Ingredient Evidence Review
PQQ (Dihydrogen-PQQ)
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (reduced form)
Last updated 2026-05-19 · 3 primary citations
Mechanism
PQQ is a small molecule that signals your cells to grow new mitochondria — the cellular power plants that decline with age. The most recent human trial showed it specifically increased brain oxygen levels and improved memory testing in adults already experiencing cognitive decline.
Why we use it
Longevity's brain-energy strategy. While Lion's Mane addresses brain-cell growth, PQQ addresses brain-cell fuel. The Karaca / Saigusa 2024 trial is one of the most mechanistically interesting recent findings — it moved cognitive scores in elderly adults at this dose in just 6 weeks.
How we dose it
Hericea uses 20 mg per serving (per AM stick pack). The clinical trial range that anchors this dose is 10–40 mg/day.
20 mg of PQQ in its reduced form — the version your body can use directly. The 2024 clinical trial in older adults with memory complaints used this exact dose.
Quality & sourcing
Reduced-form PQQ (Dihydrogen-PQQ); Alpha Hope or equivalent.
Reduced-form PQQ; not oxidized PQQ.
Primary literature
Saigusa H et al. (2024)
J Nutr Health AgingRCT · 34 people · 6 weeks · Elderly with mild cognitive impairment
PQQ 20 mg/day for 6 weeks improved cognitive test scores and increased brain oxygen levels in elderly adults with memory complaints.
Direct human evidence at exactly our dose. The 55+ memory-complaint cohort that Longevity targets.
PMID 38908296
Nakano M et al. (2016)
Adv Exp Med BiolRCT · 41 people · 12 weeks
PQQ 20 mg/day for 12 weeks improved attention and cognitive control in healthy elderly.
Earlier confirmation that PQQ benefits show up in healthy adults, not only impaired ones.
PMID 26782228
Chowanadisai W et al. (2010)
J Biol ChemMechanism
PQQ stimulated growth of new mitochondria in mammalian cells.
The mechanism paper — explains why PQQ does anything: it tells your cells to build more power plants.