Japan and its Coenzyme Q10 Market

Japan Dominates the Coenzyme Market

Coenzyme Q10 was first developed and produced in Japan as a medical product for treating heart failure. However, the substance first came into widespread use not in Japan but in the United States and Europe, where it has been used as an ingredient in foods and cosmetics since the 1990s. The Coenzyme Q10 boom has come to Japanese shores late in the game. But when it comes to coenzyme production, Japanese manufacturers have a virtual monopoly. And they have made an array of innovations that have helped popularize Coenzyme Q10.

In October 2004, Coenzyme Q10 was approved for use in cosmetics as well as foods. Shiseido Co., Kao Corporation, and other leading cosmetic makers have responded by introducing a slew of skin-care products featuring the coenzyme. Consumers are eagerly snapping up lotions and other skin-care items claiming to offer anti-aging benefits.