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Nutrient Physiology, Metabolism, and Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions

Daily Quercetin Supplementation Dose-Dependently Increases Plasma Quercetin Concentrations in Healthy Humans^1,2

³ Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science and ⁴ Institute of Animal Nutrition, Physiology and Metabolism, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany

Our aim was to investigate the effects of an oral supplementation of quercetin at 3 different doses on plasma concentrations of quercetin, parameters of oxidant/antioxidant status, inflammation, and metabolism. To this end, 35 healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to take 50, 100, or 150 mg/d (group Q50–Q150) quercetin for 2 wk. Fasting blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the supplementation period. Compared with baseline, quercetin supplementation significantly increased plasma concentrations of quercetin by 178% (Q50), 359% (Q100), and 570% (Q150; P < 0.01 for all). High interindividual variation was found for plasma quercetin concentrations (36–57%). Quercetin did not affect concentrations of serum uric acid or plasma - and -tocopherols, oxidized LDL, and tumor necrosis factor-, or plasma antioxidative capacity as assessed by the ferric-reducing antioxidant potential and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays. In addition, serum lipids and lipoproteins, body composition, and resting energy expenditure did not significantly change during quercetin supplementation. Pharmacokinetics of quercetin were investigated in a subgroup of 15 volunteers. The areas under the plasma concentration-time curves ranged from 76.1 µmol·min·L^–1 to 305.8 µmol·min·L^–1 (50- and 150-mg dosages, respectively). Median maximum plasma concentrations of quercetin (431 nmol/L) were observed 360 min after intake of 150 mg quercetin. In conclusion, daily supplementation of healthy humans with graded concentrations of quercetin for 2 wk dose-dependently increased plasma quercetin concentrations but did not affect antioxidant status, oxidized LDL, inflammation, or metabolism.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mmueller{at}nutrfoodsc.uni-kiel.de.

Manuscript received 23 April 2008. Initial review completed 12 May 2008. Revision accepted 12 June 2008.