The Case for Basic: Why Sometimes Old-School Supplements Work Better Than the Fancy Versions

This article is for the purpose of sharing information, and is based on our research and experiences. It is not medical advice. Everyone’s body is different. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting or changing supplements. And remember: no supplement, medication, or protocol ever takes the place of removing yourself from ongoing exposure. Getting clear always comes first.

Anyone who’s been on the mold and detox journey for a while knows about the dreaded wall of pills. Shelves of bottles, all lined up like soldiers, some half-used, some never opened again. It’s a rite of passage. You start with hope in a capsule, only to find yourself staring at twenty different “mitochondrial support blends” and wondering which one actually does anything.

Here’s the problem: when a concoction with fifteen different ingredients gets thrown down the hatch, there’s no way to know which one is helping and which one is wrecking the day. And for anyone living with chemical sensitivity, good luck teasing out which filler, excipient, or “bonus herb” just tanked the system. That’s why the wall of pills exists — because most eventually figure out that the best way forward is single-compound testing. One supplement at a time. Clean labels. Nothing to hide behind.

CoQ10 is the perfect example. Two forms dominate the shelves: the plain version, ubiquinone, and the supposedly “superior” ubiquinol. The marketing says ubiquinol is better absorbed, more bioavailable, the “active” form. And yet, in practice, plain CoQ10 often delivers steadier energy, less pain, and better function. Why? Because the body already knows how to use it. It doesn’t have to fuss with keeping it in the reduced state, it just slots it into the mitochondrial conveyor belt and cranks out ATP.

This is the bigger lesson: CoQ10 vs. ubiquinol is a microcosm of the whole supplement game. Fancy packaging and “synergy blends” are seductive, but sometimes they just give the body more variables to trip over. Plain, single compounds are often easier to tolerate, easier to interpret, and easier to adjust. When the effect of one supplement can be clearly felt, it becomes possible to stack the ones that actually matter. That’s how the wall of pills turns into a tool instead of a graveyard.

The truth is, there’s no universal formula. Detox and recovery aren’t one-size-fits-all. What works for one person can flatten another. Which is why the most important rule is the simplest: listen to the body. If a single supplement brings stability, clarity, or energy — that’s data. If a complex blend creates confusion or setbacks, that’s data too.

Think of it like horse training. A rider can march into the arena with an ambitious plan for what “should” happen that day. But if the horse is distracted, stiff, or struggling, pushing harder only backfires. The smarter move is to step back, pay attention to what’s actually happening, and adjust. Ignoring the signals puts everyone at risk. Honoring them builds progress. The body is no different. Forcing it to swallow someone else’s perfect blend rarely works. Respecting its signals, one step and one supplement at a time, is where real healing starts.

So yes, CoQ10 vs. ubiquinol is a mitochondria story. But it’s also a lesson in humility: simple isn’t lesser. Sometimes it’s exactly what the body recognizes, exactly what it can use, and exactly what carries the day.

As always, please find a health practitioner who is knowledgeable in recovery from mold and environmental illness and - most importantly - listens to you.

Further Reading

• Mitochondria & CoQ10

  
  
  
  

  • Littarru GP, Tiano L. “Clinical aspects of coenzyme Q10: an update.” Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2005. (Classic review of how CoQ10 supports mitochondrial energy production.)

    
    
    
    

  • Crane FL. “Biochemical functions of coenzyme Q10.” J Am Coll Nutr. 2001. (Deep dive into ubiquinone vs. ubiquinol roles in the body.)

    
    
    
    

• Supplements & Simplicity

  
  
  
  

  • Nathan, Neil. Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, and Chronic Environmental Illness. Victory Belt, 2018.

    
    
    
    

  • Crista, Jill. Break the Mold. 2018. (Both explain why less is often more when rebuilding after environmental illness.)

    
    
    
    

• Genetics & Methylation

  
  
  
  

  • James SJ et al. “Metabolic biomarkers of increased oxidative stress and impaired methylation capacity.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2004.

    
    
    
    

  • Yasko, Amy. Autism: Pathways to Recovery. (Though autism-focused, explains MTHFR and detox bottlenecks in accessible terms.)

    
    
    
    

• Mold & Environmental Illness

  
  
  
  

  • Shoemaker, Ritchie. Surviving Mold. 2010.

    
    
    
    

  • Paradigm Change — paradigmchange.me (Community-driven research on mold illness and recovery.)