Quercetin shown to relieve symptoms for some IBS sufferers
IBS sufferers tend to have tried everything to try and ease symptoms. Probably sick of being fobbed off by doctors 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 sufferers wish for their old life back, when they didn’t suffer often embarrassing symptoms.
Now there is finally some good news in the form of research that tells us there is a potential way out of this constant battle. This research has shown that Quercetin, a natural plant flavonoid with a powerful antioxidant function helps calm overactive mast cells in the gut. These overactive mast cells have been shown to be a causal link between certain normal foods and the abnormal bloating, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, gassiness suffered by IBS patients.
Lets explore the link between mast cells and IBS.
Mast cells are a type of white blood cell that perform an essential role in your body’s defence against infection but have the side effect of causing allergic reactions.
These is evidence that IBS sufferers have a higher concentration of these mast cells in their intestines compared to non-sufferers.
Mast cells can cause IBS in response to a food allergy or an irritant, but now we know about a phenomenon whereby mast cells misbehave even when there is no food allergy, causes MCAS or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. This causes mast cells to release histamine and other inflammatory messengers which brings on and worsens bloating, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and gassiness.
How can taking quercetin supplements help your IBS?
For many IBS sufferers, quercetin could prove a vital lifeline. In studies, when taken before the mast cells activate it vastly reduces the release of histamine by mast cells, as well as reducing the release of inflammatory chemicals.
Let’s break it down:
- When mast cells in the gut are activated they release histamine and other chemicals in a process called degranulation. These chemicals cause allergy-like symptoms in IBS such as bloating, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and gassiness.
- When taken in advance, quercetin reduces the release of these chemicals as well as inhibiting the internal response by mast cells. This reduces the body’s overreaction to allergies and IBS stimulate.
- IBS sufferers then benefit from a reduction in symptoms because they are no longer triggered to the same extent by overactive mast cells.
Our IBS Advanced Formula + includes Quercetin along with natural plants extracts Theanine (from green tea) and Curcumin (from turmeric). Theanine may help to alleviate stress, depression and anxiety which otherwise may exacerbate the symptoms of IBS. It has also been shown to calm hyperactivity of the intestines. CavaCurmin is made from the main active ingredient in Tumeric, known for its anti-inflammatory benefits which may help to support a healthy gut and reduce the bloating caused by inflammation.
Click here to find out more about IBS Advanced Formula +
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).
Links:
Irritable bowel syndrome - An inflammatory disease involving mast cells (nih.gov)
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
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836118/
Health benefits of turmeric | Nuffield Health
Antioxidants: Health benefits and nutritional information (medicalnewstoday.com)