Scientists from the Hospital of Southern Medical University have discovered that a natural substance called quercetin might help people manage high blood pressure.
Quercetin is found in many fruits and vegetables and is known for its antioxidant powers, which help protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules.
This new research, published in Nutrition Reviews, looked at 17 different clinical trials involving 896 people. The scientists wanted to find out if quercetin could lower blood pressure and also improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels—important factors for heart health.
The most important finding was that quercetin helped lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Systolic pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading and shows the force when the heart beats.
Diastolic pressure is the bottom number and shows the pressure when the heart is resting between beats. Lowering both numbers is important for reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Although quercetin clearly helped with blood pressure, it didn’t seem to change cholesterol or blood sugar levels much in the short term. But when people took it for eight weeks or longer, it did seem to help raise HDL cholesterol—the “good” kind—and lower triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood that can raise heart disease risk when levels are too high.
This means that while the main benefit of quercetin is lowering blood pressure, it might also help improve other parts of heart health if taken over a longer period.
However, there are some things to keep in mind. The people in the 17 studies had different health conditions. Some were healthy, while others had problems like high blood pressure, obesity, or diabetes.
Because of this, the results might not be the same for everyone. Also, the way the studies were done varied, so more research is needed to confirm how well quercetin works in different groups of people.
Still, the findings are very important. Heart disease and stroke are two of the top causes of death around the world. Both are strongly linked to high blood pressure. Managing this one risk factor could save many lives.
Heart disease includes several problems with how the heart works. It can involve blocked arteries, heart failure, or problems with how the heart beats. People with heart disease may feel chest pain, tiredness, or have trouble breathing. Stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked, leading to brain damage.
Since high blood pressure raises the risk for both conditions, keeping blood pressure under control is very important. While medications can help, lifestyle changes like eating healthy foods, exercising, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight are also key.
Quercetin, being a natural compound, could be a helpful part of these healthy habits. It offers a simple and affordable way to support heart health, especially when used regularly and combined with other good habits.
In conclusion, this study shows that quercetin might be a useful natural aid for lowering blood pressure. More research is needed to see how it affects cholesterol and other heart-related risks, but the results so far are promising. Quercetin could become a helpful supplement in the effort to prevent heart disease and stroke.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
