Nutrient & Supplement Bioavailability: What to Know About These 3 Nutrients

Understanding Nutrient Forms & Bioavailability 1. Vitamin B12 2. Folate 3. Kaneka Ubiquinol® Support Your Wellness Routine by Understanding Nutrient Forms & Bioavailability

A balanced diet is essential for fueling your body with important nutrients and vitamins, but lifestyle choices, medications, age, gender, and other factors can impact your body’s need for certain nutrients. For example, vegetarians and vegans might have decreased levels of B12 given their dietary restrictions, and those taking a statin drug to lower cholesterol might have decreased levels of ubiquinol.

No matter your health goals, understanding the various nutrients your body needs is important, as is understanding differences in their forms (which may impact bioavailability when you take them as supplements). This blog outlines what bioavailability is and discusses three important nutrients and their distinct forms: vitamin B12, folate, and Kaneka Ubiquinol^®.

Understanding Nutrient Forms & Bioavailability

1. Vitamin B12

B12 is crucial for maintaining the health of red blood cells, DNA, and the nervous system, among other vital functions. But did you know that cyanocobalamin — the version of B12 found in many supplements — doesn’t exist in nature? It’s a synthesized compound that you won’t find in any of B12’s natural dietary sources.

Before cyanocobalamin can take part in your body’s cellular activities, it must be converted to its active coenzyme forms, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. So, as one of the B12 compounds that plays a direct role in your metabolic system, choosing methylcobalamin can be a more efficient way to supplement your diet. B12 supplements are especially helpful for vegans and vegetarians because, while plant-based diets have health and environmental benefits, they can also make it harder for people to consume adequate levels of B12.

2. Folate

Folate is a crucial, naturally occurring nutrient for the production of DNA and the reproduction of our cells, as well as many other functions. While many folate supplements use the synthetic form of the nutrient (“folic acid”), many of us have trouble converting folic acid to its biologically active form, L-methylfolate.

An estimated 85% of folic acid in supplement form is bioavailable when taken with food. However, only about 50% of the folate naturally present in food is bioavailable. Luckily, as the version of folate that’s active in our bodies, L-methylfolate is available as a supplement and can help support healthy levels of this important nutrient.

Incorporating foods with folate into your day-to-day is one way to prioritize healthy nutrient levels. However, when diet alone is not enough, a high-quality supplement containing L-methylfolate can provide nutritional support.

3. Kaneka Ubiquinol^®

Even if you’re not currently taking a Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplement, you probably know someone who is. What you might not know, however, is that this nutrient comes in two main forms: ubiquinone and ubiquinol. The fully oxidized form, “ubiquinone,” commonly called “CoQ10,” and the active antioxidant form, “ubiquinol,” are both critical for supporting the body’s cellular energy processes and overall health.

While both are essential for biological functions, ubiquinone must be converted to ubiquinol to be transported in the blood. In addition, only the ubiquinol form is an antioxidant, which acts to protect mitochondria, cell membranes, and cholesterol from being damaged by free radicals. This is important for cellular health and supports the heart and healthy aging.

Our bodies produce CoQ10 and convert it to ubiquinol as needed, but as we age, these processes become less efficient. Kaneka Ubiquinol^® is bioidentical to the natural ubiquinol the body creates, making it a bioavailable form that your body is ready to use for antioxidant benefits. Plus, Kaneka Ubiquinol^® has been shown to be two times better absorbed by the body than a conventional CoQ10 (ubiquinone) supplement,¹ and is therefore more bioavailable.

Understanding the two forms of CoQ10 and how they work is key to understanding your body and health needs. Learn more about their differences at the following blog.

Support Your Wellness Routine by Understanding Nutrient Forms & Bioavailability

It’s never too late to start learning about nutrient forms and bioavailability. Educating yourself on nutrients in their various forms allows you to be informed about your wellness choices. When you’re buying vitamins and supplements in stores or online, be sure you’re being selective, intentional, and informed about your decisions.

Researching and buying vitamins and supplements, though, can be confusing and overwhelming — especially when there’s so much information out there. The three nutrients above are just some examples. Studies about bioavailability are ongoing, but one fact is clear: Research on nutrient bioavailability is essential for improving human health by better understanding how the body absorbs and uses nutrients more effectively. With smart supplementation and the right knowledge on bioavailability, you can better support your wellness goals through all stages of life.

No matter what your health goals are, understanding essential nutrients is an important factor in your wellness journey. Adding a daily Kaneka Ubiquinol^® supplement to your wellness routine supports your body’s nutritional need to maintain a healthy ubiquinol level, whether you’re focused on promoting heart health, healthy aging, mitochondrial health, or supporting overall wellness. Learn more about this powerful antioxidant with our comprehensive Beginner’s Guide that answers all your need-to-know questions. Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement routine.