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Medicines and supplements

CoQ10 and insulin resistance: what to know if you use insulin

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Ask your pharmacist or doctor before combining. Two NIH sources name this interaction: NCCIH says CoQ10 may interact with the diabetes medicine insulin, and the National Cancer Institute's summary says it can decrease the insulin requirements of people with diabetes. Neither gives the size of the effect, so tell whoever prescribes your insulin before you start.1,2

Key facts

  • NCCIH says CoQ10 may interact with the anticoagulant warfarin and with the diabetes medicine insulin.1
  • The National Cancer Institute's CoQ10 summary says CoQ10 can decrease insulin requirements in individuals with diabetes.2
  • That summary separately says the diabetes tablets glyburide and tolazamide lower blood levels of CoQ10, which is a different statement from the one about insulin.2
  • MedlinePlus says insulin overdose can cause low blood sugar, including when the usual amount is used but less food is eaten or more exercise is done.3
  • MedlinePlus asks people using insulin to tell their doctor and pharmacist about every supplement, because doses may need to change.3

Your doctor may want to check on you

CoQ10 may interact with insulin. An NIH summary says it can lower the amount of insulin people with diabetes need, so tell whoever prescribes your insulin before starting it.1,2

Expected from how the two work, not shown in studies

What do NCCIH and the National Cancer Institute say about CoQ10 and insulin?

NCCIH's CoQ10 page names the blood thinner warfarin and the diabetes medicine insulin among the things CoQ10 may interact with. The National Cancer Institute's summary on CoQ10 is more specific about insulin and says CoQ10 can decrease insulin requirements in individuals with diabetes.1,2

The two sources state the interaction briefly. Neither describes the trial behind it or gives the size of the effect, the amount of CoQ10 involved or how long it takes to appear. NCCIH's page was last updated in January 2019.1,2

Why would a lower insulin requirement matter?

MedlinePlus explains what happens when there is more insulin than the body needs. An overdose can occur if you use too much insulin, or if you use the right amount but eat less than usual or exercise more than usual, and it can cause hypoglycemia. A lower requirement could work the same way if the dose stayed unchanged, although none of the sources read for this page spells that out.3

MedlinePlus's page on low blood sugar adds that some people have no warning symptoms at all, called hypoglycemic unawareness. It suggests asking your provider whether a continuous glucose monitor could help you detect a low before an emergency.4

Does the same apply to diabetes tablets?

The National Cancer Institute's summary makes a separate statement about tablets: glyburide and tolazamide, two oral medicines that lower blood sugar, cause a decrease in blood levels of CoQ10. That is a different effect from the one reported for insulin, and it runs the other way. If you take tablets as well as insulin, raise each of them with your pharmacist.2

What does MedlinePlus say about insulin and supplements?

MedlinePlus describes human insulin as a hormone replacement used by people with type 1 diabetes, and by some people with type 2 diabetes, to move sugar from the blood into other body tissues. Its page says insulin changes your blood sugar, asks you to tell your doctor and pharmacist about every vitamin, nutritional supplement and herbal product you take or plan to take, and says your doctor may need to change your doses or monitor you more carefully.3

It also tells people to ask their doctor what to do when they get sick, feel unusual stress, travel across time zones or change their exercise and activity level, because each can change how much insulin they need. A new supplement belongs on that list of changes to mention. The page asks you to keep a written list of every medicine, vitamin, mineral and supplement and bring it to each visit.3

What to ask the person who prescribes your insulin

  • Is CoQ10 something I should avoid, or monitor, while I use insulin?
  • If I start or stop CoQ10, should I check my blood sugar more often for a while?
  • Who adjusts my insulin if my readings change, and when should I call?
  • Do my other supplements or combination products contain CoQ10?

Do not change your insulin dose on your own. MedlinePlus says not to switch type or change the dose of any insulin without talking to your doctor.3

Questions people ask

Can you take CoQ10 with insulin?

Ask your pharmacist or doctor first. NCCIH says CoQ10 may interact with insulin, and the National Cancer Institute's summary says it can decrease the insulin requirements of people with diabetes.1,2

Does CoQ10 affect insulin sensitivity?

The sources read for this page do not use that term for CoQ10. The closest statement is that CoQ10 can decrease insulin requirements, and neither source explains how.1,2

What do the sources say about CoQ10 and insulin resistance?

The NCCIH and National Cancer Institute passages are about the medicine insulin. They do not address insulin resistance, so ask your doctor about it rather than relying on this page.1,2

Can a CoQ10 supplement change how much insulin I need?

The National Cancer Institute's summary says CoQ10 can decrease insulin requirements in people with diabetes. Any change to your dose should come from your prescriber.2,3

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Sources

  1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Coenzyme Q10. Last updated January 2019. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ): Health Professional Version. National Cancer Institute. Updated October 31, 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Human Insulin Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information. Last revised October 15, 2019. Opened 2026-10-11.
  4. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Low blood sugar. Review date January 25, 2026. Opened 2026-10-11.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.