How To Keep Pqq From Giving Insomnia

Contents

The Science of PQQ
Wellness Benefits of PQQ
- Reduction in LDL-C and Improved Heart Wellness
- PQQ and Mitochondria
- How PQQ Fabricated Me Feel
- Improved focus
- Improved mood
- Sustained energy
- PQQ and Exercise
- PQQ and Ubiquinol
PQQ Side Effects
Endmost thoughts

Part of my chore here at Gene Food is playing guinea pig with new supplements. As I'd yet to try the much heraldedpyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), I figured it was past time to give this ostensible mitochondria booster a go.

Because PQQ is a potent supplement it is offered in low doses, hence my rather modest 10mg experiments.

I first took PQQ aslope 1,000 mg of vitamin C. The Tesla supplement alongside the equus caballus and buggy supplement, why not?

After taking a solar day off after the get-go dose, I took my 2d dose of PQQ with 200mg of Ubiquinol equally information technology is supposed to better PQQ bioavailability. Since those initial experiments, I almost never take PQQ because I never know how it's going to hitting me and I noticed diminishing returns the more I took.

With my get-go dose, I felt an bear upon right away with the energy boosts lasting for an entire solar day. However, equally I will talk over, my business organisation is that PQQ may cause drops in free energy in the days after supplementing for some people. In a few cases, I did find an "afternoon lull" when taking PQQ. After a few hours of significant free energy benefits, I'd hit a valley for a few hours where I almost wanted to take a nap, but the episodes pass and I usually close out the day on a high note. Interestingly, a girlfriend of mine took a dose of PQQ and it instantly calmed her and put her to sleep.

Earlier I delve more into my experience, some groundwork on PQQ.

The Science of PQQ

PQQ is all the rage in the functional health world as a mitochondrial enhancer. Even so, PQQ is also a new supplement and we don't have any real data on how it affects people long term, and then I've brought in the heavy guns, AKA Aaron, to assistance breakup the scientific discipline on PQQ.

Put simply, PQQ is a redox cofactor… which isn't particularly helpful I know, and so let me elaborate.

Let's pause that statement down some; redox is the shorthand for reduction-oxidation, these counterbalanced reactions involve the reduction of one (or many) molecule and the oxidation of another.

Importantly, these reactions besides involve the swapping of electrons between molecules, which y'all can read as a means of transferring energy.

These reactions are absolutely fundamental to life. Think photosynthesis which involves the reduction of carbon dioxide into sugars in plants (essentially transferring free energy from the sun to the plant), and the reactions which occur inside our mitochondria to generate energy by breaking down these sugars (transferring energy from the plant to us). I won't go into much detail most these reactions as they are rather long and complex containing many dissimilar steps, with each 1 of these steps driven by a particular enzyme.

Enzymes function to speed up or facilitate natural reactions and they oft require a cofactor to role. Cofactors are pocket-sized molecules, ofttimes metal ions, but sometimes more circuitous structures which interact with an enzyme and allow information technology to function optimally. Historically, there were thought to be merely 2 redox cofactors, flavin (from riboflavin or vitamin B2) and nicotinamide which are both used by our mitochondria to generate energy.

PQQ is a novel third redox cofactor which is plant in foods similar kiwi fruit, green tea, green peppers and herbs such equally parsley, and the fermented soy production nattō.¹

It is unclear whether nosotros can synthesize PQQ ourselves, with some suggesting that nosotros source information technology solely from our diet, others arguing that is produced by bacteria living in our gut and still others claiming nosotros produce a depression level ourselves.

Health Benefits of PQQ

Every bit John alluded to, the current data surrounding the use of PQQ in humans is rather express, with just two published clinical trials.² ³

Reduction in LDL-C and Improved Heart Health

Both these studies utilized a PQQ disodium salt (sold as BioPQQ) at a dose of 20 mg/day (pretty big dose). In the first written report the authors written report on a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, while in the latter they report on improved cognitive office.

As mentioned in this post on phospholipids and curcumin, elevated TMAO has been linked to center disease, with a New England Journal of Medicine Study finding that both L-carnitine and lecithins are metabolized by our gut bacteria into TMAO.⁴

In a tiny study of 5 men and five women, PQQ supplementation caused a reduction in a number of different inflammatory markers, including TMAO:

PQQ supplementation resulted in significant decreases in the levels of plasma C-reactive protein, IL-vi and urinary methylated amines such as trimethylamine Northward-oxide, and changes in urinary metabolites consistent with enhanced mitochondria-related functions. The data are amidst the get-go to link systemic effects of PQQ in animals to corresponding effects in humans.

Given its role equally a redox cofactor, and that we know how free energy intensive powering the brain is, we tin hypothesize that PQQ is achieving this past stimulating mitochondrial action, still in that location are no human studies confirming this upshot.

PQQ and Mitochondria

In that location is however a paper which did demonstrate a positive effect on mitochondrial efficiency in broiler chickens of all things.⁵

It's therefore difficult to determine a science grade for PQQ, given its promising results, only lack of human evidence, a rating of half dozen, feels advisable. However, this is definitely 1 to watch equally numerous studies are likely underway which may result in an improved rating.

I'll hand dorsum over to John now so he can report on how he felt well-nigh supplementing.

How PQQ Made Me Feel

The first time I took it, information technology took nigh 45 minutes for me to feel the effect of PQQ, which was pleasant. The main difference I noticed was in the quality of my focus.

Improved focus

I felt a stronger, more than sustained focus, and a greater interest in the task I was involved with while I was doing it. As I was in line for some white tea at a local coffee shop, the words "sledgehammer focus" came to listen. For the sake of this web log post, let'south say that sledgehammer focus is the ability to drop weight behind your work and get later a task with sustained quality.

For a multi tasker similar myself, i of the hallmarks of my less productive days is reduced focus. I become on my phone, start checking email, and bam, I am out of deep piece of work way and sprinting on the digital hamster wheel: social media to electronic mail, back to the NY Times, Venmo, Instagram.

You go the idea.

On my best days, I am able to practise the deep work I desire to do and stay there to stop off the details with a Bhagavad Gita, Karma Yogesque detachment (your right is to activity lone, never its fruits). Creativity was enhanced, focus was enhanced, and I would say there was an almost "happy hallucination" like effect as well.

Improved mood

PQQ is too supposed to better mood. I noticed a subtle, but tangible uptick in mood and outlook the first fourth dimension I took PQQ. Equally I continued to experiment with PQQ, especially during the times I took a ubiquinol and PQQ blend (which has only been on a couple occasions) the mood boost was fifty-fifty more tangible and lasted into the next mean solar day.

Sustained energy

On the days I took PQQ, I felt a noticeable and significant uptick in energy levels.

PQQ and Do

I have mixed emotions when it comes to mitochondrial enhancing supplements and exercise. On the i manus, information technology'south nice to get a heave of energy that tin lead to amend performance. On the other hand, sometimes the "pop" that these supplements give is too much and I'd prefer to be working out without the help of a stimulant. PQQ gives me an energy heave for an entire day, admitting with an occasional afternoon lull, just I did find that doing a workout after having taken PQQ was a flake much, I almost felt too energized.

PQQ and Ubiquinol

The second time I took PQQ, it was alongside Ubiquinol, which is supposed to increase bioavailability of PQQ, just I felt that the upshot was weaker with the Ubiquinol. All the same, this may take had nada to do with the Ubiquinol as many people have reported diminishing returns the longer they take PQQ. The consensus is that it needs to be cycled. And as I mention above, when I took ubiquinol and PQQ at later times, I did observe a strong event.

PQQ Side Furnishings

Equally I mentioned at the get-go of the post, both days I took PQQ, I must say that I felt amazing, yet, subsequently the second dose I noticed an afternoon energy crash.

Fifty-fifty Joe Cohen at Cocky Hacked, which is a well researched, albeit very pro supplement blog, has suggested cycling PQQ, that it is not for everyday employ.

Give-and-take boards on Dave Asprey's PQQ production Unfair Reward, mention decreased efficacy the longer PQQ is taken. A personal trainer friend of mine noticed chest pains after taking PQQ.

Endmost thoughts

As Aaron pointed out, we don't have the full mechanism nevertheless backside PQQ, and there take been very little in the way of human studies. Evidence of cardiovascular benefits are peculiarly exciting to me, so I will keep experimenting in small doses, even though I may ultimately shelve PQQ if it causes energy troughs as it seems to later initial uses.

I don't recollect this is an everyday supplement for most people.

With the rising of importance of serum TMAO levels as a marker for middle illness, I'd be fascinated to see a study that looked at the levels of TMAO in those taking PQQ vs. a placebo group.