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Table of Contents

• Quercetin supplements-MMB found evidence to back t …

  • Episode research by: Nina Takashima

• Luke Tasker-Pentathlon to AG champion in triathlon

• Episode takeaways:

  • References used for the MMB

Quercetin supplements-MMB found evidence to back the hype

Episode research by: Nina Takashima

Exploring the intersection of nutrition and athletic performance, the podcast begins with an engaging discussion about quercetin, a natural flavonoid known for its potential health benefits. The hosts delve into the claims surrounding quercetin's ability to prevent respiratory illnesses, particularly during the cold and flu season. They scrutinize various studies, highlighting how quercetin may inhibit viral entry into cells and its implications for endurance athletes, who often face a dip in immune function after intense training sessions. The conversation emphasizes the importance of realistic goal-setting for athletes and how supplementation can play a role in achieving those goals without compromising health. The hosts wrap up this segment by inviting listeners to consider how they might incorporate quercetin into their training regimens, all while maintaining a light and relatable tone that encourages personal experimentation and discussion within the community. This segment is peppered with practical advice, encouraging athletes to consider how supplements like quercetin might fit into their overall training strategy while emphasizing the need for achievable goals that push personal limits without risking health.

Luke Tasker-Pentathlon to AG champion in triathlon

About Luke according to Luke: Originally from the UK, competed in modern pentathlon professionally for 6 years before I stopped, I then rowed around the UK for charity with three friends raising almost 50’000usd. Then came to Canada for a ski season, which turned into multiple ski seasons mixed with tree planting seasons where I met my now wife. We settled in Vancouver where I’m working full time as a firefighter for the city of Vancouver. I started triathlon in September of 2023 where I won my first 70.3 distance event, then going on to win 3 Ironman 70.3 events over the 2024 season and finishing my first full distance event in Arizona, with a time of 8:35 finishing 4th. I’ve now decided to up my game and got myself a new coach in the form of the legendary Lance watson

Luke Tasker, an inspiring figure in the triathlon community whose journey from modern pentathlon to triathlon is both unique and motivational. Luke shares his story of how he embraced triathlon with enthusiasm and determination, quickly achieving remarkable success in his new sport. He discusses the mental fortitude required to compete at a high level and the importance of adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges. As he recounts his experiences with training, racing, and the emotional rollercoaster of competition, listeners are treated to valuable lessons that transcend the world of triathlon. Luke’s reflections on goal-setting, overcoming setbacks, and the sheer joy of sport provide a refreshing and relatable perspective for athletes who may be navigating their own journeys in competitive sports. His story serves as an inspiring testament to how diverse athletic backgrounds can lead to unexpected achievements in new sports. Listeners will appreciate his insights on training, the mental challenges of competition, and the importance of setting realistic yet ambitious goals. Luke’s candid reflections on his experiences, including the lessons learned from both victories and setbacks, resonate with athletes of all levels, making this segment both motivational and informative.

Episode takeaways:

• Setting realistic yet challenging goals is crucial for achieving satisfaction in sports.

• Quercetin may help reduce the risk of illness during intense training or racing.

• When analyzing performance, focus on what can be improved for future events.

• Enjoying the training process is key to maintaining motivation and pursuing goals.

• Emotional responses during races are natural; focus on the positives and improvements.

References used for the MMB

Quercetin reduces susceptibility to influenza infection following stressful exercise

Davis et al., 2008

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18579649/ 

Key Points:

• Quercetin, a flavonoid present in fruits and vegetables, has previously been shown in culture studies to reduce the infectivity of target cells and replication against respiratory viruses such HSV-1 & HSV-2, adenoviruses, coronavirus, para influenza virus type 3, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome. 

• Provided the in vitro anti-pathogenic and immunomodulatory effects of Quercetin, this study investigated the effects of quercetin feeding (7d) on the susceptibility to the influenza virus following stressful exercise (3d of fatigue on treadmill) in mice.

• The study suggests that quercetin feedings of 12.5mg/kg for 7d can offset the exercise stress-induced increase in morbidity (time to sickness), symptom severity, and mortality (time to death) in mice after intranasal inoculation with a standardized dose of influenza virus (H1N1).

  • Exercise stress was associated with increased susceptibility to infection (p>0.001). 

    • Time to sickness was 6.9d +/-0.7d for Exercise-Placebo group & 12.4d +/-1.4d for Control-Placebo

    • Exercise-Placebo experienced a 91% incidence of morbidity, while only 63% of Control-Placebo got sick

  • Symptoms were more severe on 5-7d (p<0.05) with exercise stress, but no difference was observed with quercetin feeding.

  • Quercetin feedings for 7d significantly offset the increased morbidity associated with stressful exercise (p<0.01) by 22%.

    • Mortality was 74% in Exercise-Placebo compared to 50% in Control-Placebo, but mortality in Exercise-Quercetin was only 52%.

• Short-term quercetin feedings may be an effective strategy to reduce the impact of stressful exercise on susceptibility to respiratory infections

Quercetin reduces illness but not immune perturbations after intensive exercise

Neimanet al., 2007

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2007/09000/quercetin_reduces_illness_but_not_immune.18.aspx 

Key Points:

• This study investigated the effects of quercetin(Q) supplementation on upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and exercise-induced changes in immune function among athletes.

• This was the first study to show that Q supplements lower illness rates in athletes during periods of intensified training and elevated URTI risk (February-March 2006).

  • 3 wk of 1000mg/d Q ingestion compared with placebo in cyclists led to differences in rates of illness (5% vs 45%) during the 2-wk period after intensified exercise

  • URTI incidence differed between the Q and placebo groups despite there being no measurable influence of Q on multiple measures of immune function taken before and after 3 h of exercise

• Results of this study showed that supplementation with 1000 mg/day Q for 3 weeks significantly increased plasma quercetin levels and reduced self-reported incidence of URTI during the 2-week period following 3 days of exhaustive exercise. 

• Data does not support the hypothesis that this flavonol would attenuate exercise-induced immune dysfunction

  • Immune dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress, were not affected by quercetin

  • Past studies were performed in vitro and on animal models at unusually high levels of Q (ie. rats fed 100mg/kg of Q daily for 7wk had significantly enhanced NK cell activity compared to control)

• Data from this study supports past in vitro study findings that Q supplements may reduce illness rates after periods of heavy training by athletes through direct anti-viral mechanisms rather than through the augmentation of immune function

Quercetin and its derivatives as antiviral potentials: A comprehensive review

Petrillo et al., 2022

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34709675/ 

Key Points:

• This paper is a review of the antiviral activities of quercetin and its derivatives on human viral infections (Flaviviridae, Herpesviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Coronaviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Retroviridae, Picornaviridae, Pneumoviridae, & Filoviridae) along with their mechanisms of actions.

• Quercetin and its derivatives have immunoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects.

• Quercetin and its derivates act as antiviral agents by acting at different levels 

• Quercetin and their derivatives can interfere with viral replication by interacting with specific proteases that are essential for viral replication

  • NS2, NS3, & NS5A of HCV (hepatitis)

  • intergrase & TOP2 of HIV

  • Mpro of Coronaviridae

  • 3Cpro of Enterovirus 

• Quercetin can block viral entry into cells by interacting with membrane glycoproteins

  • gD of HSV (herpes)

  • NA of H1N1(influenza)

• Highest levels of quercetin have been found in onions, asparagus, red leaf lettuce

• Lowers levels of quercetin found in broccoli, green peppers, peas, and tomatoes

• Apples, cherries, and various berries have the highest levels of quercetin among fruits

• While these phytochemicals have been shown to be effective in many in vitro studies, studies performed with human subjects are very limited

Quercetin supplementation and upper respiratory tract infection: A randomized community clinical trial

Heinz et al., 2010

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661810001064 

Key Points:

• This study measured the influence of 500mg/d and 1000mg/d Quercetin doses compared to placebo on URTI rates in a community and found that for all subjects combined, 500mg/d or 1000mg/d Q supplementation of 12wks had no significant influence on URTI rates or symptomatology relative to placebo when taken with 500 or 1000mg/d vitC and 20 or 40mg/d niacin

• In a population of middle-aged and older subjects who rated themselves as physically fit (low-risk group), ingesting 1000mg/d of Q for 12 weeks reduced URTI total sick days by 31% and decreased symptom severity by 36%.

• The finding may be explained by the potential reduction in quercetin's anti-viral activities due to metabolic biotransformation following ingestion

Chapter 10: Evaluation of Quercetin as a Countermeasure to Exercise-Induced Physiological Stress

Konrad and Nieman

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK299055/ 

Key Points:

• Quercetin reduces illness after intensive exercise. 

  • Nieman et a. (2007) showed that supplement of 1000 mg of quercetin alone 3 weeks before, during and two weeks after a 3-day period of 3 h of cycling in the winter resulted in a markedly lower incidence of URTI in well-trained subjects in the two weeks after the intensified training, but had no effect on exercise-induced immune dysfunction, inflammation and oxidative stress

• Quercetin is a immune booster

  • Nieman et al. (2009) showed that co-ingestion of two or more flavonoids increases its bioavailability and the outcomes on immunity

    • 2 weeks of supplementation in trained athletes, before and after a period of heavy exertion, with or without 120 mg of EGCG, 400 mg of isoquercetin and 400 mg of EPA-DHA resulted in significantly reduced post-exercise measures for both inflammation and oxidative stress, with a chronic augmentation of granulocyte oxidative burst activity

  • Nieman et al. (2010) showed that high-dose mix of flavanoids (including Quercetin) showed reduction in illness rates of exercise-stressed athletes in addition to chronic augmentation of their innate immune function

• Literature is supportive of the antipathogenic capacities of quercetin when it is cultured with target cells and a broad spectrum of pathogens including URTI-related rhinoviruses, adenoviruses and coronaviruses. 

  • Quercetin blocks viral patterns at an early stage through inhibition of proteases by molecular docking, binding of viral capsid proteins and suppression of virulence enzymes such as DNA gyrase and cellular lipase 

• Recent evidence suggests that athletes seem to require increased antioxidants in order to reduce exercise-induced oxidative damage more-so than non-athletes

• Effects of quercetin on performance variables in humans are inconsistent

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