NAD+ / longevity

PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone)

Also called PQQ, pyrroloquinoline quinone, PQQ disodium salt, BioPQQ, mnemoPQQ, methoxatin

By Kymata Labs EditorialMedical review pendingLast reviewed October 13, 2026 · What changed

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Summary

Small trials co-authored by PQQ makers reported better memory and attention scores at about 20 mg/day for 12 weeks (grade D). EFSA judged 20 mg/day of BioPQQ safe for healthy adults; pregnant and breastfeeding women were outside its assessment. Independent trials and interaction data are lacking.

Top graded outcomes:D evidence grade Memory, attention and cognitive flexibilityD evidence grade Prefrontal blood flow and oxygenation

Key facts

Memory
21.5 mg/day for 12 weeks improved several Cognitrax domains in older adults (58 completed)[1]
Brain blood flow
20 mg/day for 12 weeks raised prefrontal haemoglobin levels in 20 adults aged 50–70[2]
EU safety opinion
EFSA: BioPQQ safe at 20 mg/day for healthy adults except pregnant and breastfeeding women[3]
Maker involvement
Trial authors were affiliated with Ryusendo and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (BioPQQ maker)[1][2]
Evidence base
2 graded human outcomes on this page
Last reviewed
October 13, 2026

How it works

ProposedPQQ is a redox cofactor for bacterial enzymes and is studied for effects on mitochondria and brain blood flow; human trials measured cognitive scores and prefrontal oxygenation rather than a confirmed mechanism.[2][3]

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Form tested
Sort

Showing 2 of 2 outcomes. Human trials only.

OutcomeEffectGradeBest evidencePMID
Memory, attention and cognitive flexibilityImprovedGrade D

RCT · n = 58 · 2022

Japanese adults (mean age about 71) who felt more forgetful (58 of 64 completed)

Form: PQQ disodium salt (mnemoPQQ) vs placebo · Dose: 21.5 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks

Composite memory, verbal memory, reaction time, complex attention, cognitive flexibility, executive function and motor speed improved vs placebo; no adverse events.

34415830 (opens PubMed)Source [1]
Prefrontal blood flow and oxygenationImprovedGrade D

RCT · n = 20 · 2016

Healthy adults aged 50–70

Form: BioPQQ vs placebo · Dose: 20 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks

Baseline haemoglobin and total haemoglobin in the right prefrontal cortex rose significantly after PQQ.

27526146 (opens PubMed)Source [2]

Forms

FormElemental %Absorption (human data)GI toleranceStudied for
PQQ disodium salt (BioPQQ, mnemoPQQ)Varies[3]Not applicable (whole compound or extract; no elemental fraction)EFSA notes limited human absorption and distribution data.[3]EFSA found the margin of exposure at 20 mg/day sufficient; no adverse events in a 12-week trial.[1][3]Cognition and brain blood flow

Studied doses

Doses studied in human trials ranged from 20 mg/day of BioPQQ for 12 weeks to 21.5 mg/day of PQQ disodium salt for 12 weeks.[1][2]

These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Interactions

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

None found in our sources.

Who should be careful

Pregnancy and breastfeeding
EFSA assessed PQQ only for healthy adults excluding pregnant and lactating women.[3]
Children
The EU safety assessment covers adults only.[3]
Medicines
No drug-interaction studies were found among the sources cited here.[1][2][3]

Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.

Frequently asked questions

Does PQQ improve memory?

Small 12-week trials co-authored by PQQ makers reported better memory and attention scores; independent trials are lacking.[1][2]

Is PQQ safe?

EFSA judged 20 mg/day of BioPQQ safe for healthy adults, excluding pregnant and breastfeeding women.[3]

How much PQQ was used in studies?

About 20 mg/day (20–21.5 mg) for 12 weeks.[1][2]

Does PQQ interact with medicines?

No interaction studies were found; check with a pharmacist if you take regular medicines.[3]

Sources

  1. [1]Effect of Dietary Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Disodium Salt on Cognitive Function in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study.. J Am Nutr Assoc, 2022. RCT PMID 34415830
  2. [2]Effects of Antioxidant Supplements (BioPQQ™) on Cerebral Blood Flow and Oxygen Metabolism in the Prefrontal Cortex.. Adv Exp Med Biol, 2016. RCT PMID 27526146
  3. [3]Safety of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97.. EFSA J, 2017. safety-communication PMID 32625350

What changed

  1. October 13, 2026 · all · reviewEditorial evidence re-review: maker involvement now says co-authored (author affiliations checked on PubMed); EFSA scope worded as its exclusion of pregnant and lactating women rather than a finding of harm.Writer: Kymata Labs Editorial · No credentialed reviewer yet
  2. October 13, 2026 · all · reviewSecond-pass self-review: every PMID re-checked against NCBI esummary (title, year, no retraction or expression-of-concern flag), every dose, n and duration re-read against the PubMed abstract or PMC full text, grades held conservative, and interactions limited to what a cited source supports.Writer: Kymata Labs Editorial · No credentialed reviewer yet
  3. October 13, 2026 · all · new pageFirst draft. Source titles and years taken from NCBI E-utilities esummary; abstracts read for every evidence row.Writer: Kymata Labs Editorial · No credentialed reviewer yet

How we write, grade and correct these pages: editorial and evidence policy.

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