For people struggling with fatigue due to chronic conditions, relief may be found in Coenzyme Q10, a fat-soluble antioxidant compound found in the body that is also widely available in supplement form.

That’s according to a recent meta-analysis of 3 studies involving more than 1,100 people with conditions that commonly cause fatigue, such as heart failure, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.

The researchers looked at participants that took between 60 and 500 milligrams of CoQ10 daily for up to 24 weeks. Some took CoQ10 alone, and others combined it with other compounds, such as in a multivitamin.

The findings suggest that participants who took supplements containing CoQ10 alone reported less fatigue than those who didn’t take CoQ10 or combined it with other compounds. The duration of supplementation and the dose mattered, too, with longer lengths of time and higher doses making the most significant difference.

Future studies are needed to investigate the lasting effects of CoQ10 on fatigue reduction after the discontinuation of supplementation.

Coenzyme Q10 is a well-studied substance with a documented safety level of 1,200 mg/day per person.