Is ubiquinol safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about ubiquinol during pregnancy?

1. No serious side effects of CoQ10 have been reported in general use, though mild issues like insomnia or digestive upset can occur, and it may interact with the blood thinner warfarin and the diabetes medication insulin. 1
2. NCCIH's own safety overview of CoQ10 does not address pregnancy or breastfeeding use specifically, reflecting how little dedicated pregnancy safety research exists for this supplement. 1
3. In a randomized trial, 200 milligrams of CoQ10 daily from 20 weeks of pregnancy through delivery was associated with a lower rate of preeclampsia, 14.4 percent compared with 25.6 percent on placebo. 2
4. Ubiquinol, the active reduced form of CoQ10, is better absorbed than the more common ubiquinone form, reaching measurable plasma levels within three to four weeks of regular use. 3
5. Doses up to 300 milligrams a day have been well tolerated in short trials outside pregnancy, and one study found CoQ10 levels rise naturally across pregnancy and correlate with infant birth weight, though the researchers stress a real knowledge gap remains for dosing during pregnancy specifically. 4

Is ubiquinol safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. In the first trimester, ubiquinol hasn't been studied specifically for early pregnancy use, so starting it is a conversation for your provider rather than a self-directed choice.
• Second trimester. In the second trimester, the strongest available pregnancy research centers on a preeclampsia-risk trial starting around 20 weeks, so this is the point where some providers may discuss it.
• Third trimester. In the third trimester, CoQ10 levels rise naturally on their own, and research ties higher third-trimester levels to infant birth weight, though this doesn't establish that supplementing on top of that rise is necessary.

Studied CoQ10 and ubiquinol doses