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Limited evidenceLongevity & antioxidants

PQQ

Pyrroloquinoline quinone is marketed on impressive mitochondrial biology that has not translated into convincing human outcomes. The handful of small, mostly manufacturer-funded cognitive trials are suggestive at best, and the exercise trial was negative.

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What the science says

  • Cognitive function Limited evidence

    A randomized trial of PQQ disodium salt (roughly 20 mg/day for 12 weeks) reported improvements in selected composite scores of brain function in younger and older adults, and a separate placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers found gains limited to a few subtests. Sample sizes are small, outcomes are numerous relative to participants, and the trials are funded by the ingredient manufacturer.

  • Mitochondrial biogenesis and exercise performance Limited evidence

    Three weeks of 20 mg/day PQQ in untrained men produced no improvement in VO2 max or aerobic exercise performance and no meaningful change in circulating indices of mitochondrial biogenesis versus placebo. The mitochondrial story rests on cell and rodent data, not human function.

  • Sleep and fatigue Limited evidence

    Small uncontrolled or single-arm Japanese studies report better sleep-quality and fatigue questionnaire scores after 20 mg/day for 8 weeks. Without adequate blinding and control these are hypothesis-generating only.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseHuman trials almost all use 10-20 mg/day of PQQ disodium salt taken with food, for 8-12 weeks. There is no evidence that higher doses do more, and mitochondrial trials showing nothing used the same 20 mg.
SafetyNo serious adverse events have been reported at 20 mg/day over 12 weeks, with occasional headache, GI upset and sleep changes (both drowsiness and difficulty sleeping) at similar rates to placebo. Long-term human safety data beyond a few months do not exist, and the highest doses tested in humans remain modest. Rodent work at very high doses has shown kidney effects, so do not megadose. Not studied in pregnancy, breastfeeding or children.

How to take it

TimingTiming does not matter.
With food?With food, as in essentially all the human trials.
Worth knowing20 mg/day is the ceiling that has been tested in humans, and rodent work shows kidney effects at very high doses — there is no reason to megadose.

Frequently asked questions

Does PQQ boost mitochondria or energy?

Not in humans so far: 20 mg/day of PQQ for three weeks produced no improvement in VO2 max, aerobic performance or markers of mitochondrial biogenesis versus placebo. The mitochondrial claims for PQQ rest on cell and rodent studies, so the evidence is limited.

Does PQQ improve memory or brain function?

The evidence is limited: small, manufacturer-funded trials of about 20 mg/day of PQQ for 12 weeks reported gains in only selected scores or subtests. These results are suggestive at best.

How much PQQ should I take?

Human trials used 10-20 mg/day of PQQ disodium salt with food, and there is no evidence higher doses do more. Do not megadose: 20 mg/day is the highest tested, and rodent studies at very high doses showed kidney effects.

Is PQQ safe to take long term?

No serious adverse events have been reported with PQQ at 20 mg/day over 12 weeks, but long-term human safety data beyond a few months do not exist. PQQ has not been studied in pregnancy, breastfeeding or children.

Scientific references

Where to buy

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