Does quercetin help with high blood pressure?
It occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables, especially in the skins peeled produce has lower levels than unpeeled. Growing methods also seem to affect quercetin content. For tomatoes, fruits from organic farming were found to contain 79% more quercetin than those from conventional farming.
Foods high in quercetin include capers, lovage, onions (especially the outer rings), chives, apples, kale, as well as broccoli and green beans. Red grapes also contain the pigment mainly in the skin. Thats why quercetin is present in red wine, which can be a problem for some people who get headaches after just one glass. Researchers see the quercetin as a possible trigger because it may slow down the breakdown of alcohol.
Does quercetin help lower blood pressure?
In a 2020 meta-analysis, researchers looked at 17 randomized trials with a total of 896 participants so the individual studies were relatively small. These trials ran between 2 and 12 weeks, and participants took 301000 mg of quercetin daily. Among other outcomes, blood pressure was measured. It did fall on average by 3.09 mmHg systolic and 2.86 mmHg diastolic.
However, the researchers pointed out that the studies included in the meta-analysis were very heterogeneous and recommended further research into quercetins effects.
Earlier studies, already reviewed in a 2016 meta-analysis, showed no consistent effects on blood pressure.
Conclusion:
Its possible that quercetin can lower blood pressure slightly. However, study results are mixed, so more research is needed to firmly establish an effect.
Interesting:
A study published in September 2024 looked at the effect of quercetin on kidney function in people with high blood pressure. It included data from more than 5,800 people with hypertension. The results show that a high quercetin intake is very likely protective for kidney function in people with hypertension. Urinary microalbumin was significantly lower in participants who consumed a lot of quercetin than in the hypertensive control group. Mortality was also lower in the quercetin group over the 10 years of follow-up.
Sources:
- https://www.medical-tribune.de/medizin-und-forschung/artikel/pflanzenstoff-quercetin-kann-blutdruck-senken
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015358/
- https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/78/8/615/5697189
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3991028/
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercetin
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-46203-y
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.8306
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based information and is continuously updated (as of 01/2026).
Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care. Since 2015 she has led the editorial team at BloodPressureDB. With additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and training in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care. Since 2015 she has led the editorial team at BloodPressureDB. With additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and training in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably reviewed information.
