Quercetin could be life changing for IBS sufferers

November 8, 2021

If you suffer from IBS, chances are you’ve tried everything to try and ease your symptoms. You’re probably sick of being fobbed off by your doctor and experimenting with multiple IBS treatments, pain killers, IBS diet plans — the list goes on.

For IBS sufferers, it’s a constant cycle of diet adjustments and food eliminations as you try to work out what triggers your attacks. It’s a frustrating and demoralising way to live. Nothing seems to work and you wish for your old life back, when you didn’t suffer often embarrassing symptoms.

But new research tells us there might be a way out of this constant battle. Finally, there’s some hope for those suffering with IBS in the form of Quercetin, a powerful antioxidant plant flavonoid.

There’s a link between IBS symptoms and a surplus of overactive mast cells in the gut. Quercetin helps your body stabilise these cells, reducing the symptoms of IBS.

Let’s explore the link between mast cells and IBS and discover how taking quercetin can help.

What is IBS?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that presents in many different ways.

Sufferers can experience a range of symptoms from persistent abdominal pain and discomfort to diarrhoea and embarrassing, painful episodes of bloating and excess gas.

It’s estimated that between 12 and 20% of the world’s population suffers from IBS. But despite its prevalence, IBS can be incredibly difficult to treat and is often a lazy, catch-all diagnosis by doctors.

IBS symptoms can vary so much between sufferers, with triggers differing from person to person. Some find certain foods and drinks bring on an attack, while others react to stress triggers or an oversensitive gut following an infection.

Recently, however, scientists have come to understand more about the link between IBS and the presence of mast cells.

What are mast cells?

Mast cells are a type of white blood cell that play an important role in the body’s defence response to infection and allergic reactions. They are usually found in the gut, lungs, skin and around blood vessels and mucosal surfaces.

Mast cells are activated during an inflammatory response, releasing mediators like histamine when the body detects particular antigens, allergens and pathogens.

How do mast cells link to IBS?

There is growing evidence to suggest that those with IBS usually have a higher number of mast cells in their body than those without IBS.

When a mast cell is working properly, it manages foreign bodies and injuries by releasing histamines and other substances to mediate the inflammatory response.

It’s thought mast cells in IBS sufferers can mimic an allergic reaction, even when there is no food allergy.

Known as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), it causes the mast cells to misbehave releasing histamine and other inflammatory cytokines. This can then bring on or worsen the symptoms of IBS such as bloating, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and gassiness.

These mast cells, often found in larger numbers in the small and large bowel of IBS sufferers, cause a situation similar to an allergic reaction.

Studies into the connection between IBS and mast cells have used human mucosal biopsies. They have found mast cells are more numerous in intestinal mucosa in those with IBS than in healthy control patients. The search for IBS causes could finally be over.

What is quercetin?

This brings us to quercetin. So, what exactly is quercetin and how can it help your IBS?

Quercetin is a naturally occurring pigment found in many vegetables, grains and fruits. It’s a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are known to reduce inflammation, symptoms of allergy and blood pressure. They also help to reduce damage caused by free radicals in the body which can be linked to chronic disease.

Quercetin is a popular supplement. Many users claim it helps:

Boost immunity
Reduce inflammation
Reduce allergic reactions
Boost performance in exercise
Maintain general health levels.

In terms of the health benefits of taking a quercetin supplement, the research is very promising. Early indications suggest that it could have a positive effect on sufferers of the following conditions:

Allergies, asthma, hay fever and hives
Heart disease
High cholesterol
Hypertension
Interstitial cystitis
Prostatitis
Some types of cancer
Even long Covid...

Although more research is needed in all these areas, early studies show exciting results.*

How can taking quercetin help your IBS?

For many IBS sufferers, quercetin could prove a vital lifeline. Quercetin is proven to stabilise the membranes of mast cells. It reduces the release of histamine, helping to mitigate some of the more distressing symptoms of IBS.

Let’s break it down:

When mast cells in your gut degranulate they release histamine. This causes allergy-like symptoms like those experienced by IBS sufferers and those with leaky gut.

As quercetin is known to stabilise the membranes of mast cells, it has a sealing effect on them. It stops the mast cells from releasing too much histamine which then lessens the body’s reaction.

IBS sufferers can in turn experience a reduction in the troubling and distressing symptoms of IBS.

This could transform the life of an IBS sufferer. No more meticulous planning of every single outing to make sure you’re never too far from a bathroom. No more crippling worry about accidents in public. No more shying away from social situations for fear of embarrassing gas or bloating.

IBS attacks can become fewer in number and less severe in nature. It really could change the lives of IBS sufferers.

Our new-found understanding of the connections between mast cells and quercetin could help bring IBS relief to millions of people.

And our pharmacist has developed a supplement that may help reduce your IBS symptoms and improve your quality of life.

On its own, quercetin is difficult for the body to absorb, so we’ve added 250mg of it into our formula. That’s the equivalent of eating two red onions a day, or 100g of raw capers. It’s a great solution for those looking for natural remedies for IBS.

Our IBS supplements are suitable for vegetarians, they’re 100% natural and GMO-free. We’re proud that our products are manufactured at a GMP facility in the UK.

IBS Advanced Formula + ingredients contain Cavacurmin® Curcumin Complex, Quercetin Powder, Green Tea Extract, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) Capsule Shell, Flow Agent (Silicon Dioxide), Anti-Caking Agent (Magnesium Stearate).

* Before taking any kind of supplement, always consult your doctor. There are certain medications that may interact with quercetin, such as antibiotics, blood thinners, chemotherapy, corticosteroids, cyclosporine, digoxin, fluoroguinolones, and some medications changed by the liver.

https://www.worldgastroenterology.org/guidelines/global-guidelines/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs-english

https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/clinical/mcas

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/quercetin#what-it-is

https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/quercetin

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/quercetin