Flavonoids can Help Prevent Your Thinking Skills from Declining
Highlights:
- Flavonoids reduce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress and seem to reverse symptoms associated with cognitive diseases
- Flavonoids enhance cognitive function at a behavioral level and attenuate cognitive decline promoted by brain disorders
Evidence in support of the neuroprotective effects of flavonoids has increased significantly in recent years. Advances in the medical field over the last century have resulted in an increase in human life expectancy. Despite this positive outcome, with increasing age comes an increased susceptibility to chronic organ disease and the decline of metabolic and immune functions, which have an impact on the brain (1✔).
There is mounting evidence suggesting that flavonoids are powerhouses when it comes to preventing your thinking skills from declining as you grow older. Making simple changes to your diet could help prevent cognitive decline. In a study, 961 participants with an average age of 81 without dementia participated in a questionnaire-based study where they had to fill out a questionnaire each year on how often they ate certain foods. They also completed an annual cognitive and memory test. Over the seven-year period, other factors such as their educational level, time spent doing physical activities, and the amount of mentally engaging activities such as reading and playing games were also tracked (2✔).
The people were divided into five equal groups on the basis of the amount of flavonols they consumed in their diet. While the average amount of flavonol intake in US adults is about 16 to 20 mg per day, the study population had an average dietary intake of 10 mg per day. The lowest group had an intake of about 5 mg per day, and the highest group consumed an average of 15 mg per day, which is equivalent to about one cup of dark leafy greens.
‘People who eat a diet that includes at least half a serving per day of foods high in flavonoids like strawberries, oranges, peppers, and apples may have a 20% lower risk of cognitive decline.’
After adjusting for other factors that could affect the rate of memory decline, such as age, sex, and smoking, researchers found that the cognitive score of people who had the highest intake of flavonols declined at a rate of 0.4 units per decade more slowly than people who had the lowest intake. Holland noted that this is probably due to the inherent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of flavonols. Holland noted that the study shows an association between higher amounts of dietary flavonols and slower cognitive decline but does not prove that flavonols directly cause a slower rate of cognitive decline.
The biggest limitation that was faced during the course of the study was that the food frequency questionnaire, although valid, was self-reported, so people often did not accurately remember what they ate.
Top Foods that can aid in the Prevention of Cognitive Decline
The top foods are:Flavonols can be broken down into their four constituents: kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and isorhamnetin.
- Kale, beans, tea, spinach, and broccoli for kaempferol
- Tomatoes, kale, apples, and tea for quercetin
- Tea, wine, kale, oranges, and tomatoes for myricetin
- Pears, olive oil, wine, and tomato sauce for isorhamnetin
As a result, including flavonoids in one's regular diet can help keep one's thinking ability intact and prevent cognitive decline.
References:
- Impact of Flavonoids on Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Neurodegeneration - (https:www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5960493/)
- Dietary flavonols and risk of Alzheimer dementia - (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31996451/)
Source: Medindia
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Dr. Krishanga. (2022, November 24). Flavonoids can Help Prevent Your Thinking Skills from Declining. Medindia. Retrieved on Jan 20, 2025 from https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/flavonoids-can-help-prevent-your-thinking-skills-from-declining-209390-1.htm.
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Dr. Krishanga. "Flavonoids can Help Prevent Your Thinking Skills from Declining". Medindia. Jan 20, 2025. <https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/flavonoids-can-help-prevent-your-thinking-skills-from-declining-209390-1.htm>.
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Dr. Krishanga. "Flavonoids can Help Prevent Your Thinking Skills from Declining". Medindia. https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/flavonoids-can-help-prevent-your-thinking-skills-from-declining-209390-1.htm. (accessed Jan 20, 2025).
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Dr. Krishanga. 2022. Flavonoids can Help Prevent Your Thinking Skills from Declining. Medindia, viewed Jan 20, 2025, https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/flavonoids-can-help-prevent-your-thinking-skills-from-declining-209390-1.htm.