By The Oak Age Research Team. Reviewed against primary clinical literature indexed on PubMed and the NIH National Library of Medicine. The Oak Age is an Indian longevity supplement company that publishes evidence-referenced health education.
Published 21 September 2026. Last updated 22 September 2026.
A CoQ10 and PQQ combo is hard to justify for most adults. No human trial shows the pair works better than CoQ10 alone, and the only two direct comparisons, one in rats and one in cells, found no added benefit. CoQ10 on its own carries the stronger evidence.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a fat-soluble nutrient that carries electrons inside your mitochondria, the tiny power plants in every cell, so they can make energy. PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is a small compound found in trace amounts in foods such as natto, green tea and kiwi, and in lab studies it switches on genes linked to building new mitochondria.
Put side by side, the pitch sounds lovely: one fuels the power plants you already have, the other builds more. Here is what the research shows when you look closely, and what we suggest doing with your money instead.
Key takeaways
• No human trial has tested CoQ10 plus PQQ against either one alone (our search of PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov, September 2026).
• The two direct comparisons, in rats (2008) and in liver cancer cells (2023), found the combination no better than the stronger single compound on most measures.
• When PQQ was tested in 23 men for six weeks, a marker of new mitochondria rose, yet fitness improved no more than with placebo.
• CoQ10 alone may ease fatigue a little, mostly in people with long-term health conditions. The evidence is moderate (SORT grade B).
• Tired after 40? Anaemia, thyroid problems and poor sleep are common in India and worth checking before you buy any energy supplement.
What is a CoQ10 and PQQ combo supposed to do?
A CoQ10 and PQQ combo is sold on the idea that two different jobs add up to more energy.
• CoQ10's job: it sits in the inner membrane of each mitochondrion and passes electrons along the chain of proteins that makes ATP, the energy currency your cells spend. Organs that burn the most energy, like the heart, liver and kidneys, hold the most CoQ10.
• PQQ's job (in the lab): in a 2010 study at the University of California, Davis, mouse liver cells bathed in PQQ for 24 to 48 hours made more mitochondria (Chowanadisai 2010). PQQ worked by switching on CREB, a protein that turns genes on, which then raised PGC-1α, the master switch for building new mitochondria.
Both mechanisms are real. The catch is that the PQQ finding came from cells in a dish, and a mechanism in a dish is only the first step. The combo pitch places two sound mechanisms next to each other and assumes they add up. For a person taking a capsule, that assumption has never been tested.
Why are CoQ10 and PQQ combos so popular?
CoQ10 and PQQ combos are popular because the story is simple and the gap in evidence is invisible on a label.
• The mechanism sounds complete. "Fuel plus more power plants" is easy to picture, and most shoppers never see the rat study behind the claim.
• Labels hide the ratio. A "mitochondrial complex, 500 mg" blend can hold very little of either ingredient.
• The PQQ premium is real. [ADD: Oak Age price check, e.g. "Across N CoQ10 + PQQ products on Amazon.in on DD Month 2026, the median monthly cost was ₹X, against ₹Y for CoQ10 alone at the same CoQ10 dose."]
"Clinical" often means rats. [ADD: Oak Age review, e.g. "Of the top N Google.co.in results for 'CoQ10 PQQ combo' on DD Month 2026, X cited clinical evidence for the combination, and Y of those traced back to the 2008 rat study."]
Has any study tested CoQ10 and PQQ together against each one alone?
Two studies have compared the combination with each compound alone, and neither involved people.
What did the rat study on CoQ10 and PQQ find?
In 2008, Kei Ohwada and colleagues at the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo fed rats PQQ, CoQ10 or both, then tested their learning in a water maze (Ohwada 2008).
• The abstract states that the combination "resulted in no significant improvement in the learning ability compared with the supplementation of PQQ alone."
• Early in the test, PQQ-fed rats learned faster than CoQ10-fed rats. By the end, all three groups had improved to a similar level.
• After 48 hours of high-oxygen stress, rats on the combined diet recovered memory markedly better. That is a genuine finding, and it applies to rats under an artificial stress test.
What did the cell study on CoQ10 and PQQ find?
In 2023, researchers at Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University in Turkey treated HepG2 liver cancer cells with PQQ, CoQ10 or both (Nalbant and Eroğlu 2023).
• Both compounds raised PGC-1α. Neither raised NRF-1, a partner gene needed for new mitochondria.
• Each compound alone raised NFκB, an inflammation-related gene, more than the combination did.
• On the anti-cancer measures the authors examined, they concluded CoQ10 was most effective "alone rather than the combined use."
Has a human trial compared the combo with CoQ10 alone?
No. Our search of PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov in September 2026 found no human trial comparing a CoQ10 and PQQ combination with either ingredient on its own. Any product claiming the pair is "clinically proven" to work better together is leaning on the mechanism or on the rat study above.
What happened when PQQ was tested on mitochondria in people?
The closest human test of PQQ's headline promise found a change in a lab marker and no change in fitness.
In a randomised, placebo-controlled trial, 23 untrained men took 20 mg of PQQ a day or a placebo for six weeks while following the same endurance training plan (Hwang 2020).
• The marker moved: PGC-1α protein in muscle rose more in the PQQ group than with placebo.
• The result you would feel stayed level: peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak, a standard measure of aerobic fitness) improved equally in both groups, with no difference in aerobic performance or body composition.
• Evidence strength: one small, short trial in young men, so SORT grade B.
On safety, a 2024 review of human PQQ studies found no toxicity or genotoxicity signals, and described early trials on memory, fatigue and mood that were small and short (Current Research in Food Science 2024). PQQ looks safe in the short term. What it still lacks is a human benefit you would notice.
How strong is the evidence for CoQ10 on its own?
CoQ10 alone has more human evidence than PQQ, and it is still modest.
• Fatigue (SORT B): a 2022 meta-analysis of 13 randomised trials with 1,126 people found CoQ10 may reduce fatigue scores a little compared with placebo (Hedges' g −0.40, a small to moderate effect size) (Tsai 2022). Results varied a lot between trials (I² 69.5%, where anything above 50% signals high inconsistency). In the three trials of healthy people, the benefit did not reach significance. Most of the effect came from people with conditions such as fibromyalgia. Trials used 60 to 500 mg a day, and higher doses and longer courses linked to larger effects.
• Tolerability: the same review recorded one stomach-related side effect among 602 people taking CoQ10.
• Exercise (SORT B): a 2025 review of 24 studies found CoQ10 reliably raises blood levels, while effects on exercise performance were small and inconsistent (Deng 2025).
• Statin users (SORT B): a 2018 meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials with 1,776 people found statins lower blood CoQ10, though the size of the drop varied widely between trials (I² 98%) (Qu 2018). We cover what the trials on statin-related muscle symptoms found separately.
How well CoQ10 absorbs matters as much as the dose. We explain why the delivery system matters more than ubiquinone vs ubiquinol and the best time of day to take CoQ10.
CoQ10 and PQQ evidence at a glance
Claim | Best evidence so far | Evidence strength (SORT) | What it means for you |
CoQ10 eases fatigue | Meta-analysis of 13 RCTs, high inconsistency (I² 69.5%) | B | May help a little, mainly with long-term conditions |
CoQ10 improves exercise performance | Meta-analysis of 24 studies | B | Unlikely to change your fitness noticeably |
PQQ builds new mitochondria | Cell and rodent studies; one small human RCT measuring a marker | C | Shown in the lab; no felt benefit in people yet |
PQQ improves fitness | One RCT, 23 men, 6 weeks | B | No difference from placebo |
CoQ10 + PQQ beats either alone | One rat study, one cell study | C | Unproven in people |
PQQ is safe short term | Review of small human studies | B | Reassuring so far |
SORT grades: A = consistent, good-quality human evidence; B = limited or inconsistent human evidence; C = lab, animal or expert-opinion evidence.
Is PQQ allowed in India?
Yes. PQQ can be sold in India, and it entered through a different regulatory route from CoQ10.
• CoQ10 is named in the schedules of India's Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals…) Regulations, 2016.
• PQQ was cleared under the Food Safety and Standards (Approval for Non-Specified Food and Food Ingredients) Regulations, 2017. FSSAI's approvals list dated 2 May 2024 records it under application 67/Std/PA/FSSAI/2023 (FSSAI 2024).
• Abroad, PQQ disodium salt has US FDA GRAS notices (GRN 590) and a European novel food safety assessment (EFSA).
Most PQQ on Indian shelves is imported. If you do buy it, ask for a batch certificate of analysis.
Feeling tired after 40? What should you check first?
Common, treatable causes of tiredness are far more likely to explain low energy than a missing supplement. Ask your doctor about these first:
1. Blood count and ferritin. India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019 to 2021) found anaemia in 57% of women and 25% of men aged 15 to 49 (PIB 2022).
Thyroid function (TSH). A study across eight Indian cities found hypothyroidism in about 1 in 10 adults, many of whom did not know they had it (Unnikrishnan 2013).
Vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Your doctor can tell you whether these tests make sense for you.
Sleep quality. Loud snoring or waking unrefreshed is worth raising with your doctor, since sleep apnoea often causes daytime tiredness.
Your medicines. Statins lower blood CoQ10, so if you take one, ask your doctor whether CoQ10 is worth considering.
The foundations. Enough protein, regular strength training and consistent sleep are the base to build on. Read more about what drains cellular energy after 40 and whether supplements are worth the money in India.
Who should talk to a doctor before taking CoQ10?
Speak to your doctor before starting CoQ10 if any of these apply:
• You take warfarin or another blood thinner. Early case reports described CoQ10 weakening warfarin's effect. A small randomised trial later found no significant change in warfarin needs (Engelsen 2002). With mixed evidence, your doctor should decide and may check your INR.
• You take statins, blood pressure or diabetes medicines.
• You are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning surgery.
PQQ has even less interaction data, and less data is a reason for more caution.
So, is a CoQ10 and PQQ combo worth it?
For most people, no. The combination has never been tested against its parts in humans. The rat and cell studies that did compare them found no added benefit, and PQQ's one human mitochondria trial showed no fitness gain. If you want support for cellular energy, start by ruling out anaemia, thyroid problems and poor sleep. After that, a well-absorbed CoQ10 on its own is the better-evidenced choice, and the money you save on PQQ can go toward good food.
CoQ10 and PQQ: frequently asked questions
Published safety reviews have not flagged a problem with taking them together, and they work through separate routes. What hasn't been shown is that taking both gives you more benefit than CoQ10 alone. Check with your doctor first if you take blood thinners, statins, or blood pressure or diabetes medicines.
On current evidence, PQQ is a speculative purchase. It looks safe in the short term, and it raised a mitochondrial marker in one small human trial. Fitness in that trial improved no more than with placebo, and no human study has shown a benefit you would notice day to day.
PQQ has only been shown to raise a marker linked to new mitochondria in humans. In a 2020 trial of 23 men taking 20 mg a day for six weeks, PGC-1α protein in muscle rose more than with placebo, yet aerobic fitness improved equally in both groups. Full evidence of new mitochondria that improve how you feel comes from cells and animals so far.
CoQ10 may ease fatigue a little, mainly in people with long-term health conditions, and trials in healthy adults did not show a clear benefit. Checking for anaemia, thyroid problems and sleep issues first is more likely to explain low energy. If you then try CoQ10, choose a well-absorbed form and take it with a meal containing some fat.
CoQ10 should be taken with a meal that contains some fat, because it dissolves in fat and absorbs better that way. PQQ dissolves in water, so food probably matters less, though this hasn't been studied well.
CoQ10 should be, because it is fat soluble and absorbs considerably better alongside a meal containing fat. PQQ is water soluble, so its absorption depends less on what you eat with it. This is a practical formulation issue rather than a clinical one, and it is one reason combination capsules are trickier to get right than single-ingredient products.
Yes. FSSAI approved PQQ as a non-specified food ingredient, and it appears on the approvals list dated May 2024. Most PQQ sold in India is imported, so ask for a batch certificate of analysis before buying.
Sources
Chowanadisai W, et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis through cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation and increased PGC-1α expression. J Biol Chem. 2010;285(1):142-152. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19861415/
Ohwada K, et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) prevents cognitive deficit caused by oxidative stress in rats. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2008;42(1):29-34. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18231627/
Nalbant MA, Eroğlu O. Effects of PQQ and coenzyme Q10 on mitochondrial genes, mitomiRs and cellular properties in HepG2 cell line. Cell Mol Biol. 2023;69(4):60-69. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37329547/
Hwang PS, et al. Effects of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) supplementation on aerobic exercise performance and indices of mitochondrial biogenesis in untrained men. J Am Coll Nutr. 2020;39(6). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31860387/
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ): its impact on human health and potential benefits. Curr Res Food Sci. 2024;9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39513102/
Tsai IC, et al. Effectiveness of coenzyme Q10 supplementation for reducing fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:883251. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9449413/
Deng H, et al. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation increases blood concentrations but shows limited and inconsistent effects on exercise performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41457257/
Qu H, et al. The effect of statin treatment on circulating coenzyme Q10 concentrations: an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Med Res. 2018;23:57. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40001-018-0353-6
Engelsen J, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 and Ginkgo biloba on warfarin dosage in stable, long-term warfarin treated outpatients. Thromb Haemost. 2002. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12083489/
Unnikrishnan AG, et al. Prevalence of hypothyroidism in adults: an epidemiological study in eight cities of India. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23961480/
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Anaemia Mukt Bharat (NFHS-5 anaemia data). Press Information Bureau, 2022. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1795421
FSSAI. List of applications approved under the FSS (Approval for Non-Specified Food and Food Ingredients) Regulations, 2017. 2 May 2024. https://fssai.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Status%20of%20applications%20under%20FSS%20NSF%2002052024.pdf
US FDA. GRAS Notice 000590: Pyrroloquinoline quinone. https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/GRAS-Notice-000590--Pyrroloquinoline-quinone.pdf
EFSA. Safety of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt as a novel food. EFSA Journal.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7010138/
Disclosure and disclaimer
The Oak Age sells CoQ10 and other supplements discussed in this article, and sells no PQQ product. Everything above is drawn from published evidence rather than sponsorship, and we have said plainly where the evidence runs out, including for our own category.
The Oak Age is an Indian company selling longevity supplements. You can reach us through our contact page, and read our privacy policy, terms of service and return and refund policy. Batch certificates of analysis for our products are available on our lab reports page.
The information on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your supplement routine. Statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
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