Quercetin: The Answer to Inflammation and More?

A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Waistline

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Quercetin. Ever heard of it? It was the number one most Googled nutrient in 2021… but why?

As a supplement, claims of its benefits might seem too good to be true.

Quercetin is a flavonoid, which means it’s found naturally in food; in fact, it’s one of the most abundant flavonoids. If you eat onions, apples, grapes, berries, broccoli, citrus fruits, cherries, green tea, coffee, red wine, capers, yellow and green peppers, and cooked asparagus on the regular, you’re getting quercetin! But is it enough? Studies use much higher doses than what we’ll find in our side of broccoli or breakfast berries. For reference, the average daily intake of quercetin absorbed by the body is thought to be about 10mg-100mg. This means supplementation might be the way to go.

So, what are the benefits? Studies on quercetin are limited, and while the research is promising, more is needed to declare anything definitive. Research so far has shown some interesting findings. Quercetin acts like an antioxidant, which helps fight oxidative stress and squander free radicals. Essentially, it helps fight inflammation in our body! I’m guessing this is the reason quercetin was so highly searched last year — this all connects to our immune system. Also related to the immune system, quercetin helps the body transport zinc across the lipid membrane of cells, which can help in aging and supporting a healthy immune system.

Studies have also shown that quercetin reduces markers of inflammation in human cells, including the molecule tumor necrosis factor-alpha. This addresses total systemic inflammation which is, ultimately, the root cause of all symptoms, illness, and disease…not to mention everyday ailments like arthritis and allergies. In an 8-week study with rheumatoid arthritis participants, those who took 500mg of quercetin experienced significantly reduced early morning stiffness and pain. Regarding allergies, animal studies in test tubes showed that quercetin blocked enzymes involved in inflammation as well.

You may hear about quercetin in conversations about cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease treatments. In an animal study done, results found that quercetin suppressed…