Quick answer
NIH's LactMed database says coenzyme Q10 is a normal part of human milk and that no data exist on the safety of supplementing it in nursing mothers or infants. It adds that supplements are usually well tolerated, with infrequent minor side effects. Ask your doctor before taking CoQ10 while breastfeeding.1
Key facts
- LactMed says coenzyme Q10 is a normal component of human milk and a normal part of the diet.1
- LactMed says no data exist on the safety and efficacy of CoQ10 supplementation in nursing mothers or infants.1
- NCCIH says no serious side effects of CoQ10 have been reported, and that mild ones such as insomnia or digestive upsets may occur.2
- In 13 trials pooled in a 2022 review, one digestive side effect was reported among the 602 people who took CoQ10.3
- LactMed says dietary supplements do not need extensive FDA approval before they are sold, so results on one product may not apply to another.1
What does LactMed say about CoQ10 and nursing?
LactMed is the National Library of Medicine's database of medicines and supplements during breastfeeding. Its entry for coenzyme Q10 says the compound is a normal part of the diet and is also made by the body, and that it is a normal component of human milk. Milk levels are slightly low in the breast milk of mothers with preterm infants.1
The entry then makes two plain statements. First, coenzyme Q10 has no specific lactation-related uses. Second, no data exist on the safety and efficacy of supplementation in nursing mothers or infants. Its general comment is that supplements are usually well tolerated, with only infrequent, minor side effects.1
So the sources answer two different things. CoQ10 itself is present in milk. What is missing is any study of what happens when a nursing mother takes extra, which is why no official source can say that supplementing is either fine or a problem.1
What side effects have been reported in adults?
These findings come from adults in general, since no source separates nursing mothers. NCCIH says no serious side effects of CoQ10 have been reported, and that mild side effects such as insomnia or digestive upsets may occur.2
Doses of 100 mg a day or more have caused mild trouble sleeping in some people.2,4
Digestive upsets can occur, including nausea, heartburn and pain in the upper stomach.2,4
Across 13 trials pooled in a 2022 review, one digestive side effect was reported among the 602 people who took CoQ10.3
That review pooled trials that were testing other outcomes, mainly fatigue, so it is a limited guide to rare effects.3
Why does LactMed warn about supplement products?
LactMed adds a standard note to this entry. It says dietary supplements do not need extensive pre-marketing approval from the Food and Drug Administration, that manufacturers are responsible for safety but need not prove safety and effectiveness before selling, and that labeled and actual ingredients or amounts often differ. It concludes that clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products.1
In practice, findings about one CoQ10 product, form or dose do not automatically carry over to another.1
Who should ask a doctor before taking CoQ10 while breastfeeding?
Anyone who is nursing should ask a doctor, pharmacist or lactation consultant before adding CoQ10, because no official source has studied it in this group.1
- Anyone who takes warfarin, since NCCIH and the warfarin label name coenzyme Q10 among products that may change its effect.2,5
- Anyone who uses insulin, since NCCIH says CoQ10 may interact with it.2
- Anyone whose baby has health concerns, so the baby's doctor knows what the mother takes.1
- Anyone who also takes a multivitamin or other supplement that lists coenzyme Q10, so the total is known.1
Questions people ask
Is coq10 ok while breastfeeding?
LactMed says supplements are usually well tolerated with infrequent, minor side effects, but also that no data exist on supplementing in nursing mothers or infants. The question is open, so ask your doctor.1
Can you take coq10 when breastfeeding?
No official source reports a study of it in nursing mothers. LactMed says CoQ10 is a normal part of milk and has no lactation-related uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines and product.1
Can you take coenzyme q10 while breastfeeding?
The only official database entry found is LactMed's, which has no safety data for nursing mothers or infants. NCCIH reports no serious side effects in adults generally. Ask your doctor first.1,2
Can you take ubiquinol while breastfeeding?
The sources checked do not address ubiquinol, the reduced form of CoQ10, separately from the main compound. That is not a finding either way, so ask your doctor or pharmacist.1
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Sources
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Coenzyme Q10. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and National Library of Medicine. Updated May 17, 2021. Opened 2026-10-11.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Coenzyme Q10. Last updated January 2019. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Tsai IC, Hsu CW, Chang CH, Tseng PT, Chang KV. Effectiveness of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation for Reducing Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:883251. Opened 2026-10-01.
- 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.
- Warfarin sodium tablets: prescribing information (Amneal Pharmaceuticals). DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Published June 3, 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.
This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.