Qunol Liquid CoQ10 Supplements Falsely Advertised as Providing ‘Superior Absorption,’ Class Action Lawsuit Alleges

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that Qunol Liquid CoQ10 supplements are misleadingly and deceptively marketed as providing superior absorption compared to ordinary Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) products.

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The 54-page lawsuit contends that although Quten Research Institute and its parent company, Sanofi-Aventis U.S., have “boldly” and deceptively advertised that their Qunol Liquid CoQ10 supplement has “superior absorption” compared to other CoQ10 supplements and is able to “dissolve[] in both fat and water” due to a proprietary formulation, testing has allegedly shown these claims to be false.

According to the false advertising lawsuit, research has shown that taking Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an antioxidant naturally produced in the body, may help support cardiovascular and metabolic health, ease muscle pain and migraines and more. The case articulates that mounting evidence of long-term health benefits, as well as the increasing number of consumers taking statins, which lower cholesterol but reduce the body’s natural production of CoQ10, has led to the coenzyme becoming one of the most widely consumed dietary supplements in the United States.

However, the complaint states that the fat-soluble molecule is “challenging” for the body to absorb when taken orally. While CoQ10’s bioavailability can be improved with different formulations, such as those that reduce particle size or disperse the coenzyme through carrier oils or emulsions, these technologies only work as intended if the molecule remains physically stable in a dispersed or solubilized form, as opposed to a crystalline form, the case conveys.

Even though the defendants claim to have a patented formulation for the Qunol Liquid CoQ10 supplement, the filing says that testing has confirmed “visible crystallization and agglomeration” of the CoQ10, indicating that the formulation is not properly stabilized and therefore has reduced bioavailability when ingested orally.

The complaint alleges that the Liquid CoQ10 product is “no better than any regular, unsolubilized CoQ10 product,” rendering the defendants’ claims of superior absorption false, misleading or deceptive.

Importantly, the case conveys that on March 13, 2013, a 10-year injunction was entered against Quten that prohibited the company from advertising that its Qunol products could provide six times the absorption of competing products or “regular CoQ10.”

The filing says that despite the previous injunction, the defendants “simply repackaged their false claims and have proceeded to sell the same deception.”

Moreover, Quten was “hauled back into court” on May 24, 2024, when a plaintiff alleged that the company misrepresented the dosage amounts in certain CoQ10 and other supplements, the suit says.

“Time and again, [the] [d]efendants have demonstrated that they simply cannot abstain from making untrue, misleading, and deceptive statements to consumers,” the filing emphasizes.

The Qunol Liquid CoQ10 class action lawsuit looks to cover all individuals who purchased the defendants’ Qunol Liquid CoQ10 in the United States for their own personal or household use rather than for resale or distribution.

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