PQQ, full name of pyrroloquinoline quinone, is a new type of natural antioxidant that has attracted much attention in recent years.
It is found in a wide variety of common foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and beverages, including foods of plant origin and foods of animal origin.
In recent years, PQQ has been widely studied because of its various biological functions, and its health efficacy has attracted much attention.
What is PQQ?
PQQ (Pyrroloquinolinequinone disodium salt), referred to as PQQ, chemical formula C14H6N2O8, is a new cogroup, with similar physiological functions to vitamins, widely existed in prokaryotes, plants and mammals, but the content is very low.
Such as fermented soy or natto, milk, eggs, spinach, green pepper, kiwi, parsley, tea, papaya, spinach, celery, breast milk, etc.
Natto is the highest PQQ content in common foods, about 61ng/g;
The breast milk with the highest PQQ content found at present is only 140-180ng/ml.
Animal studies have shown that lack of PQQ will hinder growth, damage immunity, lead to reproductive and metabolic problems, etc.
PQQ exists in animals and plants, and participates in the growth and development of animals and plants, and is an indispensable nutrient for human growth.
The content of free PQQ in food ranges from 1-30mg/g
In 1979, American scientists discovered PQQ using X-ray crystal diffraction technology, and PQQ became the third coenzyme of REDOX enzymes discovered after nicotinamide nucleotides (NAD+ and NADP+) and flavin nucleotides (FAD and FMN).
The biological functions of PQQ mainly focus on two aspects, which can support the growth and development of mitochondria and stimulate the rapid growth of human cells.
It has good antioxidant properties, which can help remove free radicals and reduce cell damage.
These two functions make it have a powerful role in brain health, cardiovascular health, metabolic health and other aspects, mainly to help physical recovery, anti-fatigue and so on.
The world medical community called the “14th vitamin”, “the king of immunity”, known as the “super vitamin” in the United States, is the most powerful bioactive substance found by humans so far, can stimulate the growth of human cells, trace PQQ can improve the metabolism and growth function of biological tissues.
The main function of PQQ
It is mainly manifested in:
1. Improved mitochondria
PQQ is helpful to optimize energy production, and has strong mitochondrial energy supplement and mitochondrial autophagy function.
At the same time, it can stimulate the biosynthesis of mitochondria, increase its synthetic quantity and enhance its function, and improve the utilization rate of mitochondria.
In 2013, researchers at the University of California Nutrition Center gave PQQ supplements to 10 people (five men and five women) and tested its effects after 76 hours, and through blood and urine tests, the group taking PQQ had about 163% more fresh mitochondria in their cells.
2. King of immunity
PQQ is the most powerful bioactive substance found, which can stimulate the growth of lymphocytes such as B cells and T cells in the human body, so that they produce antibodies, thereby improving the overall immune function of the human body.
3. Strong oxidizing agent
PQQ is a very powerful antioxidant and has the unique benefit of being able to produce a greater degree of near-continuous catalytic cycle, that is, the ability to carry out repeated oxidation and reduction reactions.
PQQ can perform 20,000 catalytic conversions, while vitamin C can only provide 4 catalytic conversions, that is, PQQ provides 5,000 times more functional antioxidant protection than vitamin C.
4. Helps the brain recognize and remember
PQQ can improve the neuronal damage caused by oxygen sugar deprivation model, reduce the change of nishi body content caused by D-galactose treatment, inhibit neuronal degeneration, weaken the neuronal damage caused by amyloid beta, and help promote the secretion of neurotrophic factors.
PQQ can also inhibit the formation of peroxynitrite, potentially oxidize the REDOX site of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, and thus reduce the activity of NMDA receptor.
Can act as a potent antioxidant to protect mitochondrial lipids and proteins, and has been shown to protect mitochondrial function from oxidative damage and promote the generation of new mitochondria and neurons;
PQQ also has significant effects on memory retention and dementia prevention.
5. detoxify
Japanese scientists have found that PQQ can speed up the oxidation of acetaldehyde into acetic acid to reduce the content of acetaldehyde in the body, which is expected to reduce the toxic damage caused by drinking alcohol to the liver.
Scholars have found that oral PQQ can effectively reduce the levels of blood lead, brain lead and liver lead, and will not cause the loss of beneficial metal elements zinc and copper in the body.
6. antiphlogosis
PQQ has antioxidant properties that can help neutralize harmful free radicals and prevent cell damage and inflammation.
Studies have shown that supplementation with PQQ significantly reduced many inflammatory markers after just three days.
7. Improve reproductive function
PQQ can improve reproductive function of animals, inhibit ovarian aging caused by aging, regulate follicle maturation and ovulation environment, lack of PQQ may lead to abnormal reproductive ability.
8. Beneficial for cardiovascular health
PQQ can inhibit the production of ROS and the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential in cardiomyocytes, thus reducing the death of cardiomyocytes.
Thus protect the heart, prevent myocardial ischemia and myocardial infarction.
9. Liver protection
PQQ protects the liver against liver damage induced by alcohol and carbon tetrachloride and liver fibrosis induced by TAA.
10. Activate longevity gene
According to the authoritative journals “journal of cell science” and “PNAS”, PQQ can activate two longevity-related genes SIRT1 and SIRT3.
PQQ certification in China
In China, on March 1, 2022, the National Health and Construction Commission issued document No. 1, announcing that PQQ is a new food raw material, and its production process is a chemical synthesis method, which can be applied to the beverage field, and its safety has been recognized.
In fact, in terms of process, many enterprises in China use microbial fermentation synthesis to produce PQQ, and the fermentation process of PQQ has a long history, and has recognized abroad.
On February 2, 2023, the National Health Commission issued a new PQQ acceptance announcement, which is the first new food raw materials to accepted in 2023, and the PQQ production process declared this time is microbial fermentation method, which has passed the technical review.
PQQ certification in foreign markets
In recent years, with the deepening of awareness, PQQ has achieved the most comprehensive efficacy certification, and the United States and the European Union have listed it as a high safety dietary supplement.
United States: PQQ has received GRAS certification from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and can used as an ingredient in food such as energy drinks, sports drinks, electrolyte drinks and bottled water;
In 2009, the United States first approved the first PQQ dietary supplement, because PQQ is slightly soluble in water, the supplement ingredient is PQQ sodium salt (PQQ-2NA +).
EU: On 13 August 2018, the European Commission (ESFA) issued Regulation (EU) 2018/1122 authorizing pyrroloquinoline quinone sodium salt as a novel food.
In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the Commission has amended the annex to the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 to apply pyrroloquinoline quinone sodium salts to dietary supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC, targeted at adults but excluding pregnant and lactating women. The maximum dosage of pyrroloquinoline quinone sodium salt is 20mg/ day.
In 2012, Health Canada (HC) approved PQQ as a natural health food.
Japan: In 2013, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) recognized PQQ as a non-drug category in the food and drug classification.
PQQ application
At present, the common PQQ supplement products on the market mainly aimed at brain health, sleep aid, energy supplement, oral beauty, pregnancy aid, etc., and often used in combination with coenzyme Q10, GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), sea buckthorn, ginkgo biloba extract, phosphatidylserine (PS) and other raw materials.
PQQ has achieved the most comprehensive efficacy certification and widely used as a dietary supplement or food in many countries and regions around the world.
From the current application market distribution of PQQ, more or concentrated in overseas markets, often used in energy drinks, sports drinks, electrolyte drinks, nutritional supplements and so on.
There are few products on the market in China, mostly in the form of solid drinks, and the end products usually add other functional ingredients in addition to the main components of PQQ to make small doses of drinking products.
As a new raw material, PQQ has recognized for its positive role in nutrition and health.
Because of its powerful function, high safety and good stability, it has broad development prospects in the field of functional food.
