QU995® is a quercetin supplement marketed to have superior bioavailability to generic brands.
QU995 is a modified version of the widely investigated bioflavonoid quercetin. This review details potential advantages it may have over generic supplements:
- Clinical backing. Clinical research has suggested the safe and effective use of QU995 by humans, though the extent to which its benefits improve health are being investigated.
- Patents. Multiple patents protect the unique manufacturing process behind QU995. It is important to note that just because a supplement is patented, does not guarantee superior effectiveness or quality.
- Bioavailability. QU995 is claimed to afford more quercetin bioavailability than other supplements. This claim is difficult to prove considering the vast number of quercetin supplements on the market, so it should be taken with a grain of salt.
Overview
QU995 is a patented, branded form of a plant-derived compound known as quercetin — a flavonoid widely distributed in everyday foods. Numerous scientific studies have found that quercetin acts like an antioxidant and may have cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.
Quercegen Pharmaceuticals developed QU995 in partnership with Brazilian pharmaceutical company Merck S.A., and Quercegen continues to manufacture and market the dietary supplement. Marketed as the “world’s purest” quercetin, QU995 has a patented extraction and purification process. Tests have shown that the quercetin within QU995 is roughly 99.5% pure quercetin anhydrous powder, with between 1% and 4% moisture. This formulation is said to surpass its generic counterparts by at least 13% of quercetin per gram.
In addition to quercetin, QU995 contains a combination of vitamin B3, vitamin C, and vitamin B9, which work synergistically with quercetin to promote its effects. This unique formulation of bioactive ingredients is thought to enhance the concentration and duration of quercetin’s effects on the body.
Researchers investigating QU995 and quercetin in general is not conclusive, but it looks promising. Thus far, the supplement is speculated to help in the management of a wide-range of health aspects, from autoimmune and inflammatory conditions to diabetes and asthma. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts have also been using QU995 to boost energy levels and bolster exercise performance.
How QU995 Works
QU995 is designed to enhance the bioavailability of its high content of quercetin. To that end, a small percentage of the supplement consists of QB3C — a proprietary mixture of ingredients believed to stabilize quercetin in liquids and boost the compound’s therapeutic effects.
The precise mechanism behind this synergistic process is still under investigation. While the data looks promising, QU995 is not proven to be significantly more effective than regular quercetin.
QU995 Patents
QU995 formulation
There are several patents protecting the specific composition of QU995, including U.S. patents 8901109 and 7745486. The composition features a ratio of 1 quercetin to 0.02 vitamin B3 and roughly 2.5 vitamin C. These patents also claim that QU995 is safe to use as a dietary supplement both dry and as a liquid in the form of a tablet, capsule, soft chew, gel, or beverage.
Furthermore, the manufacturers state in the patent descriptions that QU995 has the potential to enhance physical or mental performance as well as help manage cardiovascular conditions and high cholesterol.
QU995 stabilization
Quercegen Pharmaceuticals has also applied for a patent in Europe concerning a method for stabilizing quercetin in liquid (European patent 2200605).
QU995 Nutritional Supplement Uses
Nootropic Supplements
The antioxidant properties of QU995 enable it to protect neurons from toxins and peroxides produced by oxidative stress. This neuroprotection may facilitate mental performance and memory. However, questions remain as to whether QU995 can truly behave like a nootropic for humans, since quercetin generally has low bioavailability in the brain.
Joint Supplements
QU995 has also exhibited anti-inflammatory properties. To be specific, research has shown that it is capable of reducing the presence of inflammatory markers TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-10, which is one of the main ways in which joint supplements promote joint health.
Testosterone Supplements
I am not aware of human evidence showing quercetin can boost testosterone directly. With that said, early in vitro and animal trials have discovered the potential of QU995 to help increase overall testosterone levels through two primary mechanisms:
- By inhibiting the activity of an enzyme that breaks down testosterone — UGT2B17. This ultimately reduces testosterone excretion.
- Indirectly boosting T by minimizing oxidative stress and inflammation in the testes.
Pre-Workout Supplements
An increasingly popular use of QU995 is to bolster physical performance during exercise. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body may help improve joint health, energy metabolism, muscle recovery, and testosterone levels, all of which can serve to benefit performance. What’s more, early studies have shown that the supplement may be particularly effective at heightening workout endurance by mitigating exhaustion, dehydration, and heat shock.
QU995 Advantages
Due to limited amount of independent human evidence and direct comparisons, it is difficult to say how superior QU995 is to generic quercetin supplements, and if it is superior at all.
Based on the available data, here are several potential QU995 advantages in comparison to generic quercetin supplements:
- Clinical research: QU995 has backing from multiple clinical trials confirming its safety and demonstrating its potential therapeutic effects.
- Bioavailability: The primary question with natural quercetin is that it has low bioavailability in humans when taken naturally or by itself. QU995 offers to remedy this shortcoming by enhancing quercetin’s bioavailability using a proprietary combination of vitamins and other bioactive ingredients.
- Sustainability: Quercegen Pharmaceuticals is affiliated with the world’s largest producer of quercetin, Quercegen Agronegocios, which produces purified quercetin from a natural harvesting site in Brazil. In addition, Quercegen follows Fair Trade practices as well as non-GMO and non-pesticide guidelines during production.
- Purity: QU995 consists of at least 99.5% quercetin, markedly higher than the 2-10% of generic quercetin.
- Certification: QU995 has received approval for use as a food additive or dietary supplement in Japan and various countries throughout Europe. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted it Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in 2010.
QU995 Research
Animal Research
In animal studies, QU995 has shown capable of promoting various health-related benefits:
- Lowering weight gain and caloric intake in rats, although not to a statistically significant degree1
- Enhancing endurance capacity and exercise activity in mice2
Human Research
On the one hand, several clinical trials have shown that QU995 is not only safe to use but also effective at promoting various health benefits as a result of its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. On the other hand, the outcomes of different studies have indicated that many of these benefits may not be significantly better than when taking a placebo.
QU995 (2,000 mg) may reduce heart rate and heat strain during exercise
In this double-blinded placebo-controlled study, 8 men participated in 7 days of heat-acclimation exercise while taking either 2 g of QU995 or a placebo. Taking QU995 led to statistically significant decreases in body temperature, heart rate, and physiological strain, compared with no supplementation. However, the difference in heat and stress reduction was not statistically significant between QU995 and the placebo.
- The researchers concluded that “exercise heart rate and physiological strain were reduced in quercetin.”3
QU995 (2,000 mg) might not increase endurance exercise performance more than placebo
In this double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 10 men took a placebo, 9 mg of caffeine per kg of bodyweight, or 2 g of QU995 while undergoing an endurance exercise on 3 separate occasions. There were no statistically significant differences in exercise performance among the groups.
- The researchers concluded that “quercetin did not enhance endurance exercise performance during compensable heat stress.”4
QU995 (500 mg) has good bioavailability in humans
This study was a comprehensive evaluation of the bioavailability of QU995 in humans. All 18 participants took 500 mg QU995 as a powder mixed with liquid, a solid bar, or a chew and had a high concentration of the supplement in the blood, with minimal variability.
- The researchers concluded that there was “no statistically significant difference in quercetin absorption among groups.”5
QU995 Dosage
- Clinical trials have used between 500 mg – 2,000 mg of QU995 per day.
- Typical QU995 supplements come in a daily dose of 500 mg.
Supplements in Review Recommendation
- QU995®, 500 mg.
QU995 is a quality option for quercetin supplementation. QU995 appears to be a highly absorbable quercetin supplement. Due its proprietary combination of ingredients, QU995 is able to increase the bioavailability of natural quercetin and augment its health benefits. Early research suggests it has potential therapeutic effects, although its benefits are not that substantial when taken in isolation. It seems to work better when combined with other supplements.
Start with a daily serving of 500 mg of QU995. We suggest starting with a dose of 500 mg per day, although studies have shown that users can take as much as 2 g of QU995 on a daily basis without any adverse effects.
Is qu995 better absorbed than the phytosome formulations on the market ?
What products are currently available that contain QU995?