A plant flavone from celery, parsley, and chamomile, marketed for healthy aging. It calms inflammation, neutralizes cell-damaging molecules, and switches on energy-sensing pathways in lab and animal work. But it is poorly absorbed, and human evidence is limited and mostly tied to a combination product. Low-risk and well tolerated; benefit for healthy aging remains unproven. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standalone Dose

100–400 mg/day

Single-ingredient products commonly provide 100–200 mg per serving, often ~98% purity from Japanese pagoda tree.

Timing

With a fat-containing meal

Take at any consistent time, with the largest fat-containing meal to support absorption; no morning-vs-evening evidence.

Dose Splitting

Split into two daily doses

Given the short half-life and poor absorption, splitting the daily total into two doses with meals maintains more even exposure.

Time to effect

Smell Recovery

2–3 months

Controlled smell-recovery studies ran for roughly 2–3 months alongside training before measuring benefit.

Inflammatory / General Health

Weeks to months

No reliable, perceptible short-term effect; weeks-to-months is a realistic expectation.

Benefits

Medium: Post-viral smell recovery

Low: Reduction of inflammatory and oxidative markers; cardiovascular and metabolic support; cognitive and neuroprotective effects

Speculative: Anticancer activity; prevention of hair graying; direct longevity / lifespan extension

Contraindications

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Before major surgery (discontinue at least 1–2 weeks beforehand)

Key Interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, clopidogrel, aspirin)

OTC NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) and low-dose aspirin

Antiplatelet or anticoagulant supplements (fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo, garlic, high-dose quercetin)

CYP3A4 substrate drugs (certain statins, some immunosuppressants)

Hormone-sensitive conditions

Risk & Side Effects

Medium: Mild gastrointestinal upset

Low: Theoretical bleeding and drug-metabolism interactions; allergic or hypersensitivity reactions

Speculative: Hormonal (estrogenic / thyroid) effects; high-dose or long-term pro-oxidant effects

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
hs-CRP	< 1.0 mg/L	Tracks systemic inflammation, luteolin's main proposed target
Fasting glucose & HbA1c	Glucose 70–85 mg/dL; HbA1c < 5.4%	Captures any metabolic benefit seen in animal models
Lipid panel	Triglycerides < 80 mg/dL; HDL > 50 mg/dL	Assesses cardiometabolic effects suggested preclinically
Liver enzymes (ALT, AST)	ALT/AST < 25 U/L	Safety check for a liver-metabolized compound
CBC with platelets	Platelets 150–400 ×10⁹/L	Safety check given theoretical antiplatelet activity

Cadence: Re-check relevant markers at roughly 8–12 weeks after starting, then every 6–12 months, or more often if combined with interacting medications.

Qualitative Assessment

Sense of smell recovery (when used for post-viral olfactory loss)
Joint comfort and general inflammatory symptoms
Energy levels and exercise tolerance
Cognitive clarity and focus
Any digestive upset, bruising, or allergic symptoms (as safety signals)

Luteolin for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment