Coenzyme Q₁₀ - Coenzyme Q₁₀ Concentrations in Foods and Dietary Intake

Coenzyme Q₁₀ Concentrations in Foods and Dietary Intake

Detailed reviews on occurrence of CoQ₁₀ and dietary intake were published in 2010. Besides endogenous synthesis, CoQ₁₀ is also supplied to the organism by various foods. However, despite the scientific community’s great interest in this compound, a very limited number of studies have been performed to determine the contents of CoQ₁₀ in dietary components. The first reports on this issue were published in 1959, but the sensitivity and selectivity of the analytical methods at that time did not allow reliable analyses, especially for products with low concentrations. Developments in analytical chemistry have since enabled a more reliable determination of CoQ₁₀ concentrations in various foods (Table below).

Meat and fish are the richest source of dietary CoQ₁₀ and levels over 50 mg/kg can be found in beef, pork and chicken heart, and chicken liver. Dairy products are much poorer sources of CoQ₁₀ compared to animal tissues. Vegetable oils are also quite rich in CoQ₁₀. Within vegetables, parsley, and perilla are the richest CoQ₁₀ sources, but significant differences in their CoQ₁₀ levels can be found in the literature. Broccoli, grape, and cauliflower are modest sources of CoQ₁₀. Most fruit and berries represent a poor to very poor source of CoQ₁₀, with the exception of avocado, with a relatively high CoQ₁₀ content.