Fruits and vegetables have shown promising health properties for decades. Although, research has shown that it is possible to slow down the aging process and increase health benefits by providing a special flavonoid, fisetin. It is found in fruits and vegetables. During aging, different body systems begin to have functional problems. Fisetin has demonstrated great potential in giving support to the body as it ages.
Fisetin (3,3’,4’, 7-tetrahydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid in the pigments of different vegetables and fruit like cucumbers, onions, apples, kiwi, strawberries and grapes (Khan N et al, 2013). A healthy diet contains a rich source of fisetin, although the typical American diet doesn’t contain many fruits and vegetables.
Research has been performed on fisetin demonstrating that it has a variety of health benefits protecting cells including brain and nerve cells from oxidative damage.
Fisetin has other advantages in the body demonstrated by cell culture and animal studies (Pal HC et al, 2016; Mayer P, 2017) such as:
- Support to the body’s inflammatory response
- Aids against bad cells
- Supports the cardiovascular system
- Neuroprotective
- Provides support to blood sugar levels
- Cognitive enhancing
Fisetin has antioxidant properties, but also in cells can increase one of the most important antioxidants in the body called glutathione (Maher P, 2017).
In the body, glutathione levels diminish because of a poor diet, environmental pollutants and also it declines with age. Oxidative damage is known to happen when free radicals are produced in excess and the body is unable to fight them off.
Research examined 30 different flavonoids and only fisetin and quercetin demonstrated that they could maintain glutathione levels during a period of harsh, oxidative stress (Maher P, 2017).
Fisetin is considered to be a senolytic, which are compounds that are considered to promote longevity. Fisetin, as a senolytic has been shown in animal and human tissue to help destroy cells that are damaging to the body when they are in excess called senescent cells (Yousefzadeh MJ et al, 2018).
- Senescent cells have positive roles when at normal levels in the body, but they can begin to overpopulate over a period of time and cause damage to healthy cells. They will then secrete damaging inflammatory chemicals that cause one to age faster and other problems. Senescent cells can cause damage to DNA, mutations to cells and functional problems with metabolism the mitochondria, joint and bone problems, etc.
Fisetin supports the brain
Research shows that fisetin can even be helpful when provided later in life and help increase lifespan. Fisetin has demonstrated to be supportive to the brain and cognitive function (Mayer P, 2017). Animals with brains with problems due to aging were administered with fisetin and showed they helped maintain brain function and improve memory.
In summary, fisetin found in a variety of fruits and vegetables has been shown to have powerful antioxidant properties and also increases glutathione levels. Fisetin has been administered in studies to show that it has a variety of health benefits, acting as a senolytic and protects cells, including brain and nerve cells from oxidative damage. It may have great potential for improving longevity.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. It is not for advertising purposes.
