New quercetin precursor ingredient is significantly more bioavailable than free quercetin

Photo from Taiyo

Taiyo (Minneapolis) has introduced a patented new ingredient that is said to be much more bioavailable than free quercetin. While quercetin is a popular ingredient in the supplements industry, known for benefits ranging from immune and cardiovascular health to cellular health, quercetin in its most common form, free quercetin, is still associated with formulating obstacles related to taste, solubility, and bioavailability. Taiyo’s new ingredient is a water-soluble form of isoquercitrin, a quercetin precursor. This ingredient, called SunActive IsoQ, may be up to 25 times more bioavailable than free quercetin.

Taiyo says SunActive IsoQ is the first ingredient in its new line of “enhanced bioavailable flavonoids.” SunActive IsoQ’s higher bioavailability enables formulators to use a lower ingredient dose “to deliver sought-after quercetin benefits,” the company said in a press release. The ingredient is currently being offered exclusively through Taiyo’s U.S. partner NutriScience Innovations (Milford, CT). It has been deemed Generally Recognized as Safe by a panel of independent experts.

SunActive IsoQ is derived from rutin extracted from the flower buds of the Japanese Pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum Schott). The company employs a patented, solvent-free enzymatic process to extract it into a water-soluble dietary ingredient that the company says is “chemically identical to isoquercitrin found in nature.” It is then microencapsulated to enhance absorption in the body.

A clinical studied published late last year¹ demonstrated that SunActive IsoQ converts into free quercetin in the body. The human pharmacokinetic portion of the study showed significantly higher bioavailability of SunActive IsoQ compared to free quercetin—up to 25 times higher. “This allows for a 100-mg dose of SunActive IsoQ to deliver the equivalent of 275 mg of bioavailable quercetin, providing significant formulation benefits,” the company’s press release states.

“This new innovative delivery form for quercetin will be sought-after by brands because of its ease of formulation in powders, capsules, gummies, soft chews, and beverage applications,” added Alan Yengoyan, CEO of NutriScience Innovations, in the press release. “NutriScience will work with brands to maximize the benefits while minimizing the formulation challenges.”

Reference

1. Kapoor MP et al. “Bioavailability of dietary isoquercitrin-γ-cyclodextrin molecular inclusion complex in Sprague-Dawley rats and healthy humans.” Journal of Functional Foods, vol. 85 (October 2021)