Pyrroloquinoline quinone — or PQQ — has recently gained a lot of attention in the health and wellness sphere.
PQQ supplements are claimed to increase energy levels, mental focus, and longevity, but you may wonder whether there’s any merit to these claims.
What you need to know about PQQ supplements, including the science behind their purported advantages, is laid out in this article.
So, tell me, what exactly is PQQ?
Spinach, kiwi, soybeans, and human breastmilk are just a few of the many food sources of PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone), also known as methoxatin.
However, PQQ is best known for its powerful antioxidant effects, and its precise role in humans is still being debated. Multiple cellular functions are attributed to it, including the prevention of injury to nerve cells.
While the precise mechanisms are still being investigated, PQQ has been shown to promote healthy mitochondrial function and the formation of new mitochondria in cells.
Inside each of your cells are tiny power plants called mitochondria.
PQQ supplements are what exactly?
PQQ is a nootropic when consumed in supplement form. An increase in cognitive abilities such as memory, concentration, drive, and original thought can be attained with the help of nootropics.
There is a special bacterial fermentation process involved in the production of PQQ supplements. Bacteria are cultured for their PQQ because the compound is a metabolic byproduct of their cells.
Chewable tablets and lozenges are another form of consumption besides capsules and soft gels for PQQ supplements.
There are many food sources for PQQ, as it is a naturally occurring compound. It has antioxidant properties and promotes normal mitochondria. To improve cognitive abilities, it is used as a supplement.
Potential gains from taking PQQ supplements
Even though PQQ is crucial to human health, there is little proof that taking a supplemental form has any positive effects on wellbeing.
However, preliminary studies suggest that PQQ may aid in reducing inflammation and enhancing mitochondrial function.
Potentially reduces inflammation.
Preliminary studies show that PQQ can reduce inflammation. As a result, these qualities may lessen your danger of developing inflammatory diseases.
When compared to a control group, mice given PQQ showed significantly less inflammatory damage to brain tissue in an animal study.
PQQ treatment during pregnancy and lactation in obese mice reduced inflammation in the offspring, as measured by inflammatory markers in liver tissue and gene expression, compared to controls.
Inflammation markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as well as blood sugar and cholesterol levels were measured in a small, 3-day study involving 10 people who took a PQQ supplement daily.
There were notable reductions in CRP and IL-6 levels, but no changes in cholesterol or blood sugar.
Although these findings are encouraging, further research is needed to determine whether or not PPQ is effective in treating or preventing inflammatory conditions. Therefore, more study is obligatory.
A possible means of enhancing mitochondrial performance
The mitochondrial effects of PQQ have been the primary focus of recent studies.
The mitochondria in your cells generate the energy necessary for their proper function and maintenance. Mental decline, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are just some of the common diseases linked to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Many of the purported benefits of PQQ—improved memory, energy, and sleep—may be attributable to the aforementioned boost in mitochondrial health, according to experts.
PQQ has been shown to increase cellular mitochondria production in a number of in vitro and animal studies, but there is essentially no evidence that this effect occurs in humans or that this effect has any therapeutic value.
Though, a small study of only 17 people over 8 weeks found that taking 20 mg of PQQ daily significantly improved self-reported sleep quality and fatigue.
The authors speculated that PQQ’s effect on mitochondrial health might account for these findings, but they admitted that they lacked the data to prove it.