PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)

What is PQQ?

Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ) is a small quinone compound found in foods like kiwi fruit, green peppers, parsley and fermented soybeans (natto). Unlike many antioxidants that primarily neutralise free radicals, PQQ's standout mechanism is stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis — the process by which cells generate new mitochondria, the organelles responsible for cellular energy production.

Mitochondrial Biogenesis — The Core Mechanism

Mitochondrial decline — both in number and function — is a well-established hallmark of aging, contributing to fatigue, reduced exercise capacity and metabolic slowdown. Research (including a widely cited PubMed study on CREB phosphorylation and PGC-1alpha expression) found PQQ specifically activates the signalling pathway that triggers cells to produce new mitochondria, rather than simply protecting the mitochondria already present. A 2022 study published in npj Aging additionally found PQQ protects mitochondrial function in cells under premature senescence stress.

Antioxidant & Cognitive Research

PQQ is also a potent antioxidant in its own right, and is unusually stable — it can cycle through thousands of redox reactions without breaking down, unlike most antioxidant compounds. Early human studies have explored PQQ's effects on cognitive performance, sleep quality and markers of oxidative stress, generally as an adjunct alongside CoQ10 (the two are frequently combined, since PQQ supports the creation of new mitochondria while CoQ10 supports the energy-production machinery within them).

Dosing Guidelines

• Typical studied range: 10–20mg daily
• Commonly paired with CoQ10 — the two are considered complementary rather than redundant
• Best taken with food; some users report using it in the morning for its energy-related effects
• Generally well tolerated in studies to date