The flavonoid compound quercetin offers unique anti-aging properties that can help to prevent healthy cells from aging while promoting senescence is harmful cancer cells.
Quercetin comes from a group of phytonutrients that give fruits and vegetables those vibrant colours and are known for being potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidants that exert modulating effects on the immune system. It is abundant in the human diet, on average people consume 10-100 mg of quercetin every day from food sources, which is good for health. The antioxidant properties can help to neutralize free radicals that play roles in chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
This flavonoid can also be sourced as a dietary supplement which typically contain 500-1000 mg of quercetin, but it is best to obtain it directly from food sources to boost intake of this beneficial compound. Some of the best food sources include black tea, blueberries, asparagus, broccoli, cherries, citrus fruits, cranberries, green peppers, green tea, raspberries, red onions, shallots, yellow peppers, white onions, red grapes, kale, red leaf lettuce, and red apples.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help to prevent heart disease, protect against neuron loss, enhance cognitive functions, and benefits of biological activity also help to delay or prevent cellular aging and induce death in cancer cells.
It has also shown potential for reducing inflammation caused by senescent cells, and preventing healthy cells from entering senescence by encouraging their normal cell behavior and slowing down cell aging processes. It induces cell senescence in abnormal cells and cancer cells as well as inhibits their proliferation. Combined with tocotrienols they are most formidable against cancer cells.
Anti-aging benefits are not limited to preventing senescence, according to a study published in Experimental Gerontology it can also help to rejuvenate senescent cells; treatment with quercetin/quercetin caprylate was found to promote physiological alterations to aging cells that extended lifespan and promoted enhanced survival and viability.
