What Are Bioflavonoids?

Bioflavonoids are made up of 4000 compounds that were formerly known as vitamin P. They have many useful purposes in the treatment and/or prevention of many common health concerns.

While they aren't considered essential nutrients, their effects do give a boost to such nutrients as vitamin C, vitamin E, Selenium and Zinc. People often take these for colds, allergies and viruses to help the immune system, but the effects of bioflavonoids on these ailments and their ability to help the more common nutrients work more efficiently isn't as well known as it should be.

When someone mentions they are getting a cold, the first advice they are given is to take extra vitamin C and Zinc. Studies indicate that we should also advise people to take some bioflavonoids along with the C and Zinc.

Bioflavonoids are most widely known for their effects on capillary health. Capillaries are extremely tiny and can be very vulnerable to weakness and breakage. This can lead to small bleeds in various parts of the body. The capillaries are the part of the circulatory system that provides nourishment and oxygen to the tissues while removing toxins and pollutants from the body. Bioflavonoids keep the capillaries strong and flexible so they can do their job more efficiently.

This is very important for people who have high blood pressure and diabetes. These diseases are known to weaken the capillaries and lead to many of the known side-effects such as retina damage, cataracts and varicose veins.

Bioflavonoids also have anti-inflammatory properties, which is why they are important to capillary health.

They are also beneficial to allergy sufferers by helping block the release of leukotrienes and histamines, the main causes of stuffy or runny noses, along with itchy, watery eyes. Try getting some extra bioflavonoids in your diet. This may lead to needing less allergy medications, which can have unwanted side effects.

Bioflavonoids, while not widely popular as other nutritional therapies, are extremely important to help with many common ailments.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it should also be an orange, a grapefruit, an onion and some berries. Other sources include green tea and red wine.

Bioflavonoids are found in the peels of fruits and also in the pulp and white membranes of citrus fruits. Most people do not enjoy eating the peels of citrus fruits, but make sure you do eat the white membrane that surrounds the pulp. You can also scrape some of the white from the inside of the peel and get a dose of bioflavonoids that way. It's not quite as bitter as the outside of the fruit.