PQQ, or pyrroloquinoline quinone, is a powerful antioxidant and nootropic that works on the mitochondrial level to benefit your brain cell function, energy levels, and longevity. It also has anti-inflammatory effects, which are good for the whole body.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of PQQ

Inflammation is a regular occurrence in the body. It is a natural immune response to help defend you against potentially harmful invaders, like germs and infections. While acute inflammation is normal, chronic inflammation can have negative long-term consequences on your health. This is where using anti-inflammatory substances, such as PQQ, may be especially helpful.

PQQ is thought to fight inflammation through interactions with cell signaling pathways as well as mitochondrial function and biogenesis. It’s known to have strong antioxidant activity, which can in turn help lower inflammation in the body. 

Animal and Lab Research

The ability of PQQ to target inflammation, and prevent resulting damage, has been researched in a variety of studies. 

In a 2020 animal study, researchers found that PQQ supplementation significantly reduced inflammation and adverse intestinal changes resulting from E.coli among broiler chickens. PQQ appeared to work through a mechanism of regulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes. It offered dramatic protective effects against inflammation damage and oxidative stress among the animals. 

Some research suggests a potential application for PQQ among individuals with painful inflammatory arthritic conditions. For example, in a 2016 in vitro study researchers induced cells with inflammation and then examined the effects of giving PQQ to one group of cells on levels of proinflammatory cytokines. PQQ reduced the production of these inflammatory compounds. 

The researchers then continued on to test the effects of PQQ on two groups of mice with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), one of which was given a PQQ injection. They found that, after 45 days, the PQQ mice showed significant protection against inflammatory damage. 

PQQ has also proven beneficial for osteoarthritis, a major cause of joint pain among older people. In a 2015 study, researchers tested the effects of PQQ on inflammation in cartilage cells induced with the effects of osteoarthritis. The group of cells that did not receive PQQ experienced increased amounts of enzymes that degrade collagen, suggesting that PQQ supplementation has a protective effect on cartilage. They observed similar results when this test was done using rats who underwent surgery to induce osteoarthritis. 

In a 2014 study, researchers found that giving PQQ to mice resulted in significantly less damaging brain inflammation compared to the control group. PQQ was also found to have anti-inflammatory benefits to offspring of pregnant and lactating mother mice in another study. 

More recently, in a 2020 in vitro study, researchers found that PQQ had a protective effect against inflammation specifically in the brain. Brain inflammation is commonly seen in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, and has associations with mitochondrial dysfunction. In this study, the authors observed that PQQ could enhance autophagy in cells mimicking Parkinson’s disease, suggesting that this compound could have future therapeutic potential in similar neurodegenerative diseases. 

Human Research on PQQ and Inflammation

While there are numerous studies on PQQ and inflammation using cellular and animal models, research involving human participants is still emerging. Still, the available data for PQQ in humans is promising. 

In a small 2013 study, researchers found that 10 people given a daily supplement of PQQ experienced a substantial reduction in the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. 

PQQ may be just the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound your cells need. Adding PQQ to your lifestyle, such as via CalerieHealth™ Alpha Hope, can be one simple way that you reduce inflammation in your body and brain.