Both bromelain and quercetin derive from foods. Bromelain is an enzyme extracted from pineapples, while quercetin is an antioxidant plant pigment known as a flavonoid. Some people make the mistake of assuming all natural products can be mixed and matched. It’s always best to check with your doctor before combining any supplements or herbs. If you are on prescription medication, it’s even more crucial that you ask your physician before adding natural therapies to your health plan.
Uses
Both bromelain and quercetin have anti-inflammatory properties, but the two supplements are not interchangeable. Bromelain’s uses center on reducing swelling after injuries, as well as the swelling associated with arthritis and sinusitis. Additionally, the supplement’s enzyme action has been used to treat indigestion. Like bromelain, quercetin may reduce swelling in people with arthritis or sinus issues. It also has been used to treat other aspects of hay fever, such as external swelling and watery eyes. In addition, quercetin may have heart-healthy benefits through its potential to lower blood pressure and decrease blood cholesterol levels.
Interaction Likelihood
For the general population, quercetin and bromelain are unlikely to negatively interact with one another. Neither lessens the effectiveness of the other, nor do they combine in a way that is known to threaten health for most people, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In fact, manufacturers sometimes sell the two supplements in combination because both are known for their anti-inflammatory uses.
Potential Risk
For people who take anticoagulant medications, taking even one anti-inflammatory supplement is dangerous because it amplifies the prescription medication’s properties. Taking more than one of these natural anti-inflammatories further increases the health risk, notes the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Both bromelain and quercetin potentially enhance the properties of blood-thinning medications. If you take both botanicals along with anticoagulants, you run the risk of excessive bleeding or bruising.
Quercetin Warnings
Along with their shared warnings concerning blood-thinners, both bromelain and quercetin carry individual warnings for drug interactions or side effects. The drug cyclosporine, used to suppress the immune system, can be compromised by quercetin’s antioxidant properties. Quercetin may also dangerously prolong the amount of time corticosteroids stay in your system, and can have unpredictable interactions with chemotherapy drugs.
Bromelain Warnings
In addition to cautions concerning blood-thinners and bromelain, the NLM cautions people against combining the antibiotics amoxicillin and tetracycline with bromelain. Bromelain may either make the antibiotics too powerful or increase the likelihood of side effects. Other substances may decrease bromelain’s effectiveness, including the supplement zinc and compounds found in potatoes and soybeans.
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