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Quercetin: Health Benefits and Uses

Quercetin is one of those compounds that are currently making waves for promoting great health. There are many benefits that have been attributed to it. Some even say people have been using it for thousands of years for these benefits.

In this article, we discuss some of the reasons why many people are developing interest in quercetin. Is this something you will find beneficial for boosting your health? Read on to learn how it may help.

What is Quercetin?

It is in order to say a little about quercetin before delving into the different benefits that it supposedly offers.

This is a potent antioxidant. It is a member of a class of water-soluble substances found in plants and known as flavonoids. These compounds are plant pigments that are responsible for the colors of many fruits and vegetables.

Quercetin ranks among the most plentiful antioxidants present in the human diet. Some source says it is the most widely consumed flavonoid by humans. It is the secret behind a number of the so-called “superfoods,” including green tea and red wine.

More people are now aware of the amazing benefits antioxidants, including this one, offer to health. This compound gets rid of free radicals, thereby helping to promote good health. It inhibits oxidation of different molecules.

Quercetin supposedly exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-allergic effects. These properties explain why many benefits are attributed to it. We highlight some of these benefits with supporting evidence in the subsequent sections.

Fights Allergies

One of the most popular benefits of this flavonoid is its ability to control allergies. There is evidence suggesting that it produces anti-histamine effects, meaning it offers potential for dealing with allergy symptoms.

Quercetin inhibits immune cells from producing histamines, which are substances responsible for allergic reactions.

It impedes activation of mast cells, which release histamines and other molecules, by regulating the how much calcium gets into them.

Research shows that the compound is useful for inhibiting up-regulation of histamine H1 receptor, making it beneficial to people with allergic hay fever.

Controls Inflammation

Inflammation is a major contributor to health issues that many people experience these days, including cancer and heart disease. While the body needs it, serious problems can result when it becomes chronic.

Flavonoids, generally, are known for their ability to fight inflammation, being antioxidants. There are reports of people using quercetin to deal with conditions that have links to inflammation.

Research shows that the compound can reduce the amount of cytokines that promote inflammation. It inhibits the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) that plays a role in systemic inflammation. It also suppresses prostaglandin production.

Relieves Pain

Seeing how quercetin helps to fight inflammation, it is not surprising learning that it can help deal with pain sensation. It has been found to be helpful for dealing with pain associated with some disorders, including arthritis.

It has been observed that it helps to check increase in synoviocytes and activation of neutrophils. These effects make it potentially helpful to people with arthritis, with evidence showing it improves symptoms in a little as 2-3 days.

Improvement has been reported in people having infection-induced bladder pains after taking the flavonoid as well.

Boosts Brain Functions

It is also said that quercetin can be useful for enhancing mental functions. It mainly does this by helping to deal with issues that may produce adverse effects.

We already mentioned how it can help to fight inflammation. This is a major way by which it can protect your brain. Molecules that encourage inflammations can lead to a variety of disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. This flavonoid helps to inhibit such.

It enhances the activity of superoxide dismutase while reducing malondialdehyde levels. This shields your brain from toxicity due to D-galactose.

Evidence from mice studies suggests that it may reverse cognitive decline. It could also be beneficial for guarding against side effects from certain medications for brain disorders.

Improves Heart Health

If you are concern about your blood pressure, you may rely on quercetin to help keep it at a healthy level. Researchers have found that regular supplementation can be beneficial for improving blood lipid profiles and regulating blood pressure.

It was observed in a study that daily use led to reduction in systolic blood pressure. It is especially beneficial to people exposed to significant oxidative stress, including smokers.

Quercetin may help to lower cholesterol levels. Observation reveals that people who maintain a diet rich in flavonoids, such as this one, are at a lower risk of hypertension.

Studies show that these compounds are useful for guarding against plaque buildup within arteries, lowering risk of heart attack and stroke.

Promotes Good Vision

A number of studies also hint that this flavonoid may be helpful in protecting the eyes and ensuring clear vision. For instance, researchers found that it reduced effects of high levels of aldose reductase (AR) on the eyes in a study.

AR is an enzyme present in lens cells. It catalyzes conversion of glucose to sorbitol. Individuals with high blood sugar issues tend to have elevated levels of it, making them susceptible to eye issues.

Little wonder it was found that quercetin improved lens clarity in animal studies.

The compound shields the eye from inflammation. It protects against cataracts by acting on different pathways critical to optimal lens function.

Boosts Endurance and Exercise Performance

It turns out quercetin may also be helpful to people engaged in sports and other physically demanding activities. This has to do with its effect on the circulatory system.

It helps to ensure that blood vessels are in good shape. This boosts transportation of nutrients and oxygen to muscles and joints. The result is improvement in physical performance and endurance.

A group of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology reported significant improvement in endurance exercise capacity and performance from use.

Daily intake of two 500mg doses was found to improve endurance in just seven days.

Slows Aging

People who are interested in slowing their aging clock may also benefit on the basis of available evidence. The flavonoid could help to promote youthful appearance and fight age-related disorders. A number of animal studies show its potential for anti-aging.

Researchers found that it improves physical functions in mice. It increases glutathione and help to fight oxidative stress.

Studies show that quercetin helps to improve ability to fight stress while also increasing lifespan of worms.

In a recently published study, Mayo Clinic researchers also found that a combination of the flavonoid and the chemotherapy drug dasatinib helped to extend the lifespan of aging mice. The treatment not only made them live longer, but also to enjoy good health.

Flavonoids like this can help to protect against dermatitis or skin inflammation. They can also help protect against photosensitivity and other disorders, thereby helping to maintain a glowing, youthful skin.

Shields Your Liver

It is known that quercetin helps to improve the production of glutathione. This makes it beneficial for promoting liver health. Glutathione is involved in the detoxification process.

In addition, the flavonoid also neutralizes what comes out of lipid peroxidation. You can find it useful for guarding against liver toxicity from acetaminophen use as well.

Cirrhotic rats with cell necrosis and fibrosis showed improvement after being treated with it for a period of about three weeks in a 2003 study.

Its liver-protective ability was further displayed in a study which involved feeding rats with an aflatoxin-rich diet. It helped to suppress resulting oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in the livers of the animals.

In another research, mice with liver damage caused by diet showed reduction in DNA and enzyme damage along with lower inflammation and lipid peroxidation when given quercetin.

Inhibits Cancer Cells

Quercetin may help to both prevent and treat cancer. Actually, researchers have known for some time that flavonoids can be useful for guarding against the dreaded disease.

As mentioned earlier, this compound blocks the expression of TNF-a, which usually encourages growth and proliferation of tumor cells. It thus may lower your risk of cancer by bringing down levels of this pro-inflammatory cytokine.

Researchers found that mice with low TNF-a levels were more resistant to skin cancer.

The flavonoid may promote apoptosis (cell death) in cancer patients. It does this in different ways. In the case of colon cancer, it was found to produce effect on the NF-kB pathway. It blocks the expression of the COX-2 enzyme responsible for production of prostanoids, including prostaglandins.

Researchers were able to use the compound to induce apoptosis of human gastric carcinoma BGC-823 cells in a study that appeared in the journal Toxicology in Vitro in 2012.

Another way it may help is by controlling symptoms of chemotherapy. Scientists observed in a 2014 study that quercetin supplement reduced fatigue due to chemotherapy in mice.

What is the Right Dosage of Quercetin?

The amount of this flavonoid antioxidant to take will usually depend on what purpose you have in mind. There is no standard recommended daily intake amount. Relevant health organizations, including the FDA, haven’t established best doses.

Some experts recommend determining the right dose on the basis of your weight, per kilogram. But the problem here is that you may take too much if you adopt this approach.

Available evidence suggests that taking 500 mg two times a day will work for most adults. Of course, you can also consult your doctor for guidance.

There is a suggestion that you can enhance absorption by taking glucose with it.

Best Natural Sources

You can get this flavonoid from most foods of plant origin. But among the best sources are sweet fruits, considering how glucose boosts the ability of your body to absorb it.

The amount of quercetin you get in each food offering it also depends on a variety of factors. Among these are area of cultivation and method of preparation.

The following are some of the foods you can include in your diet to get the compound:

Red wine
Green tea
Elderberries
Apples
Cranberries
Spinach
Kale
Raw red onion
Blueberries
Black tea
Green tea
Raw asparagus
Peppers
Broccoli
Garlic
Capers

You can also get it from herbs such as St. John’s Wort, ginkgo biloba, sage, and parsley.

Of the foods listed above, elderberries and red onions offer the most amount of quercetin.

Is Quercetin Safe?

Being a natural substance, quercetin is safe to use. It comes with little or no side effects.

But you want to make sure it is compatible with your state of health and medications you may be taking. It is crucial not to use it in excessive doses as well.

Possible side effects from use include headaches, heartburn and tingling sensation in arms and feet. It may also cause nerve and kidney damage, although very rarely.

The flavonoid increases homocysteine levels. This may mean greater risk of heart attack or stroke and makes it all the more important to watch how you use it.

Quercetin may interact with blood thinners, such as Warfarin, as well as antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs. It could cause corticosteroids to remain for longer in your body as well.

There are still other medications that may interact with the substance. This is why it makes sense to speak with your doctor before use.

Final Thoughts

Practically all studies done to back the benefits of quercetin were carried out using animals. This is no doubt a reason health governing bodies have not so much bothered about establishing recommended daily dosage.

But this does not mean that animal studies are not reliable. Research into most health-promoting compounds usually starts that way.

Besides the studies, there are also reports of people experiencing the benefits discussed here after increasing their intake of the flavonoid.

There are also supplements you may take if you are not sure you are getting sufficient amount from your diet. Foods actually offer the best sources, except that the quantity you get may be too low to meet the requirement for some conditions.

Be sure to speak with your doctor when considering supplementation.

Medical Editor: Robert Simpson