Drug & supplement interaction

Coenzyme Q10 + Lovastatin

Lovastatin brand names: Mevacor, Altocor.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Lovastatin states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Lovastatin and Coenzyme Q10 in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Coenzyme Q10 safety at a glance

Coenzyme Q10 overall Generally safe CoQ10 is generally well tolerated by most adults when used as directed.
Pregnancy Use caution There is not enough reliable safety data, so it is best to avoid unless your doctor advises otherwise.
Breastfeeding Use caution Safety while breastfeeding has not been well studied, so use caution and check with your doctor.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Pharmacist analysis

Although CoQ10 is considered relatively safe for most individuals, it does have some reported interactions that are important to be aware of.

This includes:

  • Antihypertensives: Clinical research has shown that CoQ10 can significantly lower blood pressure but conflicting results have been reported.
  • Warfarin: Research is conflicting but concomitant use of CoQ10 and warfarin might reduce the anticoagulant effects of warfarin.
  • Alkylating Agents: Antioxidants such as CoQ10 might also protect tumor cells from chemotherapeutic agents that work by inducing oxidative stress, such as alkylating agents (e.g., cyclophosphamide) and radiation therapy.

Outside of the interactions I've listed above, CoQ10 is generally considered safe to supplement with in most situations.

In fact, some individuals taking certain medications (e.g., 'Statins') may be recommended to take it.

If you have any questions about CoQ10 supplements, be sure to speak to your healthcare professional. We are always happy to answer questions on the matter as well!

Safe With Lovastatin?

CoQ10 is considered safe to take with Lipitor. In fact, sometimes, it is recommended.

Statin myopathy is a relatively common side effect of statin therapy, which can cause muscle pain and weakness. Additionally, sometimes more serious muscle-related side effects can occur, such as rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Numerous studies have suggested that 'Statin' drugs decrease levels of CoQ10 in the body, which has been linked to being a causative factor for these muscle-related side effects.

There is some evidence to suggest that CoQ10 supplementation may be beneficial in reducing the risk of statin myopathy.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology in 2017 found that CoQ10 supplementation was associated with a significant reduction in muscle pain and weakness in statin-treated patients compared to placebo.

Another meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2015 also found that CoQ10 supplementation reduced the risk of muscle symptoms associated with statin therapy.

Furthermore, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the journal Atherosclerosis in 2015 found that CoQ10 supplementation significantly reduced the incidence of statin-induced myopathy in patients with coronary artery disease who were taking statins.

While these studies suggest that CoQ10 supplementation may be a promising approach to reducing the risk of statin myopathy, further research is needed to confirm these findings as others have found conflicting results.

However, based on the available evidence, it may be reasonable for individuals taking statins to consider CoQ10 supplementation, particularly if they experience muscle pain or weakness as a side effect of statin therapy. CoQ10 supplementation is generally well-tolerated so there typically is no harm in its utilization.

References

  • Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on Statin‐Induced Myopathy: An Updated Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of the American Heart Association
  • Statin-associated muscle symptoms: impact on statin therapy—European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel Statement on Assessment, Aetiology and Management. European Heart Journal
  • The Role of Coenzyme Q10 in Statin-Associated Myopathy: A Systematic Review. Journal of the American College of Cardiology

—

Still wondering about combining Lovastatin and Coenzyme Q10? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Lovastatin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Lovastatin is filed under 8 classifications — including hmg-coa reductase inhibitors ("statins"), organic anion-transporting polypeptide substrates (oatp), cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) inhibitors. Coenzyme Q10 has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being alkylating agents (moderate), warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) and antihypertensive drugs (minor) — and none of Lovastatin’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Coenzyme Q10 Does Interact With Other Medications

Coenzyme Q10 has 26 moderate, 172 minor known drug interactions in our database — Lovastatin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 26 Minor 172 No known interaction 2,632 (incl. Lovastatin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Coenzyme Q10

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Coenzyme Q10. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low mood Worth acting on Additional detail

    Coenzyme Q10

    “Headache and dizziness have been reported in human research. Insomnia has been reported as being possibly associated with coenzyme Q10 treatment. Cognitive decline, depression, and sudden falls were reported rarely in a clinical trial of patients with Huntington disease. Increased lethargy was reported for one patient treated with oral coenzyme Q10.”

    Coenzyme Q10 · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    6 sources cited
    1. 3365. Singh RB, Niaz MA, Rastogi SS, et al. Effect of hydrosoluble coenzyme Q10 on blood pressures and insulin resistance in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease. J Hum Hypertens 1999;13:203-8. PubMed
    2. 11872. Sandor PS, Di Clemente L, Coppola G, et al. Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: A randomized controlled trial. Neurology 2005;64:713-5. PubMed
    3. 43982. Rosenfeldt, F. L., Haas, S. J., Krum, H., Hadj, A., Ng, K., Leong, J. Y., and Watts, G. F. Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of hypertension: a meta-analysis of the clinical trials. J Hum.Hypertens. 2007;21(4):297-306. PubMed
    4. 44330. Singh, R. B., Wander, G. S., Rastogi, A., Shukla, P. K., Mittal, A., Sharma, J. P., Mehrotra, S. K., Kapoor, R., and Chopra, R. K. Randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Cardiovasc. PubMed
    5. 109392. Hansen KS, Mogensen TH, Agergaard J, et al. High-dose coenzyme Q10 therapy versus placebo in patients with post COVID-19 condition: A randomized, phase 2, crossover trial. Lancet Reg Health Eur 2022. PubMed
    6. 89421. Parkinson Study Group QE3 Investigators, Beal MF, Oakes D, et al. A randomized clinical trial of high-dosage coenzyme Q10 in early Parkinson disease: no evidence of benefit. JAMA Neurol. 2014;71(5):543-52.

    “Worsening depression has been reported as being possibly associated with oral coenzyme Q10 treatment.”

    Coenzyme Q10 · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in depression.

    1 source cited
    1. 89421. Parkinson Study Group QE3 Investigators, Beal MF, Oakes D, et al. A randomized clinical trial of high-dosage coenzyme Q10 in early Parkinson disease: no evidence of benefit. JAMA Neurol. 2014;71(5):543-52.

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A low platelet count Worth acting on Additional detail

    Coenzyme Q10

    “Thrombocytopenia was noted in one patient treated with oral coenzyme Q10; however, other factors (viral infection, other medications) may have been responsible for this adverse effect.”

    Coenzyme Q10 · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in thrombocytopenia.

    1 source cited
    1. 44296. Matthews, P. M., Ford, B., Dandurand, R. J., Eidelman, D. H., O'Connor, D., Sherwin, A., Karpati, G., Andermann, F., and Arnold, D. L. Coenzyme Q10 with multiple vitamins is generally ineffective in treatment of mitochondrial disease. Neurology 1993;43(5

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Coenzyme Q10

    “Gastrointestinal side effects of coenzyme Q10 have included nausea, vomiting, epigastric discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, stomach upset, loss of appetite, heartburn, and flatulence, although this occurs in less than 1% of patients. In one clinical study, gastrointestinal bleeding in association with angiodysplasia has been reported to be possibly related to coenzyme Q10 treatment.”

    Coenzyme Q10 · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    6 sources cited
    1. 3365. Singh RB, Niaz MA, Rastogi SS, et al. Effect of hydrosoluble coenzyme Q10 on blood pressures and insulin resistance in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease. J Hum Hypertens 1999;13:203-8. PubMed
    2. 6409. Baggio E, Gandini R, Plauncher AC, et al. Italian multicenter study on the safety and efficacy of coenzyme Q10 as adjunctive therapy in heart failure. CoQ10 Drug Surveillance Investigators. Mol Aspects Med 1994;15 Suppl:S287-94. PubMed
    3. 8907. Burke BE, Neuenschwander R, Olson RD. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in isolated systolic hypertension. South Med J 2001;94:1112-7. PubMed
    4. 10152. Singh RB, Neki NS, Kartikey K, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 on risk of atherosclerosis in patients with recent myocardial infarction. Mol Cell Biochem 2003;246:75-82. DOI
    5. 43982. Rosenfeldt, F. L., Haas, S. J., Krum, H., Hadj, A., Ng, K., Leong, J. Y., and Watts, G. F. Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of hypertension: a meta-analysis of the clinical trials. J Hum.Hypertens. 2007;21(4):297-306. PubMed
    6. 44172. Gane, E. J., Weilert, F., Orr, D. W., Keogh, G. F., Gibson, M., Lockhart, M. M., Frampton, C. M., Taylor, K. M., Smith, R. A., and Murphy, M. P. The mitochondria-targeted anti-oxidant mitoquinone decreases liver damage in a phase II study of hepatitis C

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Tremor or shakiness / Trouble sleeping Additional detail

    Coenzyme Q10

    Recorded for Coenzyme Q10 in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Low mood above.

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bloating or gas / Reduced appetite / Constipation Additional detail

    Coenzyme Q10

    Recorded for Coenzyme Q10 in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Bleeding or bruising above.

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Muscle pain Additional detail

    Coenzyme Q10

    “Increased plasma creatine kinase with high-intensity exercise has been reported in patients taking coenzyme Q10. Muscle pain has been reported rarely in one clinical trial.”

    Coenzyme Q10 · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pain.

    2 sources cited
    1. 44303. Malm, C., Svensson, M., Sjoberg, B., Ekblom, B., and Sjodin, B. Supplementation with ubiquinone-10 causes cellular damage during intense exercise. Acta Physiol Scand. 1996;157(4):511-512. PubMed
    2. 109392. Hansen KS, Mogensen TH, Agergaard J, et al. High-dose coenzyme Q10 therapy versus placebo in patients with post COVID-19 condition: A randomized, phase 2, crossover trial. Lancet Reg Health Eur 2022. PubMed

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Stomach upset Additional detail

    Coenzyme Q10

    “Orally, coenzyme Q10 is generally well tolerated. In clinical studies, no serious adverse effects have been reported.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Gastrointestinal side effects such as appetite suppression, diarrhea, epigastric discomfort, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. These generally occur in less than 1% of patients. Some of these adverse effects can be minimized if daily doses above 100 mg are divided.”

    Coenzyme Q10 · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    Lovastatin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Lovastatin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Showing the 10 most notable of 18 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Coenzyme Q10 but not commonly for Lovastatin: bleeding in the gut, a heart attack, heart failure and a fast or pounding heartbeat.

Effects for Lovastatin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Coenzyme Q10 come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 25,528 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Lovastatin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Worth knowing

No Interaction — But Lovastatin May Lower Your Coenzyme Q10 Levels

These two do not interact. The relationship runs the other way: the licensed record lists Lovastatin as associated with lower Coenzyme Q10 levels — rated “Insufficient Evidence”.

Statins can halt the synthesis of coenzyme Q10, reducing endogenous levels. However, it is not clear whether this contributes to statin adverse effects, or if coenzyme Q10 supplements reduce these adverse effects. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors can reduce serum coenzyme Q10 levels. They block the synthesis of mevalonic acid, which is a precursor of coenzyme Q10, in a dose-dependent manner. Taking atorvastatin 80 mg daily for 30 days reduces coenzyme Q10 serum levels by 52%, but atorvastatin 10 mg daily or pravastatin 20 mg daily do not have this effect in healthy people. In other research, taking simvastatin 20 mg daily for 4 weeks reduces serum coenzyme Q10 levels by about 32%, but muscle levels increase by 47%. Since coenzyme Q10 is transported with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, reduction in LDL cholesterol levels by a statin may increase the amount of free coenzyme Q10 in the blood that is available for uptake into muscles. There is no reliable evidence that statin adverse effects such as myopathy are linked to reduced coenzyme Q10 levels in the blood, or that taking coenzyme Q10 supplements reduces statin side effects.

COENZYME Q10 — Insufficient Evidence

See every medication linked to lower Coenzyme Q10 levels · See the full Lovastatin nutrient report

Disclaimer: This checker finds which nutrients might be depleted by prescription or over-the-counter medications. Each nutrient depletion issue is rated based on clinical significance. Use your own professional judgment prior to making clinical decisions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Lovastatin Products Have a Food Rule — Coenzyme Q10 Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Lovastatin says to take it with food. If you take Coenzyme Q10 on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Lovastatin with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Lovastatin products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Lovastatin tablets USP should be given with meals.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Lovastatin — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

From our Q&A

Questions About Coenzyme Q10 or Lovastatin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Coenzyme Q10 or Lovastatin, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Lovastatin

This page covers Coenzyme Q10 only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lovastatin page lists 184 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Apple (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 8 major · 140 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lovastatin page

“Lovastatin (Mevacor) lowers cholesterol, and the liver clears it through an enzyme called CYP3A4, which is where most of these 184 supplements collide with it. This list deserves careful attention.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lovastatin interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Coenzyme Q10 as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 6,926 real supplement products containing Coenzyme Q10, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Coenzyme Q10. Even though Coenzyme Q10 itself has no known interaction with Lovastatin, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Coenzyme Q10
Top 5%

#38 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Lovastatin
Steady interest

#1,678 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Coenzyme Q10 reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Coenzyme Q10

What is Coenzyme Q10?

  • Heart health
  • Statin-related muscle aches
  • Migraine prevention
  • Energy and fatigue
  • Aging and antioxidant support

CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance your body makes naturally that helps cells produce energy and acts as an antioxidant. It is generally well tolerated and is most studied for heart conditions, statin-related muscle symptoms, and migraine prevention, though the strength of the evidence varies. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially if you take heart or blood pressure medicines.

Not applicable (naturally made in the body; supplements are produced by fermentation or synthesis) · Capsules, softgels, tablets, chewables, liquid, topical creams

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Coenzyme Q10 is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Coenzyme Q10 record says about it on its own.

Coenzyme Q10: dosing

There is no single official or standardized dose of CoQ10, and the amount studied has varied widely depending on the condition. Products also differ in their form (ubiquinone versus ubiquinol) and how well they are absorbed.Because CoQ10 is fat-soluble, it is generally absorbed better when taken with a meal that contains some fat. They can help you choose a reasonable dose and a quality product.

From our Coenzyme Q10 monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Coenzyme Q10 monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lovastatin

What Is Lovastatin Used For?

Brand names: Mevacor, Altocor

Lovastatin is used to lower high LDL ("bad") cholesterol and total cholesterol in people whose levels have not improved enough with diet alone. It is also used to slow the buildup of plaque in the arteries (coronary atherosclerosis) in people who already have coronary heart disease.

In adults without existing heart disease but with high cholesterol and low HDL ("good") cholesterol, lovastatin tablets are approved to reduce the risk of heart attack, unstable angina, and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries. Lovastatin tablets are also approved for adolescents aged 10–17 with a specific inherited condition called heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH), when diet changes alone haven't been enough.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Lovastatin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (25,528 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 1,535 reports
Nausea 1,401 reports
Diarrhea 1,275 reports
Dyspnea 1,226 reports
Dizziness 1,159 reports
See full Lovastatin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Coenzyme Q10

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Coenzyme Q10 — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
26Moderate
172Minor
2,631No known interaction
26 Moderate 172 Minor 2,631 No interaction
Moderate

26 interactions

Minor

172 interactions

Showing 60 of 172 minor interactions — see all 172 on the Coenzyme Q10 page.

No interaction 2,631 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Coenzyme Q10 against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,631 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Coenzyme Q10 list.

See the full Coenzyme Q10 interactions page
See every supplement checked against Lovastatin, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Coenzyme Q10 References

The 40 references that drive our Coenzyme Q10 monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Kamikawa T, Kobayashi A, Yamashita T, et al. Effects of coenzyme Q10 on exercise tolerance in chronic stable angina pectoris. Am J Cardiol 1985;56:247-51. PubMed
  2. Langsjoen P, Willis R, Folkers K. Treatment of essential hypertension with coenzyme Q10. Mol Aspects Med 1994;S265-72. PubMed
  3. Spigset O. Reduced effect of warfarin caused by ubidecarenone. Lancet 1994;334:1372-3. PubMed
  4. Singh RB, Niaz MA, Rastogi SS, et al. Effect of hydrosoluble coenzyme Q10 on blood pressures and insulin resistance in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease. J Hum Hypertens 1999;13:203-8. PubMed
  5. Portakal O, Ozkaya O, Erden Inal M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 concentrations and antioxidant status in tissues of breast cancer patients. Clin Biochem 2000;33:279-84. PubMed
  6. Lund EL, Quistorff B, Spang-Thomsen M, Kristjansen PE. Effect of radiation therapy on small-cell lung cancer is reduced by ubiquinone intake. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 1998;43:505-6. PubMed
  7. Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen PH, Folkers K. Long-term efficacy and safety of coenzyme Q10 therapy for idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Cardiol 1990;65:521-3. PubMed
  8. Heck AM, DeWitt BA, Lukes AL. Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2000;57:1221-7. DOI
  9. Landbo C, Almdal TP. [Interaction between warfarin and coenzyme Q10]. Ugeskr Laeger 1998;160:3226-7.
  10. Baggio E, Gandini R, Plauncher AC, et al. Italian multicenter study on the safety and efficacy of coenzyme Q10 as adjunctive therapy in heart failure. CoQ10 Drug Surveillance Investigators. Mol Aspects Med 1994;15 Suppl:S287-94. PubMed
  11. Burke BE, Neuenschwander R, Olson RD. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in isolated systolic hypertension. South Med J 2001;94:1112-7. PubMed
  12. The Huntington Study Group. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 and remacemide in Huntington's disease. Neurology 2001;57:397-404.
  13. Hodgson JM, Watts GF, Playford DA, et al. Coenzyme Q10 improves blood pressure and glycaemic control: a controlled trial in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002;56:1137-42. PubMed
  14. Singh RB, Neki NS, Kartikey K, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 on risk of atherosclerosis in patients with recent myocardial infarction. Mol Cell Biochem 2003;246:75-82. DOI
  15. Porterfield LM. Why did the response to warfarin change? RN 2000;63:107.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Coenzyme Q10 with Lovastatin?
We do not list a known interaction between Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Lovastatin says to take it with food. If you take Coenzyme Q10 on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Lovastatin with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Lovastatin products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Can Lovastatin lower my Coenzyme Q10 levels?
Natural Medicines records Lovastatin as a medicine that can deplete Coenzyme Q10. That is the opposite direction to an interaction — it is a reason some people are told to take a supplement, not a reason to avoid one. Do not start one on the strength of this page; ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
How was the Coenzyme Q10 and Lovastatin combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Lovastatin is filed under 8 classifications, and Coenzyme Q10 has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Lovastatin's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Coenzyme Q10 interact with any other medications?
Yes. Coenzyme Q10 has 198 documented drug interactions in our database — Lovastatin is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Lovastatin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Lovastatin has documented interactions with 184 supplements in our database — Coenzyme Q10 is not one of them. The Lovastatin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Coenzyme Q10 monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Lovastatin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Lovastatin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Lovastatin, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 40 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Lovastatin and Coenzyme Q10?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.