Mitochondria are the batteries that supply power to your body. As you age, the number of performance of mitochondria you have in your cells decreases, reducing your health and longevity. PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is one compound, often found in mitochondrial support supplements, that enhances the formation of new mitochondria and increases cellular energy production.
This article will take a deep dive into the beneficial properties of PQQ, before recommending the best PQQ supplements and dosages you should take for optimal health.
CONTENTS [HIDE]
- What is PQQ?
- Importance of PQQ in Humans
- Sources of PQQ
- Absorption of PQQ
- The PQQ That I Use
- 1) PQQ Decreases Inflammation and Free Radicals
- 2) PQQ Creates New Mitochondria: The Role of PGC-1a
- 3) PQQ Improves Memory and Reasoning: The Role of CREB
- 4) PQQ Improves Brain Function By Increasing Nerve Growth Factor and Schwann Cells
- 5) PQQ is Neuroprotective Against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Cognitive Injuries
- 6) PQQ Protects Your Heart Against Stroke
- 7) PQQ Improves Sleep, Mood, and Fatigue
- 8) PQQ Decreases Insulin Resistance
- 9) PQQ Treats Obesity
- 10) PQQ May Treat Cancer
- 11) PQQ Improves Immune Health
- Other
- PQQ Mechanisms of action
- Safety
- My Experience With PQQ
- Dosing of PQQ
- Buy PQQ
- PQQ Goes Well With
- Side Effects of PQQ
What is PQQ?
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) was first discovered as a cofactor for enzyme reactions in bacteria where it serves a similar function to that of B-vitamins for humans (R).
A “Cofactor” just means that it helps enzymes accomplish their jobs. There is a class of these cofactor molecules that transfer electrons, which is important for our mitochondria to produce energy.
The main cofactors that transfer electrons that you might be aware of are glutathione (NAC increases), CoQ10, FAD, Vitamin C and NAD. These have different functions in the body, so the effects won’t all be the same, of course.
Importance of PQQ in Humans
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) was first isolated in 1979 when it was discovered to be as a cofactor for enzymatic reactions in bacteria (R).
Subsequent research on pigs indicated a similar role in mammals. However, today’s scientific consensus is that, unlike plants and bacteria, PQQ is probably not an enzymatic cofactor in humans (R, R2, R3).
Found in high levels in breast milk, PQQ is presumed to be a non-vitamin growth factor. Hence why there is reduced growth in rats deprived of PQQ.
PQQ is found in mammalian tissues. In humans, tissue concentration of PQQ is thought to be around 0.8-5.8ng/g (R).
The science is not clear how humans synthesize PQQ. In Bacteria, PQQ is synthesized from the amino acids L-tyrosine and glutamate (R, R2).
Sources of PQQ
PQQ naturally occurs in almost all foods, ranging from 0.19-61ng/g (R, R2), but is especially concentrated in the following foods:
- Fermented Soybeans products (e.g. NattÅ) (R)
- Green Soybeans (R)
- Spinach (R)
- Field Mustard (5.54 +/-1.50ng/g fresh weight) (R)
- Tofu (R)
- Green Tea (R)
- Green peppers (R)
- Parsley (R)
- Kiwi fruits (R)
The PQQ content of even the most PQQ-rich foods is much lower than the amount you can get from a supplement (5-20mg). I recommend a high-quality PQQ supplement to get a therapeutic dose.
Absorption of PQQ
In rats, 62% of PQQ is absorbed in the gut when taken with a meal (R).
In rodents, PQQ is mostly (86%) eliminated 24 hours after ingestion. However, some PQQ residues remain in the skin and kidneys (R).
PQQ is almost entirely metabolized before being eliminated (R).
The PQQ That I Use
PQQ Snapshot
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Cons
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1) PQQ Decreases Inflammation and Free Radicals
Healthy humans who took 20mg of PQQ (for a 150-pound male) resulted in significant decreases in the levels of C-reactive protein (by 45% after 3 weeks) and IL-6. A lower dosage didn’t decrease inflammation (R).
Various urinary markers of oxidative stress also improved, which is consistent with enhanced mitochondria-related functions.
2) PQQ Creates New Mitochondria: The Role of PGC-1a
Compounds reported to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis are linked to many health benefits such increased longevity, improved energy utilization, and protection from free radicals.
Mice and rats fed diets lacking in pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) have reduced mitochondrial content. The creation of new mitochondria by PQQ occurs through the activation of CREB and PGC-1alpha, pathways known to increase mitochondrial biogenesis (R).
As a result of activation of the PGC-1alpha pathway, PQQ increased NRiF-1 and NRF-2, proteins (transcription factors) that protect us more free radicals by increasing our internal antioxidant production and can protect us from toxins, UV, etc.
PGC-1a is a “master regulator” that directly stimulates genes that promote mitochondrial and cellular respiration, growth, and proliferation (R).
By increasing cellular metabolism it favorably affects blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride breakdown, and the onset of obesity .
3) PQQ Improves Memory and Reasoning: The Role of CREB
PQQ triggers the DNA reading protein CREB, which plays a key role in growth and gene expression. CREB also stimulates the growth of new mitochondria and increases BDNF (R1, R2).
It’s no wonder then that it has been shown to reverse cognitive impairment caused by chronic oxidative stress in animal models and improve performance on memory tests (R1, R2).
4) PQQ Improves Brain Function By Increasing Nerve Growth Factor and Schwann Cells
PQQ supplementation stimulates the production and release of nerve growth factors in cells that support neurons in the brain, a possible mechanism for the improvement of memory function it appears to produce in aging humans and rats (R).
5) PQQ is Neuroprotective Against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Cognitive Injuries
PQQ is a neuroprotective compound that has been shown in a small number of preliminary studies to protect memory and cognition in aging animals and humans (R).
PQQ increases a protein (DJ-1) that is important to brain health and function. This protein which increases cell function and survival by combating intensive oxidative stress and is likely important to brain health and function (R).
DJ-1 mutations have been conclusively linked to the onset of rare inherited forms of Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.
PQQ suppresses Reactive Nitrogen Species (iNOS causes this), which spikes in strokes and brain injuries. In this manner, it provides protection against neuro-related injuries (R).
In animal models, administration of PQQ immediately prior to induction of stroke significantly reduces the size of the damaged brain area (R).
PQQ also protects neurons by preventing the long-term overactivation of the NMDA receptors, which results in excitotoxicity. Long-term, overstimulation of neurons is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases and seizures (R1, R2).
PQQ also protects the brain against neurotoxicity induced by other powerful toxins, including mercury (R), and oxidopamine (R), toxins that are suspected to cause Alzheimer’s (R) and Parkinson’s (R) respectively.
PQQ also prevents aggregation of alpha-synuclein and amyloid-beta, proteins associated with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, respectively (R1, R2). It also protects nerve cells from the toxic effects of the proteins that are already there.
6) PQQ Protects Your Heart Against Stroke
PQQ administration reduces the size of damaged areas in animal models of acute heart attack.
This occurs irrespective of whether the chemical is given before or after the ischemic event itself, suggesting that administration within the first hours of medical response may offer benefits to heart attack victims (R).
It could be useful to keep this on hand in case loved ones have an incident.
Researchers compared PQQ with the standard post-heart attack clinical treatment (metoprolol, a beta blocker). Both treatments reduced the size of the damaged areas and protected against heart muscle dysfunction. Only PQQ favorably reduced cellular damage (lipid peroxidation) and the effects were more significant. These results led the researchers to conclude that “PQQ is superior to metoprolol in protecting mitochondria from ischemia/reperfusion oxidative damage.” (R).
Subsequent research has also demonstrated that PQQ helps heart muscle cells resist acute oxidative stress by preserving and enhancing mitochondrial function (R1, R2).
7) PQQ Improves Sleep, Mood, and Fatigue
PQQ improves sleep quality and lessens the time it takes to fall asleep.
One open-label human study conducted with 20mg PQQ for 8 weeks in 17 persons with fatigue or sleep-impairing disorder noted that PQQ was able to significantly improve sleep quality, with improvements in sleep duration and quality appearing at the first testing period after 4 weeks. It also led to a decrease in the time it took to fall asleep but required 8 weeks to reach significance.
This study also noted improved appetite, obsession, and pain ratings that may have been secondary to improved sleep; contentedness with life trended toward significance over 8 weeks but did not reach (R).
While this study was done in people with sleep problems, I’ve had similar benefits without sleep issues and others have reported similar subjective experiences.
8) PQQ Decreases Insulin Resistance
PQQ alleviates fat-induced insulin resistance by increasing mitochondrial biogenesis in muscle cells, similar to exercise (R).
PQQ also has some pro-oxidant potential by increasing hydrogen peroxide (R), but by doing this, it can inhibit an enzyme called PTP1B, which increase insulin sensitivity (R).
Mice lacking the capability of making this protein showed resistance to obesity and were more insulin sensitive.
People with breast cancer have an increased level of this protein (R).
Inhibiting PTP1B also increases the activity of epidermal growth factor.
9) PQQ Treats Obesity
In rats, a deficiency in PQQ can reduce metabolic rate by 10% (R).
Although not studied yet, this could mean that extra PQQ supplementation could increase overall metabolism.
10) PQQ May Treat Cancer
In one study, PQQ was toxic to certain leukemia cells (R).
PQQ might reduce the formation of melanoma cancers by reducing melanin-producing protein expression (by inhibiting tyrosinase expression and reducing gene activity) (R).
11) PQQ Improves Immune Health
Depriving mice of dietary PPQ causes abnormal immune function e.g. dysfunctional immune response to stressors (R, R2).
The addition of PQQ to the diet of mice increased levels of CD8+ cells and lymphocytes (important immune regulators) (R).
Other
PQQ Mechanisms of action
PQQ can bind to proteins in the human body called quinoproteins, and cause biological effects by modifying their activity (R).
PQQ is a remarkably effective antioxidant – around 100 times more effective than Vitamin C at quenching free radicals (R, R2).
Enzyme Inhibition
Inhibition of TrxR1 activity increases Nrf2 activity, ultimately leading to an increase in antioxidant production (R, R2)
Genetic Expression
PQQ depletion affects the way many genes are expressed (2.38% of genes studied) (R).
One key gene affected by PQQ is PGC-1a. By activating PGC-1a, PQQ causes mitochondrial biogenesis (growth of new mitochondria) as well as a host of other beneficial effects (R).
Safety
In a human study, 20mg PQQ caused no toxicity or adverse symptoms when taken over a 12 week period (R).
Similarly, another study found that a week’s consumption of up to 0.3mg/kg PQQ (20mg for a 70kg male) is perfectly safe (R).
My Experience With PQQ
I first took PQQ when only one company was selling it – life extension, which I believe was 4 years ago. However, I’ve mostly been taking PQQ for the past 2 years on and off, to make way for other experiments. When I was having my high-fat diet meltdown, PQQ and ALCAR were the only things that had a significant impact.
- Increased metabolic rate,
- Increased cognitive energy,
- Better memory,
- Better mood,
- Increased metacognition,
- Works through hormesis – worsened performance from 45min-90min after ingestion, but then increased performance,
Dosing of PQQ
- A suitable dose for enhancing mitochondria is 0.075-0.3mg/kg daily (R).
- 20mg PQQ. Only 20mg is capable of decreasing inflammation for an average weight male (R).
- I recommend to take it every other day or daily if you are trying to correct a problem.
Buy PQQ
Favorite PQQ products:
PQQ Goes Well With
- 200mg Ubiquinol
Side Effects of PQQ
- A possible headache if too much is taken
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