Quercetin: A Natural Anti-Cancer Flavonoid You Need to Know About

Watch this video to learn about Quercetin, a flavonoid that has demonstrated incredible anti-cancer actions in clinical studies

 

Continue on to the article below if you would rather read than watch a video.

 

The Remarkable Role of Quercetin in Cancer Treatment

Quercetin is one of the wonderful anti-cancer features

For as long as humans have cared for each other using medicinal herbs, flavonoids have been an indispensable component in healing patients. Today we focus on the wonderful anti-cancer features of a very effective flavonoid called Quercetin. Read this article to understand the numerous anti-cancer actions Quercetin has demonstrated in Clinical studies, the dosages used, which form of Quercetin is the best you can buy, and how Quercetin fits into Standard and Metabolic Cancer Treatments.

 

The Role of Flavonoids in Nutritional Support

 
Flavonoid rich foods and supplements should be in every cancer fighting arsenal

Far too often Cancer Treatment teams fail to guide patients to nutritional and dietary supplements that can help them fight back against the disease. For example, the consumption of flavonoid rich foods and supplements should be in every cancer fighting arsenal. Flavonoids are natural molecules present in human foods and beverages that were utilized since ancient times; unlike synthetic anti-cancer drugs, they do not have dangerous side effects. Numerous studies have shown their strong positive activities in reducing inflammation, modulating immune response, supporting and restoring the normal functions of cells. All of these are critical to beating cancer.

 

Clinical Studies of Quercetin

Today we examine the fantastic benefits of the flavonoid Quercetin. It exerts a wide range of anticancer effects that have been well documented in thousands of studies. The primary dietary sources of Quercetin are fruits and vegetables like apples, citrus fruits, onions, parsley, sage, tea, and olive oil. It is important to eat nutrient rich foods, particularly when fighting cancer, but to get the maximum benefit from Quercetin’s anticancer capabilities, supplements are used to increase bioavailability. In a moment, we will review dosages that have been shown to deliver benefits.

Now, studies show high levels of Quercetin can deliver a multi-pronged attack on cancer.

For starters, quercetin has been shown to block cancer from completing the cell cycle. Quick biology lesson: cells that divide do so by going through the cell cycle. For normal cells, this is a controlled process, however a common trait of cancer is its accelerated and unchecked cell division rates. Quercetin can block multiple phases of a cancer’s cell cycle preventing it from multiplying, thus helping to slow the growth of the cancer.

Quercetin blocks multiple phases of cancer cell division
 

Here is another problem Quercetin can help solve. Cancer cells have an ability to ignore signals that tell them to self destruct. Our bodies do an amazing job of understanding which cells are unwanted or damaged beyond repair. Most of the time things are working properly, these cells are instructed to terminate and they carry out the orders. This process is called apoptosis.  However, when this command is ignored, it can lead to cancer. There are many complicated mechanisms cancer cells have developed to avoid apoptosis, but Quercetin has an ability to inhibit key proteins that cancer cells use to shield them from normally programmed cell death.

Dr. Thomas Seyfried of Boston University and Dr. Lewis Cantley of Harvard

Quercetin also plays an important role for those implementing a metabolic cancer treatment that aims to starve the disease.

It is a fact that the majority of cancers intake glucose at a much higher rate than normal cells. Top cancer researchers like Dr. Thomas Seyfried of Boston University and Dr. Lewis Cantley of Harvard have put forth evidence that non-toxic treatment approaches like low glucose keto diets, dietary supplements, vitamins and cheap repurposed drugs can be used to block off cancer fuel sources. Quercetin can play a role in an overall  metabolic cancer treatment plan because it has an ability to inhibit a key cancer glucose pipeline called glucose transporter 1.

 

On top of those three major anticancer actions, Quercetin also can 

  • Chemosensitize cancers that are resistant to chemotherapy

  • Protect normal cells from the damaging effects of chemo and radiation therapy

  • Promote an anti-angiogenesis effect that reduces the cancers ability to form new blood vessels that would fuel the tumor

  • Prevent cancer growth by inhibiting cell invasion

  • Reduce the production of heat shock proteins in cancers

 

Again, a library of studies show that quercetin can provide these anticancer effects, many of which are linked in the description of this video. Some of the studies that showed promising results tested quercetin doses that range from 15mg / kg and higher. Quercetin is regarded as very safe with “no clinically important adverse side effects”. For those considering to take high doses, we have a link to a study that showed doses of 5,000 mg per day for a few weeks were well tolerated by adult patients.

 

Ultimately, cancer patients need to work with a knowledgeable Integrative or Naturopathic Care Provider that can evaluate your medical condition  to provide a personalized dosage recommendations. 

 

Also, not all forms of Quercetin provide the same impact. Studies show that Quercetin dihydrate seems to be the form with the best bioavailability; meaning your body can use this form more so than other types. As with any supplement, make sure you source it from a manufacturer that has potency and safety testing conducted by a reputable third party.

 

Medical Advice Disclaimer:
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for information purposes only and was based on the latest research accessible to the author at the time of publication. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regiment, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
 

View other articles about the high dose vitamin C cancer treatment:

Olena Ivanova, MS, FNP-C

Olena has over 10 years of clinical experience including work with Johns Hopkins Hospitals and University of Maryland Medical Center. She supported treating advanced cancer patients with sophisticated therapies that include stem cell transplants and cellular immunotherapy. She also has clinical experience diagnosing and treating patients with a variety of illness and chronic diseases.

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