29 things you probably didn’t know about MitoQ
Sep 27, 2022
| 9 mins to read
If you’re confident in your knowledge of what MitoQ is and want to dive a little deeper, this list is for you.
AT A GLANCE
- – MitoQ® Mitoquinol was the world’s first antioxidant molecule designed to specifically target and support mitochondria.
- – It’s backed by over 900 independent research papers exploring its impact on cellular health, energy, and resilience.
- – MitoQ is inspired by the science of mitochondrial function and trusted by doctors, athletes, and wellness seekers globally.
- – The molecule behind MitoQ is a breakthrough in cellular science, developed by researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand.
- – Beyond supplements, MitoQ® Mitoquinol has also played a role in clinical trials and continues to support cutting-edge research around the world.
WRITTEN BY
MitoQ
PUBLISHED
Sep 27, 2022
UPDATED
Jun 16, 2025
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There’s always more to learn about MitoQ – after all, it’s not just a supplement, it's a mitochondria targeted antioxidant molecule that is being continuously researched for its benefits. You probably already know that it’s a molecule that fights cell stress and helps to give your mind and body a lift on a foundational level – but did you know that MitoQ® Mitoquionol is the only commercially available ingredient proven to enter the mitochondria, or that it can help to clear inactive cells out of your body? How about that there are approximately 37 trillion cells in your body that require ongoing support? Keep reading to find out 29 things you (probably) didn’t know about MitoQ.
1. MitoQ® is short for Mitoquinol Mesylate
Mitoquinol Mesylate is our world-first, patented ingredient that can be found in a select number of our products. It’s an antioxidant that scientists biodesigned to reach deep into cells, where it can combat free radicals at their source.
2. MitoQ® Mitoquinol was initially named MitoQ10
This is because scientists originally created MitoQ as a way to transport an essential cellular health antioxidant – CoQ10 – into mitochondria (something that had never been done before). We ended up dropping the 10 – less is more, right?
3. 10mg of MitoQ® Mitoquinol contains 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 MitoQ molecules
Every morning when you take your 10mgs of MitoQ, you’re giving your cells 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 MitoQ molecules – that's 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 daily opportunities to support the building blocks of your body.
4. Research suggests that MitoQ® Mitoquinol can help to clear out senescent cells
Senescent cells are cells that have lost their function, causing oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction to the surrounding tissue - also known as aging. Your mitochondria are always working away to remove these inactive cells from your body, and some people fast to support this process. Studies have suggested that MitoQ® Mitoquinol is another way to clear away inactive cells.
5. MitoQ® Mitoquinol is one of the few antioxidant that works inside your mitochondria
MitoQ® Mitoquinol is the only commercially available ingredient proven to enter the mitochondria. Most antioxidants work in the general areas of your cells, but MitoQ® Mitoquinol is uniquely designed to pass through your mitochondrial membrane and accumulate exactly where it's needed most. Once inside, it helps neutralize free radicals at the source, supporting your cellular energy production and resilience from within. This makes it one of the most targeted and effective ways to combat oxidative stress.
6. Many people turn to MitoQ following their doctor’s recommendation
Many customers write in to tell us they began taking MitoQ after their doctor recommended it to them. It’s also available as a supplement via many doctors at a higher dose and is also taken at a higher dose by many professional athletes to support higher cellular energy demands.
7. The MitoQ molecule is shaped like a hexagon
You may have noticed a little red hexagon sitting in the middle of MitoQ’s logo. This is to represent the MitoQ® Mitoquinol molecule – a teeny, tiny hexagon that scientists created to dive deep into your cells.
8. Research has found that MitoQ® Mitoquinol can “make old blood vessels seem young again”
A study by the University of Colorado Boulder found that, by taking MitoQ® Mitoquinol for six weeks, healthy older adults saw significant improvement to blood vessels. It's been quoted by the researchers that MitoQ® Mitoquinol could reverse the age of their blood vessels by 15-20 years. Read more about this research.
9. MitoQ® Mitoquinol has been studied by some of the world’s top universities
Harvard University, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Auckland, the University of Nebraska, Ulster University – these are just a few of the institutions that have explored MitoQ® Mitoquinol’s benefits.
10. In theory, MitoQ® Mitoquinol gives you an aging advantage
Ever heard of the Free Radical Theory of Aging? In the 1950s, a scientist named Denham Harman proposed that aging is brought on by free radicals causing oxidative stress (aka, by rogue molecules damaging cells). MitoQ® Mitoquinol has been scientifically shown to combat this oxidative stress.
11. Most antioxidants have trouble reaching the vast majority of your body’s free radicals - for MitoQ® Mitoquinol, it’s easy
Over 90% of your body’s free radicals come from your mitochondria – a heavily protected organelle that most antioxidants struggle to enter. MitoQ® Mitoquinol was specifically designed to be able to reach these free radicals, so human cells could be supported like never before.
12. MitoQ® Mitoquinol can help you to replicate new, healthier cells
When your cells divide (which happens daily) they create new cells that contain the same DNA as the original cell. The healthier the parent cell, the healthier the replicated cells. So, in theory, by taking MitoQ® Mitoquinol, you can create a healthy cell ripple effect throughout your body.
13. MitoQ® Mitoquinol is electrochemically pulled into your mitochondria
Our founding scientists invented MitoQ to have a positive charge attached. Your mitochondria are negatively charged. That positive-negative attraction creates an electric force that results in MitoQ® Mitoquinol literally being pulled into your mitochondria.
14. MitoQ® Mitoquinol isn’t like other antioxidants
Other antioxidants work in other areas in the cell – MitoQ works in the mitochondria. That means MitoQ pairs well with other antioxidant ingredients selected for our formulas, without either ingredient being redundant.
15. MitoQ® Mitoquinol has a specific affinity for the mitochondria in your cells
MitoQ® Mitoquinol successfully targets the mitochondria, where many other ingredients can’t get to – we know this because studies show MitoQ® Mitoquinol concentrates in your mitochondria hundreds to thousands of times more than outside the mitochondria.
16. Once inside your mitochondria, MitoQ® Mitoquinol recycles itself to be used again and again
When MitoQ® Mitoquinol neutralizes a free radical, it becomes oxidized to its inactive form, ubiquinone. Then, MitoQ® Mitoquinol is rapidly reduced back to its active form, ubiquinol, by the respiration system in your mitochondria, ready to keep on fighting more free radicals. That makes MitoQ® Mitoquinol super effective as an antioxidant.
17. MitoQ® Mitoquinol is a great option for people taking statins
People that take statins to maintain healthy cholesterol levels are often deficient in CoQ10 as a result. MitoQ® Mitoquinol can provide great support for this among all of its other positive effects.
18. MitoQ® Mitoquinol was invented in New Zealand
Our founding scientists created MitoQ in a lab at the University of Otago, located in the South Island of New Zealand.
19. MitoQ’s head office is located in New Zealand
The MitoQ® Mitoquinol molecule was created here, so it makes sense that the majority of our team is here too. However, the pandemic has changed the way we work – members of the MitoCrew can often be found scattered across the country (and globe!).
20. MitoQ® Mitoquinol can support healthy mitochondria in your brain cells (neurons)
Your brain is an energy-hungry organ with lots of mitochondria. Studies indicate that MitoQ® Mitoquinol passes the blood-brain barrier, where it can combat cell stress to support memory and cognitive functions in your brain.
21. MitoQ® Mitoquinol is self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe)
MitoQ® Mitoquinol has been independently reviewed by expert toxicologists and declared self-affirmed GRAS — meaning it’s considered safe for use in dietary supplements based on scientific procedures and published research. This designation reflects MitoQ®’s strong safety profile and gives you added peace of mind when incorporating it into your daily routine.
22. MitoQ’s packaging is 100% recyclable
We know there’s continuous work that needs to be done, but we’re on a mission to do right by planet Earth. MitoQ’s bottles, bottle caps, inks and outer boxes are all 100% recyclable!
23. It’s fine to have coffee with your MitoQ® Mitoquinol
While we don’t recommend having your MitoQ® Mitoquinol with food (food inhibits its absorption) having it with a cup of coffee is perfectly fine. However, some of our customers find that MitoQ gives them so much energy that they no longer want their morning coffee!
24. It’s safe to take multiple MitoQ® formulas at once
The only thing to watch out for with this is that some of our products contain MitoQ® Mitoquinol (recommended dose is 10-20mg per day) and some have vitamins and minerals in them, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your intake levels of those. People often take multivitamins on top of MitoQ, so it’s just a case of keeping those vitamins and minerals within the recommended range.
25. MitoQ Pure is Informed Sport certified
Every batch of MitoQ Pure is Informed Sport certified. This means that it’s tested for banned substances – so that MitoQ-powered athletes can train and compete knowing that they are being supported a high-quality cellular health molecule.
26. MitoQ is a NZ Fernmark Licensee
Most of our products, including MitoQ Pure, are made in NZ and are covered by the NZ Fernmark. The NZ Fernmark criteria requires our products to be made, grown or designed in New Zealand, which is why the New Zealand Government is happy for our products to represent New Zealand around the world.
27. MitoQ has been featured in Time Magazine, the Los Angeles Times + more
Some impressive publications have taken an interest in what MitoQ could mean for the future of human health – you can check these out on our press page.
28. In 2020, MitoQ Pure was ranked the 4th most popular supplement in the USA
A 2020 ConsumerLab.com survey asked 9,782 consumers which supplements they had purchased in the last year: 45.7% said they purchased MitoQ/CoQ10/Ubiquinol.
29. MitoQ is backed by over 30 years of research and 900+ scientific papers
MitoQ isn’t just a breakthrough in antioxidant science — it’s also one of the most studied. With decades of independent and clinical research behind it, MitoQ has been explored for its potential benefits in everything from cardiovascular health to brain function, immunity, and aging. That ongoing research continues to reinforce its role as a trusted and science-backed supplement.
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REFERENCES
- 1.
Rossman, M. J., Santos-Parker, J. R., Steward, C. A., Bispham, N. Z., Cuevas, L. M., Rosenberg, H. L., ... & Seals, D. R. (2018). Chronic supplementation with a mitochondrial antioxidant (MitoQ) improves vascular endothelial function in healthy older adults. Hypertension, 71(6), 1056–1063. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERT...;
- 2.
Williamson, J. E., Scheffler, T. L., & Loucks, A. B. (2020). MitoQ supplementation reduces exercise-induced mitochondrial and nuclear DNA damage in human skeletal muscle and lymphocytes. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 152, 202–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.free...;
- 3.
Hu, H., Wang, Y., Zeng, Y., Shen, Y., & Guo, X. (2018). MitoQ protects against ischemia/reperfusion-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction by inhibiting oxidative stress. Cell Death & Disease, 9, 403. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419...;
- 4.
Lin, Y., Wu, W., Qin, X., Yu, Y., Li, R., Wu, B., & Liu, T. (2024). MitoQ radiosensitizes human breast tumor xenografts in mice by inhibiting cancer cell respiration. Cell Death Discovery, 10, Article 90. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420...;
- 5.
Toomey, R. J., Maher, C. A., & McDermott, J. C. (2025). MitoQ and cardiometabolic health: A scoping review of human and animal studies. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 12, 1506460. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2...;
SCIENTIFICALLY REVIEWED BY
Asha Hira BPharm
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