Quercetin
Quercetin is a natural compound found in everyday foods like onions, apples, and capers that your body uses to stay healthy. People take it as a supplement because it's one of the most researched plant compounds in science, with hundreds of studies showing it helps with inflammation, immune function, and even clearing out old, damaged cells that accumulate as you age.
Here's how it works: Your body naturally creates cells that stop dividing and start causing problems—think of them like worn-out workers who won't leave the job and keep getting in everyone's way. Quercetin essentially tells these old cells it's time to die by blocking the survival signals they depend on. It's like cutting off their life support, which forces them into a natural death process. Beyond that, it works like an antioxidant firefighter, putting out the inflammatory fires in your tissues by blocking the signaling pathways your immune system uses when it overreacts. It also directly scavenges harmful free radicals floating around and can even prevent viruses from taking hold. The interesting part is that when you pair it with vitamin C or bromelain (an enzyme from pineapple), your body absorbs it much more efficiently, so you get more benefit from a smaller dose.
Dosage Information
Typical Dose
500-1000 mg daily (general use), 1000 mg twice daily for 3 days (senolytic protocol)
Frequency
Once or twice daily
Administration
Oral capsule, preferably with bromelain for enhanced absorption
Half-Life
11–28 hours
Notes
Senolytic use typically combined with dasatinib under medical supervision. For general antioxidant and immune use, quercetin phytosome or quercetin with bromelain are preferred for improved bioavailability.
Why this matters
Moderate oral half-life allows once or twice daily dosing.
Protocol cycle
Where does Quercetin sit?
See how this peptide compares across all 150 peptides in our database.
Evidence Score
0.65
Compound Data
Molecular Formula
C15H10O7
Molecular Weight
302.23 g/mol
IUPAC Name
2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxychromen-4-one
PubChem CID
5280343Potential Side Effects
Quercetin discussions
Quick Facts
- Administration
- Oral capsule, preferably with bromelain for enhanced absorption
- Typical Dose
- 500-1000 mg daily (general use), 1000 mg twice daily for 3 days (senolytic protocol)
- Frequency
- Once or twice daily
- References
- 0 curated + 45 from PubMed
- Clinical Trials
- 49 registered
- Evidence Score
- 0.6 / 100
Frequently Asked Questions about Quercetin
What is Quercetin?
Quercetin is one of the most abundant dietary flavonoids, found in onions, apples, capers, and many other plant foods. It is one of the first senolytic compounds identified in landmark research by the Mayo Clinic, where the quercetin plus dasatinib combination demonstrated clearance of senescent cells in humans. Quercetin has an extensive research base spanning cardiovascular health, immune function, anti-inflammatory effects, antiviral properties, and senolytic activity. It is among the most studied plant compounds in nutritional science with hundreds of human clinical trials completed.
How does Quercetin work?
Quercetin's senolytic mechanism mirrors fisetin — inhibition of PI3K/AKT and BCL-2 pro-survival pathways that senescent cells depend on for survival, selectively restoring apoptotic sensitivity. In the landmark Mayo Clinic senolytic research, quercetin combined with dasatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) produced the first direct evidence of senescent cell clearance in humans. Beyond senolytics, quercetin inhibits NF-κB-mediated inflammatory signaling, scavenges reactive oxygen species directly, inhibits histamine release from mast cells (antihistamine effect), activates Nrf2 antioxidant response element pathways, and has demonstrated direct antiviral activity against multiple respiratory viruses including influenza and coronaviruses. Its bioavailability is enhanced significantly by co-administration with bromelain or vitamin C.
What is the recommended dosage for Quercetin?
The typical dose is 500-1000 mg daily (general use), 1000 mg twice daily for 3 days (senolytic protocol). Once or twice daily. Administration: Oral capsule, preferably with bromelain for enhanced absorption. Senolytic use typically combined with dasatinib under medical supervision. For general antioxidant and immune use, quercetin phytosome or quercetin with bromelain are preferred for improved bioavailability.
What are the side effects of Quercetin?
Generally well-tolerated. Headache (uncommon at high doses). GI discomfort (uncommon). Kidney stones with extremely high doses (rare)
What is the Quercetin cycle protocol?
Quercetin is typically cycled continuous. Senolytic protocol: 3 days on, general use continuous
Questions reflect common community inquiries. This is not medical advice.