Newly identified major benefits for quercetin
BY STEVE BORN
Quercetin (pronounced: KWAIR-ceh-tin) is a compound that naturally occurs in a variety of fruits and vegetables, primarily red onions, apples, peppers, grapes, raspberries, and broccoli. This particular flavonoid has a number of beneficial properties:
1. It is a powerful antioxidant, which is why it’s part of the antioxidant component (vitamins, minerals, auxiliary nutrients) in Premium Insurance Caps.
2. It is a natural antihistamine—helping to inhibit the release of allergy-causing chemicals—which is why it’s a key component in Clear Day.
3. It has potent anti-irritation/soreness properties, which is why it’s in Tissue Rejuvenator and Vegan Tissue Rejuvenator.
Recent research, published earlier this year in Nutrition Reviews, reveals that quercetin has a beneficial role in reducing high blood pressure and optimizing lipid profiles, making it a meaningful nutrient for cardiovascular health.
This latest research—a meta-analysis of 17 different studies—involved nearly 900 participants, many of whom had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. For periods ranging from two to 12 weeks, researchers compared the effects of quercetin supplementation to a placebo or no treatment. In addition to blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels were also measured at the beginning and end of the research period.
The results showed that those participants taking quercetin had a significant reduction in blood pressure—a 3.09 mmHg average reduction in systolic blood pressure (the upper number) and a 2.86 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the lower number). Participants who supplemented with quercetin the longest (8+ weeks) experienced a decrease in triglycerides and an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol.
The researchers concluded:
“The results of this meta-analysis indicate that quercetin has the ability to lower blood pressure without causing any significant adverse effects and may have the ability to significantly reduce triglycerides. Moreover, quercetin consumption significantly increased HDL cholesterol levels in cohorts who consumed quercetin for longer periods (greater than or equal to 8 weeks). Quercetin consumption may be an effective dietary modality to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in humans.”
NOTE: A review of the research showed that quercetin supplementation significantly reduced blood pressure with dosages of greater than 500 mg/day. While there are many quercetin-containing foods, you’d have to eat a TON of them to get any appreciable amounts of quercetin, certainly nowhere near the 500 mg/day amount.
Supplementation with the following Hammer Nutrition supplements will easily get you to that mark:
REFERENCE:
Huang H, Liao D, et al. Effect of quercetin supplementation on plasma lipid profiles, blood pressure, and glucose levels: a systematic review and metaanalysis. Nutrition Reviews. 2020 Jan 6. DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz071.
