The energy of modern people is being depleted quietly.
From “early riser troublemaker” to “replenishing with coffee at 3 PM”, from “memory lapses” to “extreme fatigue after exercise” – “energy decline” is no longer the exclusive label for the elderly; more and more young people and office workers are also deeply affected by it. With the acceleration of modern life pace, the proportion of people suffering from fatigue and lack of energy is continuously increasing worldwide. Facing this “energy crisis”, most people’s coping methods are merely short-term stimulation with caffeine and temporary boost, but they only address the symptoms, not the root cause. Then, is there an ingredient that can solve the problem at the root of cellular energy metabolism?
PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is giving the answer. Understanding PQQ: Source and Structure PQQ is widely present in nature, with natural sources including natto, green tea, green peppers, kiwis, papayas, spinach, etc. However, the content of PQQ in these natural foods is extremely low. Taking the fermented soy product natto as an example, the highest estimated content is only 61±31 nanograms per gram of wet weight. Therefore, the commercially available PQQ on the market is almost not directly extracted from natural foods. The common production method is microbial fermentation: through fermentation by Methanomonas, Acinetobacter, and Gluconobacter, and then separating and purifying from the fermentation liquid to obtain high-purity finished PQQ. This method has controllable costs and stable purity, and is the industry’s common path.
Source: Pexels
The chemical formula of PQQ is 4,5-dicarbonyl-1-pyrrolo-2,3-f-quinolin-2,7,9-tricarboxylic acid, with the molecular formula of C14H6N2O8, and the relative molecular mass of 330.21. It is considered a B vitamin, being the third oxidoreductase coenzyme discovered in bacteria after nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide, apart from which, it is the third type of coenzyme in the electron transfer enzymes. In terms of chemical structure, PQQ has three carboxyl groups that can bind to proteins, and two ketone groups that participate in the oxidation-reduction ability of the molecule. It has good water solubility and biological compatibility, can exist in the body in ionic form, and can be effectively absorbed by cells and participate in metabolic processes. Additionally, PQQ appears as reddish-brown crystals, with an isoelectric point of 2.75 and a melting point of 250°C.
Source: Reference [4]
PQQ: The "Energy Manager" of the Human Body PQQ starts from the source of cellular energy - the mitochondria, and can not only repair and regenerate mitochondria, but also enhance muscle endurance and sharpen brain thinking, comprehensively managing human energy, and can be called the "energy manager" of the human body.
1) Repair and regenerate mitochondria - strengthening the foundation of cellular energy production Mitochondria are the "energy factory" of cells, with 95% of the body's energy coming from mitochondria, and mitochondrial dysfunction is related to 80% of aging manifestations. The uniqueness of PQQ lies in that it not only can repair damaged mitochondria but also stimulate the generation of new mitochondria, which is not possessed by traditional components such as vitamin E and coenzyme Q10. In terms of repair, a research team from the University of California, USA, found in 2013 that healthy adults who supplemented 20mg of PQQ daily showed significant improvement in ATP synthesis efficiency and antioxidant enzyme activity after only 3 days; in 2023, "Cell Death Dis" further revealed that PQQ can actively remove damaged mitochondria and enhance mitochondrial autophagy, allowing the energy factory to resume efficient operation. At the regenerative level, PQQ directly promotes the biosynthesis of new mitochondria by activating key signaling pathways such as PGC-1α, thereby increasing the quantity and quality of mitochondria at their source and continuously enhancing the efficiency of cellular energy supply.
2) Enhance muscle endurance - Improve the upper limit of exercise endurance. After exercise, there is persistent muscle soreness, which is essentially the damage caused by free radicals produced due to excessive mitochondrial work, leading to "muscle fatigue". The strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions of PQQ play a key role here. It can directly reduce the tissue damage caused by exercise, thereby enhancing muscle endurance and shortening recovery time. A study in 2019 involving 23 men showed that after daily supplementation of 20mg PQQ and 6 weeks of training, the main factor controlling mitochondrial generation, PGC-1α, increased from 4.59 ng/mg to 10.42 ng/mg, while the placebo group only increased from 3.95 ng/mg to 5.55 ng/mg. This significant increase means that PQQ activates the PGC-1α signaling pathway, promotes the generation of new mitochondria within muscle cells, optimizes energy metabolism, and provides more sufficient ATP supply for continuous exercise. Animal experiments have also confirmed that supplementing PQQ can help muscle tissues repair faster by eliminating free radicals and inhibiting NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses, thereby enhancing muscle endurance and effectively alleviating muscle fatigue and exercise injuries.
3) Sharpen brain thinking - Say goodbye to brain fog and sluggishness Cognitive decline is not just a problem for the elderly. Data from the "Blue Book of Alzheimer's Disease in China" shows that the prevalence of subjective cognitive decline among the elderly is 46.4%, and high-intensity brain-using groups such as students and programmers also face sluggish thinking. A double-blind trial in young people in 2023 in "Food & Function" found that after daily supplementation of 20mg PQQ for 8 weeks, the cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and execution speed of the 20-40 age group were significantly better than the placebo group, and it could be 100% distinguished whether they had supplemented PQQ. In this study, the average score of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) of the subjects increased by 4 points, indicating a comprehensive improvement in core cognitive dimensions such as attention, memory, and language ability. The study shows that PQQ can cross the blood-brain barrier, reduce reactive oxygen species in the brain, activate anti-inflammatory pathways, and stimulate the production of neurotrophic factors, thereby protecting and supporting the growth of nerve cells.
The global approval status of PQQ In the world, PQQ has been recognized by several authoritative institutions successively.
Source: European Commission
In China, the National Health Commission approved the synthetic preparation of PQQ disodium salt as a new food additive in 2022, and then in 2023, the fermentation preparation of PQQ disodium salt was approved as a new food additive.
Market prospects and application trends of PQQ According to Bo Yan Zhixiang, by 2025, the market size of PQQ in China will reach 960 million yuan, with a year-on-year growth rate of 20.0%, significantly higher than the global average growth rate of 14.3%. It is expected that in 2026, the market size of PQQ in China will reach 1.152 billion yuan, an increase of 20.0% compared to 2025, continuing the high growth trend. PQQ has a wide range of application scenarios, and can be combined with spermidine, inositol, etc., covering anti-aging, liver protection, and brain health tracks. In addition, in recent years, PQQ has also launched cosmetic-grade raw materials, expanding its application to the beauty industry. For researchers, PQQ, with solid mechanism research, multi-country regulatory access, and high growth market, is gradually evolving from a popular ingredient to a more long-term valuable essential nutrient.
1) From the global regional distribution perspective, PQQ products in North America and Europe mainly focus on energy enhancement, brain health, and anti-aging. The PQQ capsule launched by the Chinese brand Health Nova, its main component is PQQ disodium salt, with each capsule containing 20mg, claims to promote the growth of mitochondria.
Post time: Jun-30-2026