Medium-Term Intake of Dihydrogen and Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Affects Brain Metabolism and Cognition in Elderly With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Objectives: Molecular hydrogen (H2) and pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) have been suggested to activate metabolic pathways associated with cognition. No human studies have assessed the efficacy of this nutritional combination in the clinical context of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The primary objective of this randomized placebo-controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a six-week supplementation regimen involving H2 and PQQ on brain metabolism and cognition in elderly individuals diagnosed with MCI. Methods: The eligibility criteria for participant inclusion in the trial included individuals aged 65 years and older with MCI. The experimental group received a daily dosage of a H2-PQQ mixture (Alpha Hope®, CalerieLife, Irvine, CA), containing PQQ (20 mg) and H2-producing elemental magnesium (80 mg). The placebo group received an equivalent amount of non-H2 producing magnesium. General cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog). Cerebral oxygenation levels in the prefrontal cortex were monitored using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, while the brain levels of total choline, total creatine, and N-acetyl aspartate were determined using 1.5 T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results: Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned, received the designated treatment, and were analyzed for the primary outcome. A significant interaction effect (time vs. treatment) was observed for ADAS-Cog scores in the orientation domain (P ¼ 0.03), indicating that the H2-PQQ combination outperformed the placebo in improving this aspect of cognition. Cerebral oxygen saturation exhibited a significant increase in the H2-PQQ group, rising from 48.4 7.2% at baseline to 52.8 6.6% at the 3-month follow-up (P ¼ 0.005). Brain N-acetyl aspartate significantly increased at seven out of thirteen locations in the H2-PQQ group at post-administration (P 0.05). Conclusions: Six-week supplementation of H2 and PQQ appears to mitigate cognitive decline in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment. This effect is possibly due to their positive impact on cerebral hemodynamics and brain metabolism. Funding Sources: The Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research (# 142-451-2597/2021-01) and CalerieLife, Irvine, CA.

Study details

Article type

Conference Abstract

Disease / injury model

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Duration

6 weeks

Dose-dependent effect

No

Outcome

Positive

Findings

Six-week supplementation of H2 and PQQ improved orientation domain of cognition (ADAS-Cog), increased cerebral oxygen saturation, and increased brain N-acetyl aspartate in elderly with mild cognitive impairment compared to placebo.