Intervention
PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone)
Mechanism, regulatory status, and an honest, tiered evidence map.
○ Human lifespan evidence: none (animal/preclinical or mechanism only)
What it is
Class: Claimed mitochondrial-biogenesis cofactor
Also known as: pyrroloquinoline quinone, methoxatin
Relationship to mitochondrial health: PQQ is a redox cofactor marketed as promoting mitochondrial biogenesis (via PGC-1α signalling in preclinical work). The human evidence for a biogenesis or aging benefit is thin.
Regulatory status
Sold as a dietary supplement; not an approved drug and not approved for any anti-aging indication. Marketing claims of 'mitochondrial biogenesis' outrun the human data.
Mechanism
Preclinical work suggests PGC-1α-linked biogenesis effects; human data are limited to small biomarker studies and do not establish a functional or aging benefit. See /mitochondrial-biogenesis.
Evidence — Preclinical / thin human
| Species / population | Cell and rodent studies; a few small human biomarker studies. |
| Exposure, route, schedule | Oral PQQ (commonly 20 mg/day in supplement studies). |
| Comparator / duration | Small, heterogeneous; mostly not powered or replicated. |
| Endpoint / numeric result | Preclinical PGC-1α/biogenesis signals; small, inconsistent human biomarker changes (e.g. inflammatory or oxidative markers). |
| What it did NOT establish | No qualifying human RCT for a functional or aging outcome; no lifespan evidence. |
Negative or null findings
- Human evidence is too thin and inconsistent to support a mitochondrial-biogenesis or healthy-aging claim.
- No lifespan or hard clinical-outcome data.