As a flavonoid, quercetin is a naturally occurring plant based phytochemical.
In nature, the purpose of quercetin is to give color to the plant that it is in.
Many of the plants that have quercetin in them are actually items that are regularly ingested by humans.
This includes onions, red wine, berries, different types of tea and apples.
Eating any of these items which are rich in quercetin will result in the flavonoid entering this body.
It is something that is beneficial for your health, but much of the consumed quercetin is broken down by the body before it has too much of a chance to do any good.
As a result, quercetin supplements are available for people who want to absorb a greater amount of this helpful flavonoid.
Available in pill form, quercetin dietary supplements can be taken in capsules or tablets.
The pills are available in dosage sizes from 100 mg at the smallest and 500 mg at the largest.
Additionally, some alternative medicine practitioners can administer quercetin in liquid form via an IV.
The properties of quercetin which make it beneficial for your health include antioxidant properties, antihistamine properties and anti-inflammatory properties.
Use of quercetin supplements has been linked to a variety of positive health benefits.
In diabetes patients, use of quercetin improved insulin levels and reduced the blood glucose level.
It has also shown promise in treating cardiovascular problems in diabetes patients.
Quercetin also works to inhibit LDL cholesterol oxidation, which is a factor in heart disease.
Other positive results with cardiovascular problems include lowering blood pressure and protecting against heart attacks and strokes.
People with high levels of stress and inflammation can also benefit from taking quercetin supplements.
Some studies with arthritis suffers concluded that quercetin decreased joint pain as a result of decreased inflammation.
Similar studies point to an improvement in lung function from sufferers of asthma and other respiratory problems.
The antihistamine properties of the flavonoid also cause a decrease in allergy symptoms, especially with hay fever.
Numerous studies have focused on quercetin and its effect on cancer cells.
In those studies, researchers were able to conclude that quercetin is effecting at inhibiting cancer cell growth in certain types of cancers and in preventing free radical damage.
Cancer risk is reduced with the use of quercetin supplements for prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer and gastric cancer.
Quercetin supplements also have uses other than treating various ailments.
In fact, some athletes take quercetin supplements as a way to increase endurance.
This is because a side effect of quercetin is an increase in energy levels.
The flavonoid can also be used as a means of enhancing athletic performance.
Not all of the above mentioned studies have been conducted using humans.
Some were done on rats and others were done in test tubes.
As a result, no definitive studies on the benefits of taking quercetin supplements have been conducted at this time.
If you are considering taking quercetin dietary supplements, it is advisable to consult with your doctor for advice.