Coenzyme Q10 also known as ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble vitamin-like compound, which acts as a cofactor and is required by large and complex enzymes to carry out their functions. CoQ10 is available in three redox states: fully oxidized (ubiquinone), semiquinone (ubisemiquinone), and fully reduced (ubiquinol), of which ubiquinone is the most widely-used state in dietary supplements. CoQ10 is mainly required by organisms to carry out cellular respiration and for energy production. Though not approved by the US FDA to be used as a drug, CoQ10 is widely used as a supplement for prevention of cardiovascular problems and for alleviating statin-induced adverse effects. Its correlation with statin drugs, one of the key protocols used for cardiovascular treatment, remains a key driver for CoQ10 demand globally.

Clinical research focusing on substantiating the role of CoQ10 supplementation in the treatment or prevention of different indications has been very limited to small-scale studies. Comprehensive randomized trials are required to derive any strong reference. However, research seems to have picked up pace in the last few years for assessing its potential role in cancer, anti-ageing, and eye conditions.

Dietary CoQ10 can be obtained in very less quantities from spinach, soybeans, beef, and salmon. Commercially, CoQ10 is manufactured either using fermentation technologies or through chemical synthesis. Among fermentation techniques, yeast fermentation is the most dominant production method.

Geographically, Asia Pacific and other developing economies are expected to witness considerable growth over the forecast period primarily due to faster growth in the older population and improved economic conditions in the regions. According to the CoQ10 Association, CoQ10 is the third most consumed specialty supplement in North America. The region dominates the market of COQ10 ingredients in terms of both volume and value. In addition to growing incidence of cardiovascular disorders, use of CoQ10 in anti-oxidant formulations and other non-traditional applications is expected to drive the demand in the North American region. Europe on the other hand, remains a relatively small market and is expected to witness slow growth as the region is looking more towards capitalizing the pharmaceutical application of CoQ10.

The value chain of CoQ10 ingredient has changed dramatically in the last couple of years. With major Japanese players moving out, the industry has shifted from what was known as Japanese-dominant market to a larger consolidation of Chinese manufacturers. The CoQ10 market offers barrier to entry largely due to higher production cost and presence of relatively big ingredient manufacturers like Kaneka Corporation, Nisshin Pharma Inc., Xiamen Kingdomway Group, Zhejiang Medicine Co. Ltd, and formulators like Koninklijke DSM N.V., SoftGel Technologies, among others.

Author: Smriti Sharma