Pregnancy or better egg quality results after taking CoQ10

[LetMeIn321]

I've had 6 IUI's (2 pregnancies - miscarried both). I was advised by my last fertility clinic to take CoQ10 to help improve egg quality. I've read It Starts With the Egg and take the CoQ10 supplements recommended in the book. I recently had a consultation with another consultant (at a different clinic) as I'm starting IVF soon and he said to me that I might as well be eating smarties as CoQ10 is just a gimmick and there's no research or scientific evidence to show that it helps egg quality. I have read some research that it does help. Has anyone had a positive experience after starting CoQ10 or seen an improvement in egg quality? Thanks in advance

This may not be what you want to hear, but I have had cycles where I've taken very few supplements, and cycles where I've taken shed loads, and there has been absolutely no difference between in eh quality between them.

There has been some evidence to support CoQ10 ( or rather ubiqinol since that is the better absorbed version) - Google will throw up some studies, but results are not dramatic. It is still widely recommended across most clinics though I believe.

I still take all the supplements, but I'm now of the view that I'm doing it now more so that I feel like I'm doing as much as I can within my power to help the next cycle work, so I don't have any regrets that I didn't do enough myself, but with the realistic expectation that they're not really going to do much.

Yup also agree that they made no difference for me either - I did 5 cycles of IVF in 18 months.
Only thing which made a difference for me was changing protocol from short protocol to natural modified IVF

I didn't take many supplements compared to some but I did take ubiquinol (like PP, I've heard it's superior to CoQ10- it's certainly more expensive!). I've no idea if it did anything (my eggs performed well but I never tried without it) and I am quite sceptical. Obviously PPs' experiences are more relevant than mine, but you might as well given there's mixed views and it won't do any harm.

I never took any supplements apart from the standard folic acid and vitamins etc, as i'm fairly sceptical of them. At 42, i don't see how even bucket loads of ubiquinol can improve my eggs significantly and give me the quality of a 35 year old for example.

That being said, many of us get to that point where we'll try the more unproven supplements and if my last FET fails, i may well try ubiquinol for what could be my final round. As others have said, it won't do any harm, other than a further dent in my bank balance!

Thank you all for your replies. It's the ubiquinol I have been taking I think. I decided to try a brand recommended in It Starts With the Egg which is the Pharma Nord’s Bio-Quinone Active Q10 Gold. I'd read so much good reviews and research around it, plus it was recommended by my previous consultant so I was quite shocked to hear my current doctor say this. I want to continue to take them (mainly because I spent £150 on 2 boxes with 300 capsules 🤷‍♀️ but also so that I feel I've tried all I can. After 4 years if fertility treatment I want to do all I can for this last try. I know there are mixed experiences so that's why I wanted to see if people had good results after taking it.

@CatyZoo12 Yes same here. I want to feel like I've done all that I can. It is funny how it works out. When I was having IUI, some months I was on all recommended supplements, no alcohol, no caffeine, having accupuncture - the lot. Didn't get pregnant. Then one month I didn't bother with accupuncture, had a few glasses of wine, drank caffeine and got pregnant. As soon as I had the positive test, I went back to no caffeine or alcohol etc Sadly I miscarried at 11 weeks. As it's IVF this time and really probably our last chance, I want to try all I can do I don't look back and feel regret at not doing 'enough'.

The other Consultant is correct. CoQ10 will do nothing compared to other vitamins (specifically Folic Acid) for embryo quality.

CoQ10 however is great for the OH sperm.

2 pregnancies from 6 IUI's is actually a good result, compared to maybe 3 out of 6 from IVF.

Is the OH sperm results great or so so, because that itself is a big cause of miscarriages?

Depending on your age, AMH and cost (IUI vs IVF) it may still be worthwhile trying IUI a few more times.

I took ubiquinol and extra vitamin d after my first unsuccessful cycle. Second was successful but I changed a lot of variables between first and second so I can’t say whether the ubiquinol resulted in a successful pregnancy or not.

I started taking ubiquinol and vitamin d again about a year before I tried naturally and conceived, at 40.

Whilst it is expensive, it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the costs of fertility treatments, and provided it does no harm I would take it - along with the extra vitamin d as well as the usual conception vitamins.

Hi, I know this post is old, how much Vit D did you take?

Hello and good luck. When I did my cycles I took high strength coq10 and my number of eggs and quality improved each cycle the longer I was taking it. I truly believe it helped me. I was advised to take it along with Vit D by nurse at my clinic.
After my chemical pregnancy the clinic altered my protocol and added baby aspirin and I continued coq10. Think I stopped taking it after transfer or egg collection.
If I ever plan to do a fresh cycle again I.will start to take coq10 again 3 months in advance.