PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone): Benefits, Research, Safe Amounts and Why It Pairs With CoQ10
By What PQQ is, how it supports your cells' mitochondria, what human research shows, how much is considered safe, and why it is so often paired with CoQ10.
- PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is a nutrient-like compound found in small amounts in foods.
- It is studied for its role in supporting mitochondria, the energy-makers inside your cells.
- In a small human study, PQQ lowered markers of inflammation and showed changes consistent with better mitochondrial function.
- Europe’s food safety authority (EFSA) found PQQ disodium salt safe at up to 20 mg a day for healthy adults.
- Supplements usually provide 10 to 20 mg, and PQQ is often paired with CoQ10.
What Is PQQ?
PQQ, short for pyrroloquinoline quinone, is a small compound that helps support energy-related processes in the body. Animal research shows it influences energy metabolism through interactions with cell signaling pathways and mitochondrial function. In supplements, it usually appears as PQQ disodium salt, a stable, purified form.
PQQ and Your Mitochondria
Mitochondria are tiny structures inside your cells that turn food into usable energy. Your heart, brain and muscles are packed with them, which is why mitochondrial health is such a popular topic for healthy aging. PQQ is studied as a nutrient that supports the work mitochondria do and the antioxidant balance around them.
What Human Research Shows
A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2013) was among the first to look at PQQ in people. Ten adults (five women and five men) took PQQ in a fruit drink:
- Antioxidant potential: a single dose led to changes in markers of antioxidant activity.
- Inflammation: after several days of daily PQQ, levels of the inflammation markers C-reactive protein and IL-6 decreased significantly.
- Cell energy: changes in urine markers were consistent with enhanced mitochondria-related function.
- Safety signals: standard blood tests such as cholesterol and glucose stayed normal.
This is a small, early study, so larger trials are still needed. It is an encouraging start that links what scientists saw in animals to effects in people.
How Much PQQ Is Safe?
In 2017, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed PQQ disodium salt and concluded it is safe for healthy adults at up to 20 mg a day in food supplements (the review excluded pregnant and nursing women). EFSA calculated a comfortable safety margin based on animal toxicity testing.
| Source | Typical PQQ amount |
|---|---|
| Combination heart and energy formulas | About 10 mg (for example, CardioClear7) |
| Stand-alone PQQ capsules | Usually 10–20 mg |
| EFSA safe level for healthy adults | Up to 20 mg a day |
Why PQQ Pairs With CoQ10
CoQ10 and PQQ are a natural team. CoQ10 is part of the energy-making machinery inside mitochondria, while PQQ is studied for supporting mitochondrial function more broadly. That is why many energy and heart-health formulas combine them. For example, CardioClear7 provides 100 mg of CoQ10 and 10 mg of PQQ in one daily capsule, plus 80 mg of shilajit extract.
Want the full story on CoQ10? Read our CoQ10 guide for adults over 50.
PQQ in Food
PQQ occurs naturally in foods, but only in very small amounts. EFSA noted that 20 mg a day is at least 250 times the estimated amount people get from food, which is why supplements are the main source for anyone who wants a meaningful amount.
Who Should Check First
- Women who are pregnant or nursing (not included in EFSA’s safety review)
- Anyone taking prescription medicines or managing a medical condition
- Anyone combining several energy supplements; add up the PQQ from each product
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does PQQ do?
PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is studied for supporting mitochondria, the energy-makers in your cells. In a small human study it lowered inflammation markers and showed changes consistent with enhanced mitochondrial function.
How much PQQ is safe per day?
The European Food Safety Authority concluded that PQQ disodium salt is safe for healthy adults at up to 20 mg a day. Most supplements provide 10 to 20 mg.
Can I take PQQ with CoQ10?
Yes. They are commonly combined because both are involved in how cells make energy. CardioClear7, for example, provides 100 mg of CoQ10 and 10 mg of PQQ per capsule.
Is PQQ found in food?
Yes, but only in tiny amounts. EFSA estimated that 20 mg a day is at least 250 times the amount people typically get from food.
Who should not take PQQ?
EFSA's safety review did not cover pregnant or nursing women, so they should skip it unless their doctor advises otherwise. Anyone on prescription medicine should check with a doctor or pharmacist first.
Keep Reading
Sources
- Harris et al., Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2013): Dietary PQQ alters indicators of inflammation and mitochondrial-related metabolism in human subjects
- EFSA NDA Panel, EFSA Journal (2017): Safety of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt as a novel food
This guide is general education, not medical advice. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicine.
Chris V. Schaller
Founder & Editor · Wellness Press Now
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