CLINICAL TRIAL article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutrition and Metabolism
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1605033
Impact of Liposomal Delivery on Coenzyme Q10 Absorption: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial
Provisionally accepted
Ralf Jäger1*
Martin Purpura1Ashok Godavarthi2
Halil Ibrahim Ceylan3Sebastian T Balcombe4Ambrish Chandrappa5
Grant M Tinsley6- 1Increnovo LLC, Milwaukee, United States
- 2Radiant Research Services Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India
- 3Atatürk University, Erzurum, Erzurum, Türkiye
- 4Specnova LLC, Tysons Corner, United States
- 5Medstar Specialty Hospital, Karnataka, India
- 6Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States
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Background: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10) plays a vital role in cellular energy production and protection against oxidative stress. However, its absorption from orally administered forms is limited due to its poor water solubility and relatively large molecular weight. While co-ingesting CoQ-10 with a fatty meal can enhance absorption, this approach is not always practical. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a liposomal formulation of CoQ-10 could improve its absorption compared to standard CoQ-10, without the need for the concurrent consumption of fatty foods. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study design, 7 males and 11 females (n = 18; age: 33.5 ± 6.4 years, height: 171.2 ± 8.1 cm, weight: 65.6 ± 8.8 kg) ingested a single dose of placebo (PLA), 100 mg of unformulated CoQ-10, or 100 mg of liposomal CoQ-10 (Lipo CoQ-10, LipoVantage®, Specnova, LLC, Tysons Corner, VA, USA). Venous blood samples were collected at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after ingestion and analyzed for plasma CoQ-10 concentrations. Results: CoQ-10and Lipo CoQ-10 demonstrated significantly greater Cmax and AUC0-24 compared to placebo (p<0.001). Additionally, Lipo CoQ-10 had significantly higher Cmax (+31.3%, p<0.001) and AUC0-24 (+22.6%, p<0.001) values as compared to CoQ-10. CoQ-10 formulations were well-tolerated, with no significant changes in safety markers (blood pressure, renal function, liver enzymes, lipid profile; p > 0.05), indicating a favorable safety profile. Conclusion: Liposomal delivery significantly enhances CoQ-10 absorption. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry - India (CTRI/2024/04/066483).
Keywords: Liposomes, Coenzme Q10, bioavailability, Absorption, Ubiquinone, pharmacokinetics, Dietary Sipplements
Received: 02 Apr 2025; Accepted: 18 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Jäger, Purpura, Godavarthi, Ceylan, Balcombe, Chandrappa and Tinsley. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Ralf Jäger, Increnovo LLC, Milwaukee, United States
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.