The Quirky Antioxidant that is Quercetin!
Quercetin is a bioflavonoid found in many fruits and vegetables, with the highest levels in apples and onions!
Like many other bioflavonoids, quercetin is an antioxidant with several other special properties, including neuroactiveâit has some of the same abilities as caffeine but is less potent.
Although a quite expensive ingredient, quercetin can occasionally be found in fat-burning formulas because it interacts with other ingredients. Quercetin is said to help increase the absorption of green tea extract, showing marked performance improvements when combined with caffeine as well.
Research has shown quercetin increased bioavailability and decreased methylation of green tea polyphenols and had a direct effect on fat gain when high-fat diets are consumed with animals.
It also can have benefits for people struggling with inflammation. An 8-week study of 50 women with rheumatoid arthritis found that participants who took 500mg of quercetin saw a reduction in stiffness and pain in the mornings, as well as after activity. They also had reduced inflammation markers, compared with those who took a placebo.
Quercetin's anti-inflammatory properties have had potential links to helping alleviate symptoms for allergy sufferers. Tests in labs and on animals have found quercetin may block enzymes involved in inflammation and suppress inflammation-promoting chemicals like histamine. One study showed quercetin suppressed peanut-related anaphylactic reactions in mice - but that's not to say you should take it and try it, it's just a preliminary scientific study.
Several studies have also seen promising results of quercetin for reducing blood pressure. One review of 9 human studies found that taking more than 500mg in a supplement per day reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 5.8mm Hg and 2.6mm Hg respectively.
References:
- Hoek-van den Hil, E., van Schothorst, E., van der Stelt, I., Swarts, H., Venema, D., Sailer, M., Vervoort, J., Hollman, P., Rietjens, I. and Keijer, J., 2014. Quercetin decreases high-fat diet induced body weight gain and accumulation of hepatic and circulating lipids in mice. Genes & Nutrition, 9(5), p.418.
- Wang, P., Heber, D. and Henning, S., 2012. Quercetin increased bioavailability and decreased methylation of green tea polyphenols in vitro and in vivo. Food & Function, 3(6), p.635.
- Javadi, F., Ahmadzadeh, A., Eghtesadi, S., Aryaeian, N., Zabihiyeganeh, M., Rahimi Foroushani, A. and Jazayeri, S. (2017). The Effect of Quercetin on Inflammatory Factors and Clinical Symptoms in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, [online] 36(1), pp.9â15. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2016.1140093.
- Shishehbor, F., Behroo, L., Ghafouriyan Broujerdnia, M., Namjoyan, F. and Latifi, S.-M. (2010). Quercetin effectively quells peanut-induced anaphylactic reactions in the peanut sensitized rats. Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, [online] 9(1), pp.27â34. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20548131/.
- âSerban, M., Sahebkar, A., Zanchetti, A., Mikhailidis, D.P., Howard, G., Antal, D., Andrica, F., Ahmed, A., Aronow, W.S., Muntner, P., Lip, G.Y.H., Graham, I., Wong, N., Rysz, J. and Banach, M. (2016). Effects of Quercetin on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and MetaâAnalysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of the American Heart Association, [online] 5(7). doi: https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.115.002713.
