Table of Contents
introduction
The antioxidant Quercetin is sometimes called the ‘Head or Master Flavonoid’, some people have also said it is one of the best natural antihistamines on the market if true this could be one the key benefits of Quercetin.
One of the benefits of Quercetin is that it can, allegedly, stabilize mast cells and reduce inflammation. A Mast cell serves the same general functions in the body and central nervous system, such as effecting or regulating allergic responses, innate and adapted immunity, autoimmunity and inflammation.
what is quercetin?
Quercetin, very similar to Fisetin, is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols.
It’s one of the most abundant antioxidants in the diet, one of the benefits of Quercetin is that it plays an important role in helping your body combat the free radical damage that has been linked to some chronic diseases.
benefits of quercetin as an antioxidant
Antioxidants are compounds that can bind to and neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that may cause cellular damage when their levels become too high.
Damage caused by free radicals has been linked to numerous chronic conditions, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
In addition, its antioxidant properties may help reduce:
- blood pressure
- inflammation
- allergy symptoms
food sources of quercetin
One of the benefits of Quercetin is that it can be found in many common foods, such as:
- Onions
- Apples
- Grapes
- Berries
- Broccoli
- Citrus fruits
- Cherries
- Green tea, and thankfully coffee and red wine
benefits of quercetin for inflammation
Free radicals may do more than simply damage your cells. Research shows that high levels of free radicals may help activate genes that promote inflammation, ergo high levels of free radicals may lead to an increased inflammatory response.
While a little inflammation is necessary to help your body heal and fight infections, persistent inflammation is linked to health problems, including certain cancers, as well as heart and kidney disease.
One of the benefits of Quercetin is that in test-tube studies, it reduced markers of inflammation in human cells, including the molecules Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNFα) and Interleukin 6, both of these are a pro-inflammatory cytokines.
benefits of quercetin for rheumatoid arthritis
An 8-week study of 50 women with rheumatoid arthritis observed that participants who took 500mg of quercetin a day experienced a significant reduction in:
- Early morning stiffness
- Morning pain
- And after-activity pain
So, another one of the benefits of Quercetin is that it also reduced markers of inflammation, such as TNFα, compared to those who received a placebo.
While these findings are promising, more human research is needed to fully understand the compound’s potential anti-inflammatory properties.
benefits of quercetin for allergies
Quercetin’s potential anti-inflammatory properties may also provide allergy symptom relief. Test-tube and animal studies found that it may block enzymes involved in inflammation and suppress inflammation-promoting chemicals, such as histamine.
For example, one study showed that taking quercetin supplements suppressed peanut-related anaphylactic reactions in mice.
Still, it’s unclear whether the compound has the same effect on allergies in humans, so more research is needed before it can be recommended as an alternative treatment.
Cancer
Quercetin may have anti-cancer effects because it has certain antioxidant properties.
In a review of test-tube and animal studies, quercetin was found to suppress cell growth and induce cell death in prostate cancer cells.
Other benefits of Quercetin; it showed that in test-tube and animal studies that the compound had similar effects in liver, lung, breast, bladder, blood, colon, ovarian, lymphoid and adrenal cancer cells.
Again, although these findings are promising, many more human studies are needed before quercetin can be recommended as an alternative treatment for cancer.
brain disorders
Quercetin may lower your risk of chronic brain disorders. Research suggests that quercetin’s antioxidant properties may help protect against degenerative brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
In one study, mice with Alzheimer’s disease received quercetin injections every 2 days for 3 months. By the end of the study, the injections had reversed several markers of Alzheimer’s, and the mice performed much better during learning tests.
In another study, a quercetin rich diet reduced the markers of Alzheimer’s disease and improved brain function in mice at the early to middle stage of the condition. However, the diet had little to no effect on animals with middle to late-stage Alzheimer’s.
Coffee is a popular beverage that has been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Again, research shows that quercetin, not caffeine, is the primary compound in coffee that’s responsible for its potential protective effects against this illness.
Although these findings are promising, more research in humans is needed.
blood pressure
Quercetin may also reduce blood pressure; high blood pressure affects 1 in 3 American adults. It raises your risk of heart disease and is the leading cause of death in the United States.
When mice with high blood pressure were given quercetin daily for 5 weeks, their systolic and diastolic blood pressure values decreased by an average of 18% and 23%, respectively.
Other benefits of Quercetin; a review of 9 human studies into 580 people found that taking more than 500mg of quercetin a day in supplement form, reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 5.8 and 2.6, respectively.
Although these findings are promising, more human studies are needed to determine whether the compound could be an alternative therapy for treating high blood pressure.
dosages
You can purchase quercetin as a dietary supplement, typical dosages range from 500 to 1,000 mg per day.
Unfortunately, on its own, quercetin has a low bioavailability, which means your body absorbs it poorly, which is why supplements may include other compounds, such as vitamin C or a digestive enzymes like bromelain, as they may increase absorption.
Additionally, some research indicates that quercetin has a synergistic effect when quercetin is combined with other flavonoid supplements, such as resveratrol or Genistein.
side effects
One of the benefits of Quercetin is that it is found naturally in many fruits and vegetables and so is generally considered safe to consume as a supplement, with little to no side effects.
In some instances, taking more than 1,000 mg of quercetin per day may cause mild symptoms like headaches, stomach aches and/or or tingling sensations.
When consumed in food, quercetin is safe for pregnant and woman who are breastfeeding.
However, studies on the safety of quercetin as a supplement are few, so you should avoid taking quercetin supplements if you’re pregnant or nursing.
As with any supplement, consult your healthcare provider before taking quercetin, as it can interact with some medications, including antibiotics and blood pressure medications.
links to quercetin products
There are many suppliers that will advertise the benefits of quercetin, below are links to suppliers that I consider to be reputable. If you order from these suppliers, they will also give you a 10% to 15% discount if you use the code ‘MYNMN‘ at the checkout:
conclusion
To take full advantage of all the benefits of quercetin, I take a high periodic dose for three days a month as opposed to a daily maintenance dose, to find out the reasons why click on this link.
Unfortunately, I had to close the comments’ section on the Blog because of spammers, more than fifty a day!
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section of this video.