Mitochondria are tiny powerplants that supply energy to the cells throughout your body.¹

With age, your body produces less mitochondria, and existing ones can become damaged and dysfunctional.^1,2

This results in a cellular "energy shortage" that contributes to age-related problems like insulin resistance,^2,3 cognitive decline,⁴ and macular degeneration.^5,6

A compound called pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) has the potential to ward off health issues by stimulating the creation of healthy, new mitochondria.^7-10

Additionally, animal studies have shown that boosting PQQ levels improves eye health, while guarding against metabolic disease, liver damage, and kidney damage.

One animal model showed that PQQ increased lifespan by an average of 30%.^11,12

In a human trial of individuals with age-related cognitive decline, supplementing with 21.5 mg of PQQ for 12 weeks resulted in improvement of composite memory, reaction time, and cognitive flexibility compared to placebo.¹³

Another study showed that supplementing with PQQ leads to improvements in attention and working memory.¹⁴

Aging and Mitochondrial Dysfunction

The body is a complex machine that requires an incredible amount of energy to run efficiently. That energy comes from energy factories called mitochondria that convert food into energy the body can use.

Healthy mitochondria divide on their own to replenish their numbers. This is a remarkable process known as mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitochondrial biogenesis is critical for protecting cells from premature aging.^2,15,16

But with age, this process slows.

When mitochondria become damaged and die off, it creates a cellular energy shortage that accelerates aging and disease.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is especially damaging to the organs and tissues that have the greatest energy requirements, like our brain, heart, retina, pancreas, and liver.^17,18

Fortunately, with the right boost, mitochondria can continue to grow, repair, and replenish themselves even in later life.

That's where PQQ comes in.

PQQ Creates New Mitochondria

PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is a water-soluble, vitamin-like compound found in plants, yeast, and certain bacteria.

PQQ helps mitochondria in three important ways:

• By promoting the creation of healthy, new mitochondria,^16,19-24
• By clearing out defective mitochondria,^19,25 which helps ensure cell survival,¹⁵ and
• By boosting the energy production of existing mitochondria, and mitochondrial function.^20,26,27

In a human study, a single dose of PQQ (equaling 13 mg for an average-sized adult) led to improved measurements of urinary oxidant levels (indicators of mitochondrial efficiency).

This team of scientists also evaluated the impact of a higher daily dose of PQQ supplementation after three days (equaling about 20 mg per day for an average-sized adult) and found that measurements of inflammation (such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) were decreased.⁸

In a study of healthy men who completed a six-week aerobic training program, those given 20 mg of PQQ daily more than doubled their PGC-1 alpha levels (mitochondrial-generating protein) as compared to placebo.⁷

Brain Protection

The brain uses more energy than any other organ in the body,²⁸ so it is one of the hardest hit when mitochondrial function declines.

Aging mitochondria are known as contributors to age-related brain disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.^15,23,29

By helping mitochondria perform more efficiently and by promoting the development of new mitochondria, PQQ may help prevent these and other disorders.^19,23,29,30

In a human study, participants aged 20–65 years received 20 mg of PQQ or placebo for 12 weeks. Supplementing with PQQ led to improvements in memory test scores after eight weeks. In older adults, at the end of 12 weeks, further improvements in complex and verbal memory were observed.³¹

Researchers have found preclinical evidence that PQQ may slow the progression of both conditions—or possibly even prevent them altogether.^30,32-37

That's because, in addition to boosting mitochondrial function, PQQ has been found to prevent the accumulation of abnormal proteins (such as beta-amyloid and alpha-synuclein) associated with neurodegeneration.^32-34

Prevent Metabolic Issues

Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to metabolic issues like obesity, insulin resistance, and type II diabetes, as well as cardiovascular disease.^24,38,39

PQQ helps improve many factors that contribute to metabolic syndrome. PQQ affects insulin signaling via multiple pathways. That is why studies suggest that PQQ may be beneficial in insulin resistance and type II diabetes.⁴¹

In an animal study of metabolic syndrome, obese rats treated with PQQ for five weeks experienced the following benefits (compared to the untreated group):^24,40

• Significant improvements in blood sugar control, insulin levels, and insulin sensitivity,
• Reductions in harmful inflammatory cytokines, and
• Healthier blood lipid levels, including total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and HDL ("good") cholesterol.

Kidney and Liver Health

Two serious side effects of metabolic issues like obesity and diabetes are kidney and liver damage. PQQ has considerable potential for remedying metabolic diseases including diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and chronic kidney disease.⁴¹

In rodent models of diabetes, the kidneys show signs of significant damage and fibrosis (scarring). Kidney function is decreased and there are signs of oxidative stress and inflammation in the tissues.^42,43

In an animal model of diabetes, giving animals PQQ significantly reduced the structural damage to their kidneys, while improving kidney function.^42,43

And in a preclinical study of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), PQQ protected the liver from fat accumulation by supporting the creation of new mitochondria, improving lipid metabolism, and boosting antioxidant protection.⁴⁴

Eye Protection

Abnormal mitochondrial function is often found in three of the leading causes of blindness: macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.^6,9

Cell studies from eyes of human donors with macular degeneration show under-functioning mitochondria in the retinal pigment epithelium. Researchers used PQQ to treat retinal pigment epithelial cells from human organ donors who had age-related macular degeneration.⁹

In half of the tissue samples, administering PQQ led to a 50%-350% improvement in the mitochondrial function of these critical retinal cells.

The treated cells also had a 59% increase in the production of ATP, which is the form of energy that the cells use.

Summary

PQQ helps promote healthy aging by promoting the production of healthy, new mitochondria.

Enhancing the body's cellular energy with PQQ has the potential to improve memory and eye health, while protecting against metabolic, liver, and kidney disease.

PQQ also has the potential to increase lifespan.

Taking 10 to 20 mg of PQQ daily is a practical way to support healthy aging.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

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