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The Strong Relationship Between Quercetin and Zinc
If you have been keeping up with health news lately, no doubt you have heard the name of two ingredients being used to help combat COVID-19: zinc and quercetin. Most of us are familiar, even if just by name, with zinc, but many people are less familiar with quercetin and have no idea how these two ingredients work together to help us stay healthy. As we are all looking for ways to stay healthy and COVID free, these two ingredients pack a powerful punch in helping our bodies function properly and fight off sickness and disease.
Zinc: Defending Your Immune System
Zinc is one of the most talked about and researched ingredients being used and is an essential and extremely important metal involved in a variety of processes in the body. It is used in the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, as well as the functioning of the reproductive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. However, the most critical role of zinc is in the immune system. Zinc regulates the multiplication, maturation, and functioning of neutrophils and lymphocytes, which are two of the main cells involved in your immune response to defeat viruses and bacteria. Zinc also helps cells adapt during inflammatory responses in order to reduce the chance of an excessive immune response.
Zinc has been shown to have a significant impact on viral infections through stopping viral particle entry, fusion, replication, viral protein translation and the release of more virus into your body. Due to this fact, many practitioners believe it has a direct effect on influenza, rhinoviruses (colds), SARS and COVID-19 by increasing intracellular zinc levels via a zinc ionophore (a compound that can transport ions across cell membranes) thus decreasing the replication of viruses in the cells.
Side note, two ionophores you may have heard about are chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine which studies have shown are effective in combating viruses and are used to fight off malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, however, they do have side effects and can affect your skin and eye cells. Indirect evidence also suggests zinc may decrease the activity of enzymes that are the known receptors for COVID which means the virus becomes unable to attach to and infect human cells. Zinc also seems to possess an anti-inflammatory activity that may help limit the cytokine storm associated with COVID-19 and it may reduce the risk of bacterial co-infection by improving the body’s ability to keep out the virus via physical and chemical barriers.
Quercetin: An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Quercetin is a flavonoid that is found in fruits and vegetables such as onions, apples, broccoli, asparagus, green peppers, tomatoes, red leaf lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and green tea. Some studies suggest quercetin is the most promising natural antiviral compound based on its antiviral activity against influenza A virus, SARS-CoV-2 infections, HIV, and hepatitis C, by affecting the virus at entry, replication, and assembly. In addition, quercetin has antioxidant activity (prevents oxidative damage), anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy, and anti-cancer properties.
Quercetin also neutralizes the virus at the binding site, or spike proteins, which keeps the virus from attaching to the surface of human cells at the ACE 2 receptor which is the entryway of the virus to the cell. This, in turn, blocks the ability of the virus to bind to and affect human cells. 7
Better Together
One of the most effective traits of quercetin in combating disease–COVID in particular– is the fact that quercetin is a zinc ionophore. This means quercetin helps shuttle zinc into the cell allowing the zinc to wreak its antiviral havoc more efficiently and effectively on the viral cells. Zinc is powerful, but when it is coupled with quercetin it is even more effective.
Are You Defending Your Immune System?
The synergistic relationship between zinc and quercetin is what makes these two ingredients so beneficial when used together. Are you currently taking advantage of this dynamic duo? Centurion Defender is an all-in-one immunity booster that combines Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, Copper, and Quercetin to defend your immune system against allergies, colds, the flu and even coronavirus’.