Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid, popularly used as a nutritional supplement . Clinical studies reveal that it holds many anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties and thus is known to have a vast range of health benefits.

When experimented with mice, it was found that quercetin increased energy expenditure in them, but for short intervals only. Thus it came to be deduced that exercise tolerance in mice for affected by quercetin as it lead to increased mitochondrial biogenesis.

Health Benefits :

In vitro researches reveal that quercetin shows high amount of anti-inflammatory activity by stopping the manufacturing of histamine and other allergic or inflammatory inducing mediators in the body. Similar studies have revealed quercertin showing significant antitumor activity as well. When treated with a dosage of quercetin, cultured and prostate cancer cells reflected high levels of mortality. With the use of quercetin in the wands, ultrasound is seen to promotes topical absorption by up to 1,000 times.

Recent studies have supported that quercetin may help men with chronic prostatitis , and both men and women with interstitial cystitis , possibly because of its action as a mast cell inhibitor .

Quercetin intake has also been found to fight prostatitis , heart ailments, cataract of the eye, allergies , body inflammation and respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma . It is known to have antidepressant properties as well, though their uses in neurological diseases have not been justified.

References :

1. Laura K. Stewart, Jeff L. Soileau, David Ribnicky, Zhong Q. Wang, Ilya Raskin, Alexander Poulev, Martin Majewski, William T. Cefalu, and Thomas W. Gettys (2008). "Quercetin transiently increases energy expenditure but persistently decreases circulating markers of inflammation in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet". Metabolism 57 .  
2. J. Mark Davis, E. Angela Murphy, Martin D. Carmichael, and Ben Davis (2009), "Quercetin increases brain and muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and exercise tolerance", Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 296
3. Phys Ed: Is Quercetin Really a Wonder Sports Supplement? By Gretchen Reynolds. New York Times, October 7, 2009. Review of the research.
4. American Cancer Society, Quercetin

"Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide XI. Appendix C: Health Claims, 21 CFR 101.76 and 21 CFR 101.78, April 2008" . US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration .