QUERCETIN FOR SPORT: WHY NO ATHLETE SHOULD GO WITHOUT IT

Over the years, thousands of sports supplements have been created and marketed to athletes, but more recently compounds found in plants called phytochemicals are showing great potential in exercise performance.

One of these, quercetin, has risen in prominence for its antioxidant and immune-supportive properties in athletes (1). Quercetin comes from the family of flavonoids, which provide many of the colors in fruits and vegetables where they serve as defenders against invading microbes, radiation from the sun, and other environmental dangers (2). Quercetin itself is found in a variety of foods including apples and green tea.

Scientists have long studied flavonoids for their possible health benefits. However, there is a growing realization that single types of flavonoids increase their benefit when mixed with other flavonoids and compounds. When taken together, they may build upon each other, improving absorption, bioavailability, and overall immunity in the body.

Often neglected but important to athletes is the capacity to protect from negative effects on the immune system due to hard training. Athletes who train hard are more prone to stress in muscle from free radicals and impaired immune function (3). Using nutrients and bioactives to aid immune function, or “immunonutrition,” is highly relevant to athletes who wish to avoid time off from training.

In fact, just one heavy training session can lead to physiological stress and significant changes in immunity and elevations in stress hormones (4;5). During this “open window” of impaired immunity, which can last between three and 72 hours, there’s an increased risk of illness and injury (6). Epidemiological and exercise immunology studies already support the viewpoint that heavy exercise workloads increase health risk through altered immune function (4).

A recent study investigated the effects of quercetin supplementation on exercise-induced changes in immune function using 40 trained male cyclists who were randomly placed into two groups: one taking quercetin and the other taking a placebo over a period of three weeks (7). The group that received quercetin significantly bolstered immune support during two weeks after intensified exercise.

Moreover, when quercetin supplementation is combined with other polyphenols and food components such as green tea extract and fish oil, athletes can achieve even greater benefits. Other studies have found that two weeks of quercetin supplementation combined with green tea extract and fish oil caused a sizable reduction in exercise-induced oxidative stress (5;6;8). The research suggests that a combination of healthy eating and supplementation with this quercetin-based cocktail functioned as a safe method for athletes to stay well.

Athletes should not solely rely on supplements to get all their dietary intake of phytochemicals and bioflavonoids. Proper intake of fruits and vegetables not only offers great nutritional variety, but also high levels of bioflavonoids. Look to kale, onions, sweet potato, blueberries, and apples to name a few with flavonoids like quercetin.

References

1. Bischoff SC. Quercetin: potentials in the prevention and therapy of disease. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care 2008;11:733-40.
2. Lila MA. From Beans to Berries and Beyond. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2007;1114:372-80.
3. Williams MH. Sports supplements: quercetin. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal 2011;15:17-20.
4. Nieman DC. Is infection risk linked to exercise workload? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2000;32:S406-S411.
5. Nieman DC, Henson DA, Maxwell KR et al. Effects of quercetin and EGCG on mitochondrial biogenesis and immunity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009;41:1467-75.
6. Nieman DC, Henson DA, Maxwell KR et al. Effects of quercetin and EGCG on mitochondrial biogenesis and immunity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009;41:1467-75.
7. Nieman DC, Henson DA, Gross SJ et al. Quercetin reduces illness but not immune perturbations after intensive exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2007;39:1561.
8. McAnulty SR, Nieman DC, McAnulty LS, Lynch WS, Jin F, Henson DA. Effect of mixed flavonoids, n-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C on oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity before and after intense cycling. International Journal of Sport Nutrition andExercise Metabolism 2011;21:328.

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Sulforaphane and quercetin are natural compounds that help improve cellular health

: David Gutierrez,

Scientists have known for some time that antioxidants including sulforaphane and quercetin are potent substances for protecting cellular health. Now they have discovered a mechanism by which these substances activate a special protective protein, in a study conducted by researchers from the University of Warwick and published in the journal Antioxidants & Redox Signalling.

The findings may lead to the identification or development of new superfoods to help prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, the researchers said.

The findings center on the activity of a protein known as Nrf2, which is consistently moving into and out of the nuclei of human cells in order to monitor their health and vitality. When a cell's health is threatened, Nrf2 begins to oscillate in and out of the cell more rapidly, which appears to stimulate cellular defense mechanisms and lead to an increase in cellular antioxidant levels.

"The way Nrf2 works is very similar to sensors in electronic devices that rely on continual reassessment of their surroundings to provide an appropriate response," lead researcher Paul Thornalley said.

Antioxidants increase sensor's effectiveness

In the new study, researchers found that, under normal circumstances, Nrf2 oscillates in and out of a given cell nucleus at a rate of one oscillation per 129 minutes. When exposed to the antioxidant chemicals sulforaphane and quercetin, Nrf2's oscillation rate increased to 80 minutes per oscillation.

Sulforaphane is an antioxidant found abundantly in broccoli, while quercetin is found in high levels in onions and apples.

The findings suggest that the presence of these antioxidants actually increases the effectiveness of Nrf2, which should in turn make cells more resistant to damage, including oxidative damage.

"The health benefit of Nrf2 oscillating at a fast speed is that surveillance of cell health is increased when most needed, that is, when cells are under threat," Thornalley said. "By understanding how this process works and increasing Nrf2's speed without putting cells under threat, new strategies for design of healthier foods and improved drugs can be devised. Current designs may have selected substances with suboptimal if not poor health benefits in some cases."

The researchers have already used their findings to develop new food supplements, which are currently being tested for their effectiveness at reducing diabetes and heart disease risk.

EU-funded BIOCLAIMS research program coordinator Andreu Palou, who was not involved in the study, said that the findings may help consumers select healthier foods.
http://www.naturalnews.com/046975_sulforaphane_quercetin_cellular_health.html

"A main nutritional challenge in Europe is to substantiate the beneficial effects of foods that are advertised to the consumers," Palou said. "The approach of the group of Prof Thornalley is opening a fascinating new window."

Super-ingredients make superfoods

One of the main drivers of the cellular damage that leads to the effects of aging and to chronic diseases is believed to be oxidative damage by free radical compounds that circulate in the body in response to environmental stress (including exposure to toxins or just normal metabolic processes). By removing these free radicals from the body, antioxidants are believed to reduce the risk of these conditions.

Research has backed this up, linking antioxidant consumption to a lowered risk of heart disease and cancer, and to lower levels of inflammation and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Antioxidants have also been shown to prevent oxidation of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and reduce arterial inflammation.

Quercetin specifically has been linked to lower blood pressure, reduced heart disease risk and protection from the oxidizing effects of cadmium toxicity. Sulforaphane has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, and may help keep immune function from declining with age.

Sources for this article include: 

http://www.alphagalileo.org

http://online.liebertpub.com

http://www.thehealthsite.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

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