Ambrosio G, Oliviero DA, Sarullo S, Vitale G, Nugara C, Sarullo FM, Giallauria F. Clinical Evidence for Q10 Coenzyme Supplementation in Heart Failure: From Energetics to Functional Improvement. J Clin Med. 2020 Apr 27;9(5):1266. doi: 10.3390/jcm9051266. PMID: 32349341; PMCID: PMC7287951. Clinical Evidence for Q10 Coenzyme Supplementation in Heart Failure: From Energetics to Functional Improvement – PMC (nih.gov)  

CoQ10 for dogs with kidney disease  

Coenzyme Q-10 for dogs or CoQ10 for dogs with kidney disease has been found to have positive effects in renal protection. Depending on your reason for wanting to administer CoQ10 you could obtain very different results as in the case of one such NSAID called diclofenac which is already considered nephrotoxic and used in veterinary medicine but in this instance CoQ10 actually worsened the impaired renal function. ¹⁰Molecular mechanisms underlying the renal protective effects of coenzyme Q10 in acute kidney injury – PMC (nih.gov)  

In another case with gentamicin, an antibiotic which is also nephrotoxic, they concluded that CoQ10 actually had protective effects on the kidneys in gentamicin induced AKI. ¹¹Molecular mechanisms underlying the renal protective effects of coenzyme Q10 in acute kidney injury – PMC (nih.gov)  

Furthermore, in 12 studies with chronic kidney disease CoQ10 has had mixed results but shows promise at reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.¹² Xu, Y., Yang, G., Zuo, X., Gao, J., Jia, H., Han, E., Liu, J., Wang, Y., & Yan, H. (2022). A systematic review for the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in patients with chronic kidney disease. International urology and nephrology, 54(1), 173–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-021-02838-2   

CoQ10 for dogs with cancer  

“Coenzyme Q10 may show indirect anticancer activity through its effect(s) on the immune system, there is evidence to suggest that analogs of this compound can suppress cancer growth directly.“¹³ Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ®) – PDQ Cancer Information Summaries – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)  

It has also been found helpful with certain chemotherapy drugs in protecting vital organs such as the heart. ¹⁴Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ®) – PDQ Cancer Information Summaries – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)   

CoQ10 for dogs with periodontal disease  

Coenzyme Q-10 for dogs or CoQ10 for dogs has also been found to be helpful in cases of gum disease. In a research study where coenzyme q10 was put topically on gums and mixed with soybean oil, it was found that 

“CoQ10 improves adult periodontitis not only as a sole treatment.”¹⁵ Hanioka, T., Tanaka, M., Ojima, M., Shizukuishi, S., & Folkers, K. (1994). Effect of topical application of coenzyme Q10 on adult periodontitis. Molecular aspects of medicine, 15 Suppl, s241–s248. https://doi.org/10.1016/0098-2997(94)90034-5    

Side effects of CoQ10 for dogs 

Coenzyme Q-10 for dogs or CoQ10 for dogs may not be for everyone and certain side effects may exist. If your dog has pre-existing conditions or is taking blood thinners or other herbs or medications you should be cautious.

If your dog has an autoimmune disease, CoQ10 has been found to stimulate the immune system in animals and humans. ¹⁶Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ®) – PDQ Cancer Information Summaries – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)   

Some side effects of CoQ10 for dogs or Coenzyme Q-10 are that it can cause upset stomach, nausea or vomiting.

Coenzyme Q-10 dose for dogs

If you are looking at CoQ10 as a supplement for your dog, then discuss with your veterinarian what dose might be right for you.   

I use this CoQ10 http://amzn.com/dp/B07RH9L848 which is water-soluble and give my dogs 200mg a day, divided into 3 doses throughout the day.

In one research study dogs were given 100mg twice daily for CHF and if was noted that it was well tolerated and there were improvements in certain inflammatory parameters. ¹⁷Druzhaeva N, Nemec Svete A, Tavčar-Kalcher G, Babič J, Ihan A, Pohar K, Krapež U, Domanjko Petrič A. Effects of Coenzyme Q₁₀ Supplementation on Oxidative Stress Markers, Inflammatory Markers, Lymphocyte Subpopulations, and Clinical Status in Dogs with Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Jul 22;11(8):1427. doi: 10.3390/antiox11081427. PMID: 35892628; PMCID: PMC9394267. Effects of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Oxidative Stress Markers, Inflammatory Markers, Lymphocyte Subpopulations, and Clinical Status in Dogs with Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease – PMC (nih.gov)

Check out our other articles for more information on other herbs, such as; 

health benefits of hawthorn for dogs