Disclosure: We earn commissions on purchases made through our links. This never influences our scores. Editorial policy
PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)
PQQ is one of the more honestly-framed mitochondrial supplements: the cellular mechanism is interesting, the human evidence is thin, and almost every positive trial was funded by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, which holds the BioPQQ patent.
- Evidence
- Weak Evidence
- Category
- Energy & Performance
- Best form
- BioPQQ (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical's branded PQQ disodium salt, the form used in nearly all positive human RCTs and the form Mitsubishi funded for FDA GRAS notification)
- Effective dose
- 20mg per day in nearly every positive human trial. No trial has shown clear additional benefit above 20mg, and most marketed products at 40mg are extrapolating from a 20mg evidence base.
- Lab tested
- 3 of 8 products
- Category
- Energy & Performance
- Best form
- BioPQQ (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical's branded PQQ disodium salt, the form used in nearly all positive human RCTs and the form Mitsubishi funded for FDA GRAS notification)
- Effective dose
- 20mg per day in nearly every positive human trial. No trial has shown clear additional benefit above 20mg, and most marketed products at 40mg are extrapolating from a 20mg evidence base.
- Lab tested
- 3 of 8 products
Key takeaways
- →Mechanism is real (mitochondrial biogenesis via CREB/PGC-1alpha) but the human evidence is small and almost all funded by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, which holds the BioPQQ patent.
- →20mg/day is the dose used in essentially every positive trial. Products selling 40mg are extrapolating beyond the evidence base.
- →The strongest signal is modest cognitive support in older adults; the exercise performance thesis failed in the one well-controlled RCT.
- →Often stacked with CoQ10. Treat PQQ as the speculative add-on, not the workhorse - CoQ10's evidence base is much stronger.
- →Generally well-tolerated with FDA GRAS notification for BioPQQ at up to 20mg/day; no serious safety signals across the trial base.
What Is PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)?
PQQ is one of the more honestly-framed mitochondrial supplements: the cellular mechanism is interesting, the human evidence is thin, and almost every positive trial was funded by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, which holds the BioPQQ patent. The mechanistic story comes from Chowanadisai 2010, a UC Davis cell paper showing PQQ activates CREB phosphorylation and PGC-1alpha, two upstream regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis. That paper became the marketing template for "grows new mitochondria" claims you still see on every PQQ label.
The human evidence is much smaller than the mechanism implies. Harris 2013 was an open-label crossover in 10 healthy adults at 0.2-0.3 mg/kg PQQ (roughly 14-20mg for an average adult) showing reductions in plasma CRP, IL-6, and urinary methylated amines. No placebo arm, 76 hours of dosing, n=10. It is a hypothesis-generating pilot, not a confirmation of clinical benefit. Nakano 2012 dosed 17 healthy Japanese adults with 20mg PQQ daily for 8 weeks and reported improvements in fatigue, sleep quality, and mood. Open-label, small, BioPQQ-funded, published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease (not PubMed-indexed at the time).
The strongest published trial is Itoh 2016 in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 41 elderly adults at 20mg BioPQQ daily for 12 weeks. The PQQ group showed smaller Stroop interference increases than placebo (interpreted as preserved attention/working memory) and the authors reported increased prefrontal blood flow on NIRS. Effect sizes are modest, the trial is small, and Mitsubishi was the funder.
The 2023 Tamakoshi RSC Food & Function paper followed essentially the same design in a larger sample (n=66, 20mg BioPQQ x 12 weeks) and reported significant improvements in composite memory and verbal memory, with cognitive-flexibility gains showing up earlier in younger adults. This is the most rigorous published PQQ cognitive trial to date, but the funder pattern is identical.
For exercise, Hwang 2020 randomized 23 untrained men to 20mg PQQ or placebo across 6 weeks of supervised endurance training. The PQQ group showed greater post-training PGC-1alpha protein increases (the predicted mechanism) but no difference in actual VO2peak or exercise performance versus placebo. So PQQ may move the biomarker without moving the outcome people actually buy it for.
Honest bottom line: 20mg/day of BioPQQ has a coherent mechanistic story and a small, mostly Mitsubishi-funded RCT base suggesting modest cognitive and antioxidant effects in older adults. There is no independent large trial replicating these results, and the exercise performance thesis did not hold up in the one well-controlled trial that tried. If you stack PQQ with CoQ10 (a common pairing the BioPQQ trials and marketing have promoted since 2011), treat PQQ as the speculative add-on, not the workhorse — the CoQ10 evidence base is much stronger.
Does It Work? The Evidence
How A-F grades workCognitive function in older adults (attention, working memory, memory composite)
Itoh 2016 RCT (n=41 elderly, 20mg BioPQQ x 12 weeks): smaller Stroop interference increase vs. placebo; Tamakoshi 2023 RCT (n=66, 20mg PQQ x 12 weeks, Food & Function): improved composite and verbal memory in adults 41-65; Koikeda 2011 (Japanese journal, not PubMed-indexed) reported similar effects. All Mitsubishi/BioPQQ funded.
Fatigue, sleep quality, and mood in healthy adults
Nakano 2012 open-label trial (n=17 healthy adults, 20mg PQQ x 8 weeks, Functional Foods in Health and Disease): improvements in fatigue and sleep self-report scales; no placebo control
Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers (CRP, IL-6)
Harris 2013 crossover (n=10, J Nutr Biochem): 0.2-0.3 mg/kg PQQ for 76 hours reduced plasma CRP, IL-6, and urinary methylated amines; no placebo arm
Mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC-1alpha activation, mtDNA copy number)
Chowanadisai 2010 (J Biol Chem): PQQ activates CREB phosphorylation and PGC-1alpha in cell models, increases citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activity; Hwang 2020 RCT (n=23 untrained men): greater post-training PGC-1alpha protein increase in PQQ group vs. placebo. Mechanism is well-established in vitro; human biomarker shift confirmed, downstream clinical benefit is the open question.
Aerobic exercise performance
Hwang 2020 RCT (n=23 untrained men, 20mg PQQ x 6 weeks endurance training): no significant difference in VO2peak or exercise duration vs. placebo despite the biomarker shift
Muscle strength and physical function
Tamakoshi 2024 (J Funct Foods, n=64 Japanese adults, 21.5mg/day mnemoPQQ disodium salt x 12 weeks): improved lower-limb extension strength, grip strength, and walking tests vs. placebo. Industry-sponsored, single trial, novel ingredient brand.
Neuroprotection in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, or aging
Animal and cell models only (e.g., Wen 2020 rotenone Parkinson's model via AMPK). No human RCTs in neurodegenerative disease populations.
| Grade | Claimed Benefit | Key Studies | Our Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Cognitive function in older adults (attention, working memory, memory composite) | Itoh 2016 RCT (n=41 elderly, 20mg BioPQQ x 12 weeks): smaller Stroop interference increase vs. placebo; Tamakoshi 2023 RCT (n=66, 20mg PQQ x 12 weeks, Food & Function): improved composite and verbal memory in adults 41-65; Koikeda 2011 (Japanese journal, not PubMed-indexed) reported similar effects. All Mitsubishi/BioPQQ funded. | Early Signal |
| C | Fatigue, sleep quality, and mood in healthy adults | Nakano 2012 open-label trial (n=17 healthy adults, 20mg PQQ x 8 weeks, Functional Foods in Health and Disease): improvements in fatigue and sleep self-report scales; no placebo control | Not There Yet |
| C | Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers (CRP, IL-6) | Harris 2013 crossover (n=10, J Nutr Biochem): 0.2-0.3 mg/kg PQQ for 76 hours reduced plasma CRP, IL-6, and urinary methylated amines; no placebo arm | Early Signal |
| B | Mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC-1alpha activation, mtDNA copy number) | Chowanadisai 2010 (J Biol Chem): PQQ activates CREB phosphorylation and PGC-1alpha in cell models, increases citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activity; Hwang 2020 RCT (n=23 untrained men): greater post-training PGC-1alpha protein increase in PQQ group vs. placebo. Mechanism is well-established in vitro; human biomarker shift confirmed, downstream clinical benefit is the open question. | Early Signal |
| C | Aerobic exercise performance | Hwang 2020 RCT (n=23 untrained men, 20mg PQQ x 6 weeks endurance training): no significant difference in VO2peak or exercise duration vs. placebo despite the biomarker shift | Not There Yet |
| C | Muscle strength and physical function | Tamakoshi 2024 (J Funct Foods, n=64 Japanese adults, 21.5mg/day mnemoPQQ disodium salt x 12 weeks): improved lower-limb extension strength, grip strength, and walking tests vs. placebo. Industry-sponsored, single trial, novel ingredient brand. | Not There Yet |
| F | Neuroprotection in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, or aging | Animal and cell models only (e.g., Wen 2020 rotenone Parkinson's model via AMPK). No human RCTs in neurodegenerative disease populations. | Not There Yet |
How to Choose: Forms, Doses & What Matters
Clinical dose: 20mg per day in nearly every positive human trial. No trial has shown clear additional benefit above 20mg, and most marketed products at 40mg are extrapolating from a 20mg evidence base.
Best forms: BioPQQ (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical's branded PQQ disodium salt, the form used in nearly all positive human RCTs and the form Mitsubishi funded for FDA GRAS notification), Generic PQQ disodium salt (same molecule, sourced from non-Mitsubishi suppliers; pharmacology is identical but the trial data is on BioPQQ specifically), mnemoPQQ (a newer disodium salt used in the 2024 Tamakoshi muscle strength trial; less established than BioPQQ)
20mg once daily is the dose used in nearly every positive trial (Itoh, Tamakoshi 2023, Hwang, Nakano). Take with a meal containing some fat; PQQ is water-soluble but most marketed products do not specify food timing. Effects in the trials read out at 8-12 weeks, not days - if you are not noticing anything after 12 weeks of 20mg, it is unlikely to do much for you. Higher doses (40mg) have no published RCT showing additional benefit and just inflate cost. Common stack is 20mg PQQ plus 100-200mg CoQ10 or ubiquinol, which is also the combination used in the Mitsubishi-funded BioPQQ+CoQ10 trials and the Life Extension marketing positioning.
Who Should Take PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)?
Adults 40+ interested in a low-stim, low-risk mitochondrial cofactor with a small but real cognitive signal, especially if they are already on CoQ10 or ubiquinol and want to stack the most-studied mitochondrial pair. People drawn to longevity-tier supplementation who accept the thin and industry-funded evidence base. Anyone who notices age-related drops in mental endurance and wants to try a mechanistically plausible add-on for 12 weeks.
Who Should Avoid It?
Not for everyone
Side Effects & Safety
Product Scores
8 products scored on dosing accuracy, third-party testing, cost per effective dose, and label transparency.
The Scorecard: 8 Products Compared
PQQ with BioPQQ 20mg, 30ct
Doctor's Best$20.99 ÷ 30 days at 20mg/day (1 serving × 20mg)
If you want the exact form and exact dose used in the published trials, this is the clearest pick. Doctor's Best has been a primary BioPQQ licensee for over a decade.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
PQQ Caps with BioPQQ 10mg, 30ct
Life Extension$14.00 ÷ 15 days at 20mg/day (2 servings × 10mg)
The de facto reference SKU for PQQ - Life Extension was an early Mitsubishi BioPQQ licensee and has maintained continuous availability since the early 2010s.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
PQQ 20mg, 30ct
Jarrow Formulas$24.95 ÷ 30 days at 20mg/day (1 serving × 20mg)
Solid mainstream pick if you want the 20mg trial dose in a single capsule from a long-established supplement brand. The 60ct SKU offers better per-day economics.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
PQQ 20mg, 60 Capsules
Double Wood Supplements$23.95 ÷ 60 days at 20mg/day (1 serving × 20mg)
Better middle-ground than Nutricost or Swanson if you want some third-party testing documentation without paying for the BioPQQ premium.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
PQQ Energy 20mg, 30 Veg Capsules
NOW Foods$17.99 ÷ 30 days at 20mg/day (1 serving × 20mg)
NOW Foods' workhorse PQQ - 20mg single cap, NPA GMP, strong per-day pricing. Pick this if BioPQQ branding is not a hard requirement.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
Ultra PQQ Pyrroloquinoline Quinone 20mg, 30 Veg Caps
Swanson
$14.99 ÷ 30 days at 20mg/day (1 serving × 20mg)
Workhorse pick for cost-conscious buyers who do not need the BioPQQ trademark and accept Swanson's GMP-only quality stance.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone) 20mg, 60ct
Nutricost$17.99 ÷ 60 days at 20mg/day (1 serving × 20mg)
Most affordable PQQ at the clinical dose if you trust Nutricost's GMP-only quality stance and do not need BioPQQ branding.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
PQQ 40mg, 120ct (99%+ Purity)
Toniiq
$31.97 ÷ 118 days at 40mg/day (1 serving × 40mg)
Best transparency-per-dollar for users who do not need BioPQQ branding and want published CoAs. The 40mg dose is overkill for the evidence base - consider opening caps to halve the dose.
Prices checked 2026-05-15. Cost shown is per clinically effective daily dose, not per pill.
Full Comparison
| Category | PQQ with BioPQQ 20mg, 30ct Doctor's Best | PQQ Caps with BioPQQ 10mg, 30ct Life Extension | PQQ 20mg, 30ct Jarrow Formulas | PQQ 20mg, 60 Capsules Double Wood Supplements | PQQ Energy 20mg, 30 Veg Capsules NOW Foods | Ultra PQQ Pyrroloquinoline Quinone 20mg, 30 Veg Caps Swanson | PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone) 20mg, 60ct Nutricost | PQQ 40mg, 120ct (99%+ Purity) Toniiq |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand Score | 88/100Winner | 86/100 | 84/100 | 82/100 | 81/100 | 80/100 | 79/100 | 78/100 |
| Dosing & Form | 24/25Winner | 21/25 | 23/25 | 22/25 | 22/25 | 22/25 | 22/25 | 19/25 |
| Purity | 20/25 | 21/25Winner | 19/25 | 19/25 | 18/25 | 18/25 | 17/25 | 20/25 |
| Value | 22/25 | 21/25 | 21/25 | 22/25 | 22/25 | 22/25 | 23/25Winner | 22/25 |
| Transparency | 22/25 | 23/25Winner | 21/25 | 19/25 | 19/25 | 18/25 | 17/25 | 17/25 |
| Cost/Day | $0.70 | $0.93 | $0.83 | $0.40 | $0.60 | $0.50 | $0.30 | $0.27Winner |
| Dose/Serving | 20mg | 10mg | 20mg | 20mg | 20mg | 20mg | 20mg | 40mg |
| Form | BioPQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Disodium Salt), vegetarian capsule | BioPQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Disodium Salt), vegetarian capsule | PQQ Disodium Salt (likely generic), vegetarian capsule | PQQ Disodium Salt (generic), vegetarian capsule | PQQ Disodium Salt (generic), vegetarian capsule | PQQ Disodium Salt (generic), vegetable capsule | PQQ Disodium Salt (generic), vegetarian capsule | PQQ Disodium Salt (generic, 99%+ purity claimed), vegetarian capsule |
| Third-Party Tested | No | ✓ Yes | No | ✓ Yes | No | No | No | ✓ Yes |
| Proprietary Blend | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BioPQQ and generic PQQ?
BioPQQ is Mitsubishi Gas Chemical's branded pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt - manufactured by fermentation, the subject of the FDA GRAS notification (GRN 701), and the form used in essentially every positive human trial (Itoh, Tamakoshi, Nakano, Hwang). Generic PQQ disodium salt is the same molecule from non-Mitsubishi suppliers, typically cheaper. Pharmacologically they should be equivalent, but the published evidence is specifically on BioPQQ. If you want the form the trials tested, look for the BioPQQ trademark on the label. If you trust the brand's third-party testing, generic is reasonable.
Does PQQ really grow new mitochondria?
In cell culture, yes - Chowanadisai 2010 showed PQQ activates CREB phosphorylation and PGC-1alpha and increases mitochondrial DNA copy number in mouse cell lines. In humans, Hwang 2020 showed PQQ increased PGC-1alpha protein in skeletal muscle after endurance training, which is the predicted upstream signal for mitochondrial biogenesis. But the same Hwang trial showed no actual improvement in VO2peak or exercise performance over placebo. So the mechanism appears to be doing something at the molecular level, but whether it translates to clinical benefit is the question the small trial base has not fully answered.
Should I take PQQ with CoQ10?
This is the most common stack and the one the BioPQQ trials and Mitsubishi marketing have promoted since 2011. The mechanistic logic is that PQQ supports mitochondrial biogenesis (more mitochondria) while CoQ10 is the electron-transport-chain cofactor those mitochondria need to make ATP. A few Japanese trials co-administered PQQ and CoQ10 and reported larger cognitive shifts than PQQ alone, but the trials are small and industry-sponsored. If you are already taking CoQ10 or ubiquinol for heart health or statin myopathy, adding 20mg PQQ is a low-risk experiment. CoQ10 carries more independent evidence; PQQ is the speculative add-on.
Why is the PQQ evidence base so industry-funded?
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical patented the BioPQQ fermentation process and has been the primary funder of PQQ human research since the late 2000s. This is common for novel supplement ingredients - patent holders fund the GRAS notification studies and the early RCTs because no academic or government funder will. It does not automatically mean the data is wrong, but it does mean every positive trial has the same financial stakeholder, and independent replication is thin. Take the published effect sizes as the upper bound of what to expect.
How long until I notice anything from PQQ?
Trial readouts were at 8 to 12 weeks (Itoh ran 12, Nakano ran 8, Tamakoshi ran 12, Hwang ran 6). If you are taking 20mg daily and feel nothing different in cognitive endurance or fatigue after 12 weeks, it is unlikely to do much more. Some users report a subtle clarity or mental endurance effect in the first 2-4 weeks; others notice nothing. Set the 12-week mark as your decision point.
Is 40mg of PQQ better than 20mg?
No published human RCT has shown additional benefit at 40mg over 20mg. The 20mg dose is what BioPQQ's GRAS notification covers and what nearly every positive trial used. 40mg products exist mostly because doubling the active raises perceived value and lets brands price higher. If you want to mirror the trial doses, 20mg is the right target; 40mg is paying double for evidence that does not exist.
Is PQQ safe long-term?
BioPQQ holds FDA GRAS status at up to 20mg/day. Mitsubishi-sponsored 90-day rat toxicity studies found no adverse effects at high multiples of the human dose. The published human trials (12 weeks max) reported no serious adverse events. Beyond 12 weeks of continuous use, the safety data is essentially anecdotal. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric safety have not been established, so PQQ is for adults outside those populations.
Can PQQ help with Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, or other neurodegenerative conditions?
There is interesting preclinical work - rotenone Parkinson's models, mitochondrial protection in cell lines, neuroprotection signals in rodents - but zero human RCTs in any neurodegenerative disease population. The cognitive trials (Itoh, Tamakoshi) recruited healthy elderly volunteers, not patients with diagnosed cognitive impairment. Do not use PQQ as a substitute for clinical care of a diagnosed neurological condition. Discuss with a neurologist if you want to add it as an experimental adjunct.
Sources
- Chowanadisai W, Bauerly KA, Tchaparian E, Wong A, Cortopassi GA, Rucker RB. Pyrroloquinoline quinone stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis through cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation and increased PGC-1alpha expression. J Biol Chem. 2010;285(1):142-152.
- Harris CB, Chowanadisai W, Mishchuk DO, Satre MA, Slupsky CM, Rucker RB. Dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) alters indicators of inflammation and mitochondrial-related metabolism in human subjects. J Nutr Biochem. 2013;24(12):2076-2084.
- Itoh Y, Hine K, Miura H, Uetake T, Nakano M, Takemura N, Sakatani K. Effect of the antioxidant supplement pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt (BioPQQ) on cognitive functions. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;876:319-325.
- Hwang PS, Machek SB, Cardaci TD, Wilburn DT, Kim CS, Suezaki ES, Willoughby DS. Effects of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) supplementation on aerobic exercise performance and indices of mitochondrial biogenesis in untrained men. J Am Coll Nutr. 2020;39(6):547-556.
- Nakano M, Yamamoto T, Okamura H, Tsuda A, Kowatari Y. Effects of oral supplementation with pyrroloquinoline quinone on stress, fatigue, and sleep. Funct Foods Health Dis. 2012;2(8):307-324. (Open-label, n=17, 20mg PQQ x 8 weeks, BioPQQ-funded; not PubMed-indexed.)
- Tamakoshi M, Suzuki T, Nishihara E, Nakamura S, Ikemoto K. Pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt improves brain function in both younger and older adults. Food Funct. 2023;14(5):2496-2501.
- Saihara K, Kamikubo R, Ikemoto K, Uchida K, Akagawa M. Pyrroloquinoline quinone, a redox-active o-quinone, stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis by activating the SIRT1/PGC-1alpha signaling pathway. Biochemistry. 2017;56(50):6615-6625.
- Nakano M, Murayama Y, Hu L, Ikemoto K, Uetake T, Sakatani K. Effects of antioxidant supplements (BioPQQ) on cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism in the prefrontal cortex. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;923:215-222.
- Nakano M, Kawasaki Y, Suzuki N, Takara T. Effects of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt intake on the serum cholesterol levels of healthy Japanese adults. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2015;61(3):233-240.
- FDA GRAS Notice No. GRN 000701: Pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt. Filed by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, accepted 2018. Establishes GRAS status at up to 20mg/day for general food use.
- Akagawa M, Nakano M, Ikemoto K. Recent progress in studies on the health benefits of pyrroloquinoline quinone. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2016;80(1):13-22.
FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products discussed on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.