PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)

The verdict

Is PQQ worth taking?

PQQ is one of the more credibly interesting mitochondrial compounds in this chapter, with a mechanism focused on mitochondrial biogenesis (stimulating the creation of new mitochondria) rather than just supporting existing ones. This is mechanistically distinct from CoQ10, which supports existing mitochondrial function. The human clinical evidence is limited but includes a solid 2024 randomized controlled trial showing significant BDNF elevation and cerebral oxygenation improvement in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. BioPQQ is the pharmaceutical-grade form approved in the US, Japan, and EU. Food sources are meaningful and include natto, miso, spinach, and green tea.

What it does

What PQQ does in the body

Mitochondrial biogenesis stimulation through PGC-1alpha activation, neuroprotection, cognitive function support, antioxidant activity across both cellular compartments, and immune modulation. PQQ is a redox-active quinone cofactor that functions in humans as a potent antioxidant and mitochondrial biogenesis stimulator. Its mechanistic distinction from CoQ10 is important: CoQ10 supports existing mitochondrial electron transport chain function, while PQQ stimulates the creation of new mitochondria.

The evidence

What the research actually shows

Emerging. A 2024 randomized controlled trial in 34 older adults with mild cognitive impairment found 6 weeks of PQQ supplementation at 40 mg daily as a combination product also containing magnesium produced significant BDNF elevation (P=0.01), significant cerebral oxygenation saturation increase from 48.4% to 52.8% (P=0.005), and improvement in the orientation domain of cognitive assessment. A 2024 review in the Journal of Medical Investigation confirms human studies showing PQQ enhances language-related brain function. The evidence base is growing but remains limited primarily by small trial sizes.

Food first

Getting PQQ from food

Natto (fermented soybeans) is the richest food source of PQQ at approximately 61 nanograms per gram. Miso, green tea, spinach, green peppers, and parsley contain meaningful PQQ in smaller amounts. The food quantities provide nanogram-level PQQ versus the microgram-to-milligram supplemental doses, making food a baseline contributor rather than a route to therapeutic supplemental levels.

What the guide adds

The part that is not on this page

Everything above is the assessment. What the guide adds for PQQ is the protocol:

• Optimal Form
• Bioavailability
• Purity Red Flags
• Stack With / Avoid

147 entries across nine categories, every one graded against the clinical literature the same way.

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About the author

Who graded this

Daniel Edlund is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained private chef in Los Angeles, a certified personal trainer and strength coach, and an internationally licensed massage therapist. Thirty years of strength training and fifteen years cooking in private estate kitchens. He is the author of The Complete Supplement Guide, which grades 147 entries against the clinical literature, and of The EASY Way to Organic Cooking, first published in 2013.

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This page is information, not medical advice. Supplements interact with prescription medication and with each other, and the right answer depends on your own bloodwork and history. Talk to your doctor before starting anything, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition, or already taking medication.

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