PQQ

PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a potent compound with significant biological functions, primarily focused on supporting mitochondrial growth and development and providing strong antioxidant properties. These functions make PQQ highly beneficial for brain health, cardiovascular health, and metabolic function. Since the human body cannot synthesize PQQ, it must be supplemented through dietary intake.

PQQ enhances immune and nervous system functions. It participates in intracellular redox processes, promotes energy metabolism, reduces oxidative damage, and stimulates the proliferation and connectivity of neurons, aiding in memory improvement and neural function recovery. Additionally, PQQ can alleviate stress, shorten recovery times, and stimulate the release of growth factors. It also promotes angiogenesis and exhibits anti-aging effects. Research indicates that PQQ supports mitochondrial health, thereby slowing the aging process.

Since its discovery in 1979, PQQ has garnered substantial attention in nutrition and pharmacology. From 2012 onwards, it has received certifications from Health Canada (HC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) GRAS status, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Key Academic Findings on PQQ in 2023

1. PQQ Delays Cellular Aging and Extends Lifespan

   • A 2020 study published in Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol demonstrated PQQ’s ability to support mitochondrial growth, stimulate rapid cell growth, delay cellular aging, and extend lifespan. Researchers found that PQQ could activate longevity proteins like Sirtuins, protecting cells and slowing the aging process.

2. PQQ Enhances Immune Cell Activation and Immunity

   • PQQ stimulates the activation and proliferation of immune cells, including macrophages, natural killer cells, T cells, and B cells, enhancing immune responses. Studies published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Cell Metabolism, and Frontiers in Immunology confirm PQQ’s role in boosting immunity through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms.

3. PQQ Prevents Ovarian Aging and Maintains Fertility

   • A 2022 study in Front Endocrinol showed that PQQ supplementation could prevent ovarian dysfunction induced by alkylating agents in mice, restoring estrous cycles, increasing ovarian size, and enhancing fertility rates.

4. PQQ Improves Cognitive Function

   • A 2023 study in Food & Function revealed that PQQ improves cognitive function in both younger and older adults, enhancing memory, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and executive functions through a 12-week randomized controlled trial.

5. PQQ as a Mitochondrial Activator

   • Research published in Cell Death Dis in 2023 demonstrated that PQQ could restore mitochondrial health in obese individuals, alleviating mitochondrial autophagy impairment and enhancing metabolic function.

6. PQQ Improves Metabolic Function

   • A 2023 review in Front Mol Biosci summarized multiple studies indicating that PQQ reduces fat accumulation and ameliorates obesity by inhibiting fatty acid synthesis and improving mitochondrial function.

7. PQQ Prevents Age-Related Osteoporosis

   • A 2023 study in Aging Cell found that PQQ supplementation can prevent age-related osteoporosis in mice by enhancing antioxidant responses and promoting bone formation.

8. PQQ Protects Retinal Ganglion Cells

   • A 2023 study in Acta Neuropathol Commun confirmed that PQQ provides neuroprotection to retinal ganglion cells, suggesting its potential as a novel neuroprotective agent for eye health.

9. PQQ Regulates Thyroid Function and Gut Microbiota

   • A 2023 study in Pol J Microbiol demonstrated that PQQ supplementation could regulate thyroid function and gut microbiota composition, improving thyroid health and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

10. PQQ Improves Pulmonary Hypertension

    • A 2022 study in Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics showed that PQQ can alleviate pulmonary hypertension by regulating mitochondrial and metabolic functions.

Conclusion

As a novel dietary supplement, PQQ's benefits in nutrition and health are widely recognized. Its powerful functions, high safety, and stability make it highly promising in the functional food industry. With increasing consumer awareness, PQQ is poised to make significant inroads in the domestic market, providing a new frontier for dietary supplements. Recognized as a "star" nutrient, PQQ has been approved as a new food ingredient through synthetic and fermentation methods in 2022 and 2023 in China.

References

1. Tamakoshi M, Suzuki T, Nishihara E, et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt improves brain function in both younger and older adults. Food & Function, 2023.
2. Sagar S, Faizan MI, Chaudhary N, et al. Obesity impairs cardiolipin-dependent mitophagy and therapeutic intercellular mitochondrial transfer ability of mesenchymal stem cells. Cell Death Dis, 2023.
3. Ishak NSM, Ikemoto K. Pyrroloquinoline-quinone to reduce fat accumulation and ameliorate obesity progression. Front Mol Biosci, 2023.
4. Li J, Zhang J, Xue Q, et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone alleviates natural aging-related osteoporosis via a novel MCM3-Keap1-Nrf2 axis-mediated stress response and Fbn1 upregulation. Aging Cell, 2023.
5. Canovai A, Tribble JR, Jöe M, et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone drives ATP synthesis in vitro and in vivo and provides retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection. Acta Neuropathol Commun, 2023.
6. Liu X, Jiang W, Lu G, et al. The Potential Role of Pyrroloquinoline Quinone to Regulate Thyroid Function and Gut Microbiota Composition of Graves' Disease in Mice. Pol J Microbiol, 2023.
7. Gao Y, Kamogashira T, Fujimoto C, et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone delays inflammaging induced by TNF-α through the p16/p21 and Jagged1 signalling pathways. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol, 2020.
8. Dai X, et al. PQQ Dietary Supplementation Prevents Alkylating Agent-Induced Ovarian Dysfunction in Mice. Front Endocrinol, 2022.
9. Shafiq M, et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) improves pulmonary hypertension by regulating mitochondrial and metabolic functions. Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2022.