Fisetin Lowers Advanced Glycation End Products & Offsets Diabetic Complications

Fisetin is a polyphenol found in small amounts in strawberries and is available as a concentrated and standardized extract for use in dietary supplements.  Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies¹ have demonstrated for the first time that fisetin activates an enzyme (glyoxalase 1) that helps to remove advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which cause tissue damage and accelerated aging. AGEs work by caramelizing/cementing healthy tissues. The higher blood sugar levels of diabetics makes them especially at risk for AGEs damage, as reflected by the HA1C test (which measures AGEs accumulating in red blood cells). It is AGEs, not blood sugar per se, that cause kidney damage, heart damage, and eyesight damage in diabetics leading to the severe health complications associated with their progression of poor health. While fisetin does not regulate blood sugar levels, it does clear out AGEs damage and prevent complications to the kidneys – a major finding of interest to anyone and diabetics in particular.

This animal study used a diabetic mouse model, enabling the researchers to see if fisetin could offset the inevitable damage these mice experience. Fisetin reduced swelling of the kidneys and stopped protein from leaking out of the kidneys and into the urine – two key markers of improved kidney health. The kidney improvement in the fisetin-treated animals was consistent with fewer AGEs measured in their blood, kidneys, and brain. Fisetin also lowered the inflammatory marker CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. . The researchers concluded that fisetin “may have potential therapeutic use for the treatment of diabetic complications.”

Others studies show that fisetin is a powerful protector of your brain and memory. Fisetin has relevance to anyone wishing to slow the aging process. It is quite clear that as AGEs accumulate during the aging process then health deteriorates. This is true for anyone, not just diabetics. One common finding in centenarians is that they do not have insulin resistance and thus have much less production of AGEs. The fact the a supplement of fisetin can help undue AGEs accumulation is really good news.

To reach the human equivalent of the fisetin level in this study with your diet, you’d need to eat 37 strawberries per day. A standardized and concentrated fisetin extract is a lot easier way to go – though I have no objection at all to anyone regularly eating lots of strawberries.