Quercetin Supplements - Benefits of Quercetin

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Poster's note: One person said he " used it to successfully treat

sinusitis "

 

Quercetin Supplements - Benefits of Quercetin

_http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/quercetin.htm?nl=1_

(http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/quercetin.htm?nl=1)

 

 

What Is Quercetin?

 

Quercetin is a chemical found naturally in a number of foods (including

apples, onions, teas, berries, and red wine) and in some herbs (such as

ginkgo biloba and St. John's wort.

 

 

Quercetin acts as an antioxidant, which means it scavenges free radicals

(chemical by-products known to harm cell membranes and damage DNA).

Available as a dietary supplement, quercetin also possesses antihistamine and

anti-inflammatory properties.

 

 

Uses for Quercetin

 

 

Health claims for quercetin include treatment and/or prevention of the

following health problems:

 

_allergies_

(http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsatod/a/allergies.htm) cancer

cardiovascular disease inflammation _colds_

(http://altmedicine.about.com/od/treatmentsfromatod/a/colds_flu.htm) _flu_

(http://altmedicine.about.com/od/coldsandflu/a/fluremedy.htm)

 

 

Benefits of Quercetin

 

 

 

Here's a look at the science behind quercetin health's effects.

 

 

1) Allergy Relief

 

Quercetin is thought to prevent the release of histamine from certain

immune cells. (An inflammatory chemical, histamine is involved in allergic

symptoms such as sneezing and itching.)

 

Although lab experiments suggest that quercetin may help fight allergies,

a 2002 report cautions that " there are no good clinical research data on

the use of quercetin " for patients with allergic rhinitis.

 

 

2) _High Blood Pressure_

(http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsek/a/Hypertension.htm)

 

In a 2007 study of 41 adults, researchers found that taking 730 mg of

quercetin daily for 28 days reduced blood pressure in people with hypertension.

However, blood pressure was not altered in study members with

prehypertension (a condition marked by slightly elevated blood pressure).

 

 

3) Athletic Endurance

 

Quercetin may be no better than a placebo when it comes to enhancing

athletic performance, according to a 2009 study of 30 healthy men. For the

study, some participants consumed a sports drink containing 250 mg of quercetin

four times a day for up to 16 days, while a placebo group drank the same

beverage without quercetin. Results showed that the short-term quercetin

supplementation failed to improve cycling performance and the ability of muscles

to synthesize energy.

 

 

4) Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

 

Findings from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

indicate that use of quercetin supplements may improve symptoms in most men

with

chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The study involved 30 men with prostatitis, a

condition that involves inflammation of the prostate gland.

 

 

Quercetin and Cancer

 

Studies on cell cultures have shown that quercetin may help slow the

growth of some types of cancer cells. What's more, some animal-based research

indicates that quercetin may protect against certain types of cancer (such as

colon cancer). However, since there is currently a lack of human studies

on quercetin's cancer-fighting effects, it's too soon to tell whether

quercetin might play a significant role in cancer prevention.

 

For now, the American Cancer Society states that it is " reasonable to

include foods that contain quercetin as part of a balanced diet with an

emphasis on fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. "

 

 

Quercetin and Bromelain

 

When taking quercetin in supplement form, it may be beneficial to choose a

product that also contains papain and/or bromelain (plant-derived enzymes

shown to increase the intestine's absorption of quercetin).

 

 

Sources:

 

Cureton KJ, Tomporowski PD, Singhal A, Pasley JD, Bigelman KA, Lambourne

K, Trilk JL, McCully KK, Arnaud MJ, Zhao Q. " Dietary quercetin

supplementation is not ergogenic in untrained men. " J Appl Physiol. 2009

Oct;107(4):1095-104.

 

Edwards RL, Lyon T, Litwin SE, Rabovsky A, Symons JD, Jalili T. " Quercetin

reduces blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. " J Nutr. 2007

137(11):2405-11.

 

Jaber R. " Respiratory and allergic diseases: from upper respiratory tract

infections to asthma. " Prim Care. 2002 29(2):231-61.

 

Lee E, Choi EJ, Cheong H, Kim YR, Ryu SY, Kim KM. " Anti-allergic actions

of the leaves of Castanea crenata and isolation of an active component

responsible for the inhibition of mast cell degranulation. " Arch Pharm Res.

1999

22(3):320-3.

 

Shoskes DA, Zeitlin SI, Shahed A, Rajfer J. " Quercetin in men with

category III chronic prostatitis: a preliminary prospective, double-blind,

placebo-controlled trial. " Urology. 1999 54(6):960-3.