Quercetin Can Guard Against Metabolic Syndrome, Fatty Liver, and Abdominal Fat

A new animal study with quercetin shows that it can have a profound influence on metabolism to help prevent adverse cardiovascular changes, buildup of fat in the liver, and an expanding waistline in response to eating a high fat diet.

Scientists put rats on a high fat diet and observed the precise metabolic changes that were taking place that lead to metabolic syndrome - the same types of adverse changes that are taking place in millions of Americans every day.  These changes include inflammatory alterations in the structure of the cardiovascular system, congestion and inflammation in the liver and heart, and a progressively expanding waistline. 

After inducing this problem in rats for eight weeks some were put on quercetin for the next eight weeks while others continued on their path to disease.  Quercetin reduced the abdominal fat, lowered the blood pressure, and reduced inflammatory damage in the liver and heart.

Quercetin is the most common flavonoid in fresh fruit.  It is especially high in apples and onions, which have about 50 mgs of quercetin.  A variety of supplement products contain quercetin as part of their formulation; one 500 mg capsule of quercetin is a common dose.

Quercetin is best known as a natural, non drowsy antihistamine, but it also possesses general antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  This study adds to the emerging body of knowledge regarding quercetin’s ability to help metabolism, especially in people struggling with weight problems.  For more in-depth information, I explained this extensive science in my article, Quercetin: A Rising Star for Nerves, Immunity, and Metabolism.