Promising cofactor for mitochondrial biogenesis; human evidence remains thin.
Interesting but unproven. Cheap enough to try as a 'stack ingredient' alongside CoQ10; don't count on it as a standalone longevity intervention.
PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone) is a mitochondrial with evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. We track 9 products containing PQQ. Typical doses range from 10 to 151 mg per serving. The top-ranked product scores 6.8 out of 10 on our composite scale (dose, evidence, price, testing, transparency). Prices range up to $149.00 per month.
| Product | Brand | Dose | Price/mo | 3rd-party tested | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone) Supplement | Double Wood Supplements | 20 mg | $19.95 | Yes | 6.8 |
| PQQ Caps with BioPQQ | Life Extension | 20 mg | $24.00 | Yes | 6.5 |
| Enhanced VitaPQQ with MicroActive CoQ10 | Quality of Life Labs | 20 mg | $34.95 | No | 6.3 |
| PQQ 99% (20mg) | Toniiq | 20 mg | $29.97 | Yes | 6.3 |
| Daily Ultimate Longevity | IM8 | 10 mg | $149.00 | Yes | 6.3 |
Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard. See how we score.
A vitamin-like molecule that appears to trigger the growth of new mitochondria. Found naturally in tiny amounts in fermented foods.
Rodent studies show clear mitochondrial biogenesis. Small human trials suggest improvements in fatigue and cognitive measures at 20 mg/day, but sample sizes are small.
Interesting but unproven. Cheap enough to try as a 'stack ingredient' alongside CoQ10; don't count on it as a standalone longevity intervention.
4,5-dioxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-f]quinoline-2,7,9-tricarboxylic acid. Redox cofactor.
In vitro and rodent data show PGC-1α upregulation and mitochondrial biogenesis. Human trials (Nakano 2012) suggest reduced fatigue and improved cognitive scores at 20 mg/day but n<30 studies.
Data limited; probable 24+ hour biological effect from single dose.
PQQ is very expensive to synthesise, so cheap products may under-deliver. Look for third-party COA.
When a product exceeds the UL or contains an ingredient with clinically significant interactions, a "Review advised" flag appears on its product page and links here.
Source: https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/GRAS-Notice-000590--Pyrroloquinoline-quinone.pdf
The trial dose above is our editorial pick from the published human trials for this ingredient. We choose the dose that the best-available studies used on the endpoint most relevant to longevity. The range shows the lowest and highest doses tested in published trials. The landmark studies below are the papers we read to set it. You can click through and check our work.
When new trials publish, our automated sweeps flag them. If a new study materially changes the dose, we update it through editorial review and record the old dose, new dose, and the triggering study in every affected product's recommendation history. The dose is never changed automatically.
Regulatory events, evidence grade changes, and key research milestones for PQQ, most recent first. Studies link to the paper; regulatory entries name and link the responsible authority.
Verified 2026-07-21. We update this section as new peer-reviewed trials land.
PQQ's best human evidence comes from small Japanese trials on cognition in older adults. Nakano et al.'s 2021 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 64 healthy adults aged 40 to under 80 found 12 weeks of 21.5 mg/day PQQ disodium salt significantly improved Cognitrax scores for memory, attention, and executive function, plus questionnaire and MMSE-J scores, with no adverse events (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34415830/). An earlier 2016 trial in 41 elderly healthy subjects found 20 mg/day PQQ for 12 weeks improved selective attention on the Stroop test and, in a subgroup with lower baseline scores, visual-spatial function, with preliminary evidence of increased prefrontal blood flow (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26782228/).
PQQ is marketed as a mitochondrial biogenesis booster that increases cellular energy production and slows aging, largely based on rodent and cell-culture studies. Human RCT evidence for this specific mechanism, mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1alpha activation, has not been demonstrated in a published human trial; the existing human trials measure cognitive test scores, not mitochondrial density or function directly (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11541945/). Marketing claims of established cardiovascular and cholesterol benefits also outrun the data: a 2024 review notes the human cholesterol finding comes from a single small Japanese study without full published sample size, duration, or effect size details, and it has not been replicated in an independently registered RCT (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11541945/).
10-20 mg/day, based on the few available human trials
No adverse events were observed in the two largest human PQQ trials at doses of 20-21.5 mg/day for 12 weeks, based on blood, urine, and physical examination monitoring (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34415830/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26782228/). Long-term safety beyond 12 weeks has not been studied in humans. Pharmacokinetic data show PQQ is absorbed at roughly 62% and excreted renally at about 81% within 24 hours with no accumulation, suggesting low buildup risk, but this comes from a single-dose study, not chronic dosing (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11541945/). Given the very small evidence base, pregnant or breastfeeding people and those with kidney impairment should avoid PQQ until better safety data exist.
PQQ disodium salt was associated with improved RBANS neuropsychological scores in both younger and older healthy adults, with larger effects in those with lower baseline scores.
Read study →A six-week trial in elderly adults with mild cognitive impairment examined a novel PQQ formulation's effects on mitochondrial biomarkers and cognition, adding to the small pool of human PQQ intervention studies.
Read study →Comprehensive review finds only a handful of small human studies on PQQ, most without full sample size or duration reporting, and calls for larger controlled trials.
Read study →8 weeks of 20 mg/day improved fatigue and quality-of-life scores in adults.
Read study →All products in our catalog that contain PQQ, ranked by our overall score. Ranking is editorial, never paid.
Double Wood SupplementsStatus as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
Life ExtensionStatus as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
Quality of Life LabsStatus as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
ToniiqStatus as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
Multi-ingredient bundle
Status as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
Jarrow FormulasStatus as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
MitoQMulti-ingredient bundle
Status as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
MomentousMulti-ingredient bundle
Status as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
Seed HealthCFU not stored
Status as recorded in the catalog from brand materials; not independently verified by NO1GEVITY.
Editorial score, not proof that this product works. Research-dose calculations are not dosing advice.
Molecules in the same class, plus the actives most often formulated alongside PQQ in our catalogue.
See PQQ in context: the mechanism it acts through, the biomarker it moves, the products that dose it, and the trials that tested it.
View PQQ on the Longevity Map →A vitamin-like molecule that appears to trigger the growth of new mitochondria. Found naturally in tiny amounts in fermented foods.
The trial dose in published human studies is 20 mg per day, with a range of 10 to 40 mg per day. Always consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement.
No formal UL. FDA GRAS status granted; doses up to 60 mg/person/day have been tested without adverse effects, and EFSA's novel food opinion approved 20 mg/day for food supplements.
We track 9 products containing PQQ. The top-ranked product scores 6.8 out of 10 on our composite scale, which evaluates dose, evidence, price, third-party testing, and transparency. See the comparison table above. Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard.
PQQ has evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. Grade A means replicated human RCTs with hard endpoints. Grade B means human RCTs with biomarker outcomes. Grade C means mixed or small human trials. See our evidence grading methodology.
Evidence grades are reviewed when new human RCTs are published. Product counts update automatically as new products are added. Dose ranges reflect published trial data, not brand recommendations. Read how we verify.
IM8