Does quercetin help with high blood pressure?
It occurs as a natural plant substance in many fruits and vegetables, especially in the skins; peeled produce has lower levels than unpeeled produce. Growing methods also seem to affect quercetin content. For tomatoes, organically grown fruits were found to contain 79% more quercetin than conventionally grown fruits.
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 plant pigment mainly in their skins. This is why quercetin is also present in red wine, which can be a problem for some people, as they get headaches after just one glass of red wine. Researchers consider the quercetin it contains a possible trigger, as it may inhibit 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, meaning that the individual studies were relatively small. These trials each ran for between 2 and 12 weeks, and participants received 30 – 1000 mg of quercetin daily. Among other outcomes, the effect on blood pressure was also investigated. It did in fact fall by an average of 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 quercetin's effects.
Earlier studies, already reviewed in a 2016 meta-analysis, showed no consistent effects on blood pressure.
Conclusion:
It is possible that quercetin can lower blood pressure slightly. However, study results are mixed, so further studies are 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 is from Tensana – the leading app since 2011, helping hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 01/2026).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
