Ttc using co enzyme q10?

[Ekphrasis]

Could I ask if anyone here tried co enzyme q10 to conceive?

And also went on aspirin after bpf?

Not an exact science but wondering if it's worth it. I've read it starts with the egg. I'm over 40 and had one miscarriage, one dc already.

[littlemimosa]

Hi. I've no answer for you but will watch this thread with interest as I'm also 40, am ttc number 3 and am taking Coq10 this time. Have read very good things about it for us older ttc ers!
I've not got a link to the study but here's a summary of it. I'm sure it'd be easy to Google.

^A study published in Fertility and Sterility showed that supplementation of 600 mg of CoQ10 daily by older women improved both egg quality and fertilization rates. Other studies published in Fertility and Sterility also showed the same improvements in the ova of older mice.
A preliminary study of mice by Dr. Robert Casper and colleagues at Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, showed that CoQ10 supplementation on mid-aged female mice resulted in more pregnancies and more babies per litter. “They found that when CoQ10 was given to 52-week-old mice – about mid-age for a mouse – their eggs appeared to rejuvenate. There were significantly more egg follicles in the old mice treated with the CoQ10…”^

"Their eggs appeared to rejuvenate" .......... SOLD!

[JeNeBaguetteRien]

I have been taking Ubiquinol for a few months, I think it is the same thing. Haven't had a BFP yet so can't comment on the aspirin, I might consider taking a small dose if it ever happens!

[TheLesserWeevil]

I had to take clomid to help me conceive both my DC, after being diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve. I also took CoQ10 while trying to conceive DS2.

DS1 - no CoQ10, aged 36, 7 cycles on clomid, average antral follicle count of 8 - 10 per cycle, eventually 1 egg fertilized.

DS2 - with CoQ10, aged 39, first cycle on clomid I produced just 5 antral follicles, but 4 of them got to over 20mm and released eggs! Consultant told me to "step away from my husband" that month as the chance of a multiple pregnancy was too high. He also told me he had never seen anything like it - he had previously given me a 1-2% chance of conceiving without IVF based on my test results. We halved the dose the following month and I conceived DS2 - actually two eggs fertilised but sadly lost one twin at around 7 weeks.

Of course it may be a complete coincidence, but I honestly think that the CoQ10 played a role in improving my egg quality second time round, hence the much improved response to clomid. Not very scientific of course, but I'm a believer (and I still take it now).

[SpeckyB]

TheLesserWeevil - that's really interesting. How much CoQ10 did you take? And so you take it daily or just at the start of your cycle?

[Gurraun]

The Lesser Weevil - what brand did you take. I am TTC no 3, aged 39. Had 2 mc (one confirmed t21) so egg quality is clearly an issue. I bought CoQ10 off amazon but now have confused myself reading that some cannot be absorbed and is should be uquinol (sp?). Also did you take it for 3 months to get that result - had read that you should not TTC until 3 months in, but I'm 40 soon and feel time is slipping away.

Sorry to gatecrash thread OP - good luck, take it, it can't hurt! (says the woman taking CoQ10, 5mg folic acid, expensive pre-natal vitamins and baby aspirin if I get a BFP)!

[littlemimosa]

Gurraun, I've heard that too and am planning to buy Ubiquinol as soon as my CoQ10 runs out. It's a bit pricier but seems it's necessary;

From what I've read Ubiquinol is the form your body actually uses to achieve its benefits. Some experts say that if you are over 25, this 'reduced form' is superior for your health. If you're under 25, your body is capable of converting CoQ10 to the reduced form. However, if you're older, it becomes more & more difficult to convert the oxidized CoQ10 to ubiquinol. Especially if you're over 40 i believe.

[Ekphrasis]

Wow lesser that is quite amazing! 

gurraun, Gate crash away; I'm interested in all perspectives.


The baby asprin was recommended to us by the dr who delivered our first child who had IUGR. I'd not got clear answer about taking it in my last pregnancy other than it might be offered at 12 weeks if size was an issue. I was told by a dr when I had the mc that it's fine, wouldn't have made a difference to the mc though (ie probably still happened) and is generally taken before 16 weeks. It seems to be 'a thing' mentioned on threads but I don't know more than the link to reducing pre eclampsia and low birth weight.

I'm wondering about dosage too. I ended up getting some. The book says anywhere from 100 to 300 (100 being the basic starter dose). How much were you on lesser?

Also, did anyone notice a difference in energy anyway? (Which I could do with) And ok to continue after bpf?

[Ekphrasis]

It's ubiquinol that's recommended in the egg book. Not cheap but cheaper than ivf I guess.

[AliBingo]

I read the book and started taking 300mg of ubiquinol, I bought pharma Nord branded capsules as they seemed well regarded. Started them a few days into my cycle and got a BFP this month, but I'm thinking they can't have worked that quickly!

TTC 6 months, following a miscarriage last July and ERPC September for missed miscarriage.

Age 42, also started 5mg folic acid this cycle plus Zita West vitafem and vitafem boost, vitamin D spray and Inositol. Also began religiously​ eating at least 5 a day and cut out alcohol completely.

Who knows what helped, if anything, and also whether this one will stick.

[AliBingo]

Also, it all cost me a bloody fortune!

[Gurraun]

Congrats Alibingo - you deserve a bfp for that level of dedication if nothing else - think alcohol is all that keeps me sane!

[FozBoz]

I'm 34 but have a v low AMH and struggling to conceive DC2.

I have taken 100mg of coQ10 since around Jan. I did get pg lat month but it was a CP.

I've continued taking it and I'm waiting to test in the next few days as cycle returned to normal quite quickly and I have some compelling symptoms.

I've also taken 75mg asprin since day after ovulation.

Thanks for the really helpful info littlemimosa - maybe I should up the coQ10 dose a little, along with exra folic acid (currently taking the recommended 4mg x3 a day but it seems the super dose are much higher!).

Congrats AliBingo

[Ekphrasis]

Congratulations Ali! I've not quite gone as all out as you yet but similar. It's the pharma nord I went for in the end though may go for a cheaper one next time.

foz I suppose you could see what happens this cycle then choose whether to up it? (Fingers crossed!) certainly It starts with the egg suggests 100 as a basic dose, 300 as max if you're much older / doing ivf etc.

The more I read the more it seems to be worth trying.

I'm still unsure the science behind the aspirin though other than helping reduce pre eclampsia and iugr? Does anyone know?

[AliBingo]

I read something that suggested that aspirin can be bad in some cases so I refrained from using it. I forget where I read it though sorry.

[Ekphrasis]

Yes I read that too though not sure where. The dr I saw at the hospital who checked me during my miscarriage seemed to know a lot about it and seemed fine about it. She echoed what it says here (link from nice)

www.crd.york.ac.uk/crdweb/ShowRecord.asp?LinkFrom=OAI&ID=12010006006

I'm not sure what they mean by early pregnancy though. Certainly before 16 weeks, so I wonder if it's from very early or 12 wks at dating scan? It's possible research is still ongoing.

[Ekphrasis]

link hopefully works? It was through Nice.

[Ekphrasis]

Don't think link works, it was this if googled from york university.

"Prevention of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction with aspirin started in early pregnancy: a meta-analysis"

[QueSera]

Yes i took both. (Late 30s and two miscarriages.) Third pregnancy went well, she's now 4yo. Obviously i dont know if either of these things made a difference, but i feel strongly that they did. Best of luck x

[TheLesserWeevil]

It was ubiquinol, 200 daily throughout my cycle, I think, can't remember which brand but probably ordered off Amazon! I definitely started taking it a few months before ttc.

[Phoenix76]

My favourite subject! I've posted on mn a few times about this! Ttc dc took almost 2 years was about to give up. I did some research and found compelling evidence for Ubiquionol took my chances and no joke, within a month I got my bfp. I used the Dr Best brand as it has something else useful in (pic attached). I gave birth just short of my
40th birthday. Good luck to all those trying.

[Downbutnotyetout]

For those that had BFPs, when did you stop taking it? I'm sure I read somewhere that you shouldn't continue into early pregnancy but I may have imagined that....

[Ekphrasis]

Oh that's great que and Phoenix!

Yes I've read to stop taking it with bfp (or after ovulation?) but it doesn't seem to mention it in the book or I've just been skim reading too much

I think anything thy says ubiquinol and by Kaneka is the right stuff.

[ellesbellesxxx]

Christmas 2015 I found out my AMH was extremely low and I only had 5 antral follies. Before our ivf cycle started in August, I took cq10, multi vitamins and had acupuncture.. I had 10 antral follicles before we started. I appreciate there is no way of knowing for sure if it made the difference but it couldn't have hurt!

[Phoenix76]

I stopped taking it as soon as I got my bfp, not sure why just felt like the right thing to do.

[WelshMammy123]

Hi,

I'm really interested in all the feedback on ubiquinol. I was taking it until recently but am now wondering whether stopping was the right thing to do given all the positive feedback!

I lost a baby due to tfmr in October and at the recent post mortem meeting with the consultant I got a grilling about what I'd taken when pregnant. Just to be clear he didn't say that ubiquinol could have caused any problems but he said enough generally to make me stop taking everything other than pregnacare conception.

I wondered if anyone knew the benefits (if any) of taking it under 40? I'm 38 so not that far off 40 anyway so would imagine the benefits are pretty much the same as for those over 40?

Re aspirin the advice I had was to take it from 12 weeks pregnant but only because I had pre eclampsia and blood pressures generally when having my dd.

Just wish there was a magic pill we could take!! X