Ubiquinol has been named Ingredient of the Year: Healthspan at the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2026, a recognition that puts the mitoceutical category, and the delivery constraint that comes with it, in front of product developers.
Ubiquinol, the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), took the Ingredient of the Year: Healthspan Award at the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2026. For formulators, the substantive detail is the category the award names: mitoceuticals, which the announcing company defines as nutraceuticals purpose-formulated to support mitochondrial function [1].
Kaneka Corporation, which describes itself as the sole global manufacturer of Ubiquinol, announced the win in a release dated Bangkok, September 4, 2026, and presents it as its third consecutive recognition at these awards, following Healthy Ageing Ingredient of the Year as the Winner in 2024 and the Innovation in Women’s Health Award as a Finalist in 2025 [1].
What ubiquinol is, and why the form matters
CoQ10 is an endogenous lipophilic quinone found in biological membranes, where it acts as a cofactor of mitochondrial respiratory complexes supporting cellular bioenergetics. Ubiquinol is its reduced form, active both as a radical scavenger and as support to the wider cellular antioxidant network [4].
The release describes Ubiquinol in compatible terms, as an endogenous antioxidant that supports mitochondrial energy production and helps reduce free radical damage inside cells [1,3].
The caveat for product developers sits in the same review the release cites. CoQ10’s low bioavailability, in particular to tissues such as skeletal and cardiac muscle, is described there as a major limitation on its application in human studies [4].
Because the molecule is lipophilic, that is a delivery problem before it is a dosing one, the same pattern seen with astaxanthin, where encapsulation and emulsion systems offset limited oral absorption. Of 450 CoQ10 articles published between 2010 and 2021, bioavailability studies comparing formulations accounted for about 8 percent, a share the review says was probably driven by a rise in ubiquinol formulas claiming enhanced bioavailability, among others [4]. For claims and regulatory teams that is a substantiation caution: an enhanced-absorption claim needs its own comparative data.
The release frames the timing through The Lancet Public Health, August 2026, reporting that the global lifespan to healthspan gap widens to 10.7 years [2]. Portal coverage of longevity actives and their delivery systems tracks the same solubility and stability questions.
Gary Scattergood, Managing Director Asia at William Reed and Publisher of NutraIngredients-Asia, commented on the judging:
“the judges were hugely impressed with the wealth of scientific evidence behind the ingredient, as well as the significant evidence of commercial success across the region, with an impressive line-up of advocates across medical and healthcare practitioners.”
On sourcing and regulatory status, the release states that Ubiquinol is bioidentical and produced through a Japanese natural fermentation process using a globally patented yeast fermentation route, and lists GRAS, NDI, HALAL, KOSHER, GMP, HACCP, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, Non-GMO, Non-Animal Origin, and OSHMS among its certifications [1]. The yeast route and the stated Non-Animal Origin status are the details that matter for vegetarian and vegan positioning.
Tsuyoshi Takakuwa, Head of Marketing and Sales (APAC), Supplemental Nutrition Business Division at Kaneka Corporation, said: “To receive our seventh international accolade and third consecutive recognition from NutraIngredients-Asia is an extraordinary honour.”
Kazuki Takita, Assistant Manager, Marketing and Sales (APAC), Kaneka Ubiquinol, set out the company’s positioning:
“Our vision extends across the lifespan, supporting healthspan from preconception to general health and wellbeing with ageing. As an innovation partner to brands worldwide, we are committed to combining 50+ years of Ubiquinol research with scientific education, ingredient expertise and collaboration to help advance health solutions globally.”
Kaneka said in its statement that the award shines a spotlight on Ubiquinol’s role in mitochondrial health and on mitoceutical innovation within the global healthspan movement [1]. The cited review reports cardiovascular health (21 percent), fertility (12 percent), and skeletal muscle health (7 percent) as the most prominent CoQ10 topics in the literature surveyed [4], close to the healthy aging and cellular energy positioning brands are building.
The firm added that the recognition affirms its leadership in evidence-based mitochondrial health, supporting healthspan from preconception to healthy aging [1].
Sources
- Kaneka Ubiquinol, NutraIngredients Asia Ingredient of the Year: Healthspan Award 2026, PR Newswire, September 3, 2026, 19:00 ET. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kaneka-ubiquinol-wins-nutraingredients-asia-ingredient-of-the-year-healthspan-award-2026-302868864.html (accessed 2026-09-10).
- The Lancet Public Health, August 2026. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(26)00098-8/fulltext (accessed 2026-09-10).
- San-Millán I. The Key Role of Mitochondrial Function in Health and Disease, Antioxidants (Basel) 2023;12(4):782. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10135185/ (accessed 2026-09-10).
- Cirilli I, et al. Role of Coenzyme Q10 in Health and Disease: An Update on the Last 10 Years (2010-2020), Antioxidants 2021;10:1325. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8389239/ (accessed 2026-09-10).
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is provided for dietary supplement industry professionals and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
