Rutin: Health Boosting Chemical Found In Apple Peel

One old wives tale says that, for good health, when you eat an apple it should be unpeeled, whereas when you eat a pear it should be peeled. There seems to be some scientific basis to this curious piece of advice in regards to apples. It turns out that apple peels contain several beneficial plant chemicals, one of which is rutin.

This is a member of the flavonoid family of plant chemicals, which have been credited with a wide range of health-promoting advantages. Rutin is a combination of just two chemicals, quercetin and rutinose, and it is found in many plants, particularly buckwheat, tea and, of course, apples. Both quercetin and rutinose are strong antioxidants which are effective against inflammation, cell damage and blood circulation problems (Cancer Lett 1996;109: 185-91).

Once in your body, rutin circulates in your bloodstream, seeking out toxic free radicals or poisonous metals and inactivating them, before these can damage your cells (Arch Biochem Biophys 1998;355: 43-8). In this way, you are well protected against the toxic effects of pollution, smoking or an unhealthy lifestyle. The problem is that only about 17 per cent of rutin in the food is absorbed by the bowel. For this reason many people decide to take additional rutin supplements in tablet form, to boost their own nutritional intake.

Latest research reveals rutin may strengthen veins and arteries and lower high cholesterol

Traditionally, rutin has been used to treat swollen legs, circulation problems and varicose veins. It works by nourishing and strengthening your small arteries and veins under the skin (J Mal Vasc 1998;23(3):176-82). This also reduces the risk of easy bruising, which is a common characteristic of thin and fragile skin. Rutin works together with vitamin C, and this combination is believed to be very effective against easy bruising, thin skin and unsightly veins in the legs or thighs.

An additional benefit of rutin is that it helps lower high amounts of cholesterol in your blood, resulting in a better circulation. People who have normal cholesterol wont experience significant lowering of their cholesterol. Scientists from the Division of Life Sciences, Hallym University, in South Korea, recently reported this year that both rutin and one of its constituents (quercetin) may significantly reduce the amounts of bad cholesterol (or LDL, low-density lipoprotein) in your bloodstream while at the same time protect against any cell damage caused by cholesterol. This can prevent thickening of the arteries and ultimately reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks (Br J Nutr 2005;93(5): 581-91).

Scientists from the Texas A&M University, USA, reported that they performed a wide-ranging review of the actions of several plant chemicals, including rutin. They announced earlier this year that rutin and other flavonoids (such as limonin and apigenin, usually found in citrus fruit) are not only strong antioxidants, generally protecting against chronic diseases, but they also reduce the risk of damage to your arteries and helps improve circulation to your heart, skin and limbs (J Agric Food Chem 2005;53(6):2009-14).

In another experiment performed by Indian doctors, rutin was shown to help protect the heart against diabetes. Doctors know that diabetic patients are also at risk from heart problems because the increased amount of sugar in their blood eventually damages the heart muscle proteins. In this experiment, rutin was given to diabetic rats in the laboratory for a period of 12 weeks. At the end, the scientists saw that rutin protected the heart muscles much more effectively compared to chance alone (Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005;83(4): 343-55).

Damage that actually helps your cells become healthy

These are important scientific experiments supporting the use of rutin as a health supplement, although there are also reports of adverse effects if it is taken in excessive amounts. You need to be well informed about the possible benefits and drawbacks of this supplement in order to increase your chances of getting maximum benefit.

However, when rutin is taken in normal or recommended doses one of its intriguing actions is that on occasions (particularly when you eat a lot of meat and take rutin supplements at the same time), can cause very mild damage to your cells.

This is actually a good thing, because it means that the healing mechanisms of your cells are activated in an attempt to repair this damage, and in the process, any other chronic damage is also repaired, leaving your cells healthy and free to function normally again.

When taken at normal levels, the damage cannot become severe, because after a certain point rutin automatically switches back to its beneficial actions. This is one of the miracles of nature when the same substance can behave in two different and opposite ways and still cause health benefits on both occasions. The ability of certain chemicals to cause health benefits through mild damage is called hormesis, and this is one of the hottest scientific subjects at present.

What to take for optimal results

The dose is 500 mg once or twice a day.

Contraindications: Pregnant women should avoid taking extra rutin supplements, although rutin from food is fine. This is because there are no studies to confirm that high doses of rutin are beneficial in pregnancy. Also, some people are allergic to quercetin, which is one of the constituents of rutin, so it is best to avoid rutin supplements if you are sensitive to this chemical. There are no serious side-effects, but some users may rarely experience the mild side-effects of mild headache or nausea. If this happens,