Health Hotline Magazine | April 2022

WHAT IS QUERCETIN, ANYWAYS? Quercetin is a potent antioxidant belonging to a group of plant nutrients called flavonoids, widely found in fruits and vegetables. Studies show that the ingestion of flavonoids reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty- liver disease, and certain types of cancer. Food sources of quercetin include capers (the highest food source), apple skins, green vegetables, such as lettuce and kale, blueberries, onions, citrus fruits, red grapes, green tea, and red wine. Our bodies cannot make quercetin, so we must obtain it from food or supplements. But food sources alone cannot supply optimal amounts of this powerful antioxidant—to achieve a dose of 500 mg, you’d have to eat 5 ½ cups of red onion or 28 cups of blueberries every day. With supplementation, you can obtain 500 mg with just one capsule. Typical doses in studies evaluating quercetin’s e ectiveness range between 500 mg and 1,000 mg/day.

Quercetin can also make your heart do a happy dance. Studies have shown it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure and decreasing total and LDL cholesterol levels. It’s even been suggested to be a key component in the cardiovascular-protective element of eating the Mediterranean diet, which is associated with a decrease of cardiovascular diseases on the whole. In a double-blind, placebo- controlled study, 93 overweight or obese subjects aged 25–65 with metabolic syndrome were randomly selected to receive 150 mg of quercetin or a placebo for six weeks. In contrast to the placebo group, quercetin decreased systolic blood pressure in all subgroups, including hypertensive subjects, and in the subgroup of younger A CARDIOVASCULAR CHAMPION

adults aged 25–50 years. Quercetin also significantly decreased plasma concentrations of LDL cholesterol in the overweight subjects with high CVD risk factors. Quercetin combats CVD in another key way. Atherosclerosis is the disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of cholesterol plaques on their inner walls, thereby causing obstruction of blood flow. In a study examining aortic samples with atherosclerotic disease, when quercetin was applied to the a ected samples, the flavonoid specifically accumulated in the injured aorta. These observations suggest that quercetin exerts anti-atherosclerotic activities, including the inhibition of foam cell formation in the aorta, which is known to progress to atherosclerosis. Quercetin is one of a handful of nutrients that has the unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and support brain function; it scavenges free radicals, combats inflammation, supports mitochondrial function and health, and reduces amyloid plaque formation, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Several in vitro human and animal studies show the neuroprotective e ects of quercetin and its ability to delay brain aging. It protects the brain from the neurotoxic e ect of chemicals, neuronal injury, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. It also protects brain cells by stimulating cellular defenses against oxidative stress and reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the hippocampus—a complex brain structure involved in learning and memory. With its plethora of whole-body benefits, adding quercetin to your supplement routine might just be one of the best things you can do for your health span. A NO-BRAINER FOR HEALTHY BRAIN AGING

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