Quercetin (kwur’-si-tin) is a naturally occurring anti-oxidant in red wine, red apples, green tea, and broccoli.
s?The average person consumes 25 to 50 mg of quercetin a day. In this double-blind study, 20 cyclists took 1,000 mg of quercetin a day or placebo for five weeks.
Three weeks into the study, the athletes rode a bicycle 3 hours a day for 3 days to the point of exhaustion; 45% who took a placebo reported illness following the extreme exercise. But only 5% of the quercetin group reported any days of sickness. There was no evidence of side effects.
The researchers concluded that quercetin worked only after the cyclists were stressed. Vitamin C was given with the quercetin to help absorption.
This research was funded by the US Department of Defense, which is seeking ways to maintain the immune systems of troops undergoing the physical and cognitive stresses of combat.
2/10/07 10:00 JR