What is PQQ?
Pyrroloquinolinequinone disodium salt, referred to as PQQ, chemical formula C14H6N2O8, is a new prosthetic group with similar physiological functions to vitamins, widely exists in prokaryotes, plants and mammals, but the content is extremely low, such as fermented soybean or natto, milk , eggs, spinach, green peppers, kiwi fruit, parsley, tea leaves, papaya, spinach, celery, breast milk, etc. Among them, natto has the highest PQQ content in common foods, about 61ng/g; and the breast milk with the highest PQQ content found so far is only 140-180ng/ml. Animal studies have shown that lack of PQQ can hinder growth, impair immunity, cause reproductive and metabolic problems, etc. Therefore, 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.
In 1979, American scientists discovered PQQ by using X-ray crystal diffraction technology, and PQQ became the third oxidoreductase discovered after nicotinamide nucleotides (NAD+ and NADP+) and flavin nucleotides (FAD and FMN) coenzymes. The biological functions of PQQ are mainly concentrated in two aspects. It 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; Brain health, cardiovascular health, and metabolic function health all have powerful effects, mainly helping physical recovery and anti-fatigue. Therefore, the world's medical circles call it "the fourteenth vitamin" and "the king of immunity", and it is known as the "super vitamin" in the United States. A small amount of PQQ can improve the metabolism and growth function of organism tissues.
PQQ Functions:
1. Improve mitochondria: PQQ helps to optimize energy production, and has a powerful function of supplementing mitochondrial energy and mitophagy; at the same time, it can stimulate the biosynthesis of mitochondria, increase the number of synthesis, enhance the function, and then improve the utilization rate of mitochondria. In 2013, researchers at the Nutrition Center of the University of California gave 10 people (5 men and 5 men each) PQQ supplements and tested their effects 76 hours later. Through blood and urine tests, the fresh mitochondria in the cells of the experimental group taking PQQ increased About 163%.
2. The king of immunity: PQQ is the most powerful biologically active substance discovered, which can stimulate the growth of lymphocytes such as B cells and T cells in the human body, make them produce antibodies, and thus comprehensively improve the 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 generate a near continuous catalytic cycle to a greater extent, that is, the ability to perform repeated oxidation and reduction reactions. PQQ is capable of 20,000 catalytic conversions, while vitamin C can only provide 4 catalytic conversions, which means that PQQ provides 5,000 times the functional antioxidant protection of vitamin C.
4. Contribute to brain cognition and memory: PQQ can improve neuron damage caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation model, reduce the change of Nissl body content caused by factor D-galactose treatment, inhibit neuron degeneration, and treat β-amyloid The nerve damage caused by protein has a weakening effect and helps to promote the secretion of neurotrophic factors; PQQ can also inhibit the formation of peroxynitrite, a potential oxidative N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor at the same time, it can act as an effective antioxidant to protect mitochondrial lipids and proteins, and has been shown to protect mitochondrial function from oxidative damage, promote new mitochondria and The generation of neurons; in addition, PQQ has obvious effects on memory retention and prevention of dementia.
5. Detoxification: Japanese scientists found that PQQ can speed up the oxidation of acetaldehyde to acetic acid to reduce the content of acetaldehyde in the body, which is expected to reduce the toxic damage to the liver caused by drinking. Chinese scholars have found that oral administration of PQQ can effectively reduce blood lead, brain lead, and liver lead levels without causing the loss of beneficial metal elements zinc and copper in the body.
6. Anti-inflammatory: PQQ has antioxidant properties that can help neutralize harmful free radicals and prevent cell damage and inflammation. Studies have shown that supplementation with PQQ can significantly reduce many markers of inflammation after just three days.
7. Improve reproductive function: PQQ can improve the reproductive function of animals, inhibit ovarian aging caused by increasing age, regulate follicle maturation and ovulation environment, and the lack of PQQ may lead to abnormal reproductive ability.
8. Good for cardiovascular health: PQQ can inhibit the production of ROS in cardiomyocytes and the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, thereby reducing the death of cardiomyocytes. Thereby protecting the heart, preventing myocardial ischemia and myocardial infarction.
9. Liver protection: PQQ can protect the liver against alcohol and carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage and TAA-induced liver fibrosis.
10. Activate longevity genes: Authoritative journals "journal of cell science" and "PNAS" published articles that PQQ can activate two longevity-related genes, SIRT1 and SIRT3.
Regulations about PQQ at USA, Canda, EU and Japan
In recent years, with the continuous deepening of cognition, 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 obtained GRAS certification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and can be used as a raw material for food such as energy drinks, sports drinks, electrolyte drinks, and bottled water; in 2009, the United States approved the first PQQ dietary supplement for the first time , since PQQ is slightly soluble in water, the supplement ingredient is PQQ sodium salt (PQQ-2Na+).
European Union: On August 13, 2018, the European Commission (ESFA) issued Regulation (EU) 2018/1122, approving pyrroloquinoline quinone sodium salt as a new type of food. Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the European Commission amended the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 to use pyrroloquinoline quinone sodium salt for dietary supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC, The target group is adults, but excluding pregnant women and lactating women, the maximum dosage of pyrroloquinoline quinone sodium salt is 20mg/day.
Canada: In 2012, Health Canada (HC) approved PQQ as a natural health food.
Japan: In 2013, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) identified PQQ as a non-drug category in the classification of food and drugs.
Application in the health care market
The common PQQ supplement products currently on the market are mainly aimed at brain health, sleep aid, energy supplement, oral beauty, pregnancy assistance, etc., often combined with coenzyme Q10, GABA (aminobutyric acid), ginkgo biloba extract, phosphatidylserine (PS ) and other raw materials are used together.
