You need flavonols for a good memory
Last reviewed: 07.06.2024
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If the diet is deficient in flavonols - polyphenols from the class of flavonoids found in plant foods - it has a negative impact on memory, which is especially noticeable in old age. The study was conducted by Columbia University and the Brigham and Women's Health Center at Harvard Medical School.
The scientific work, which includes a number of studies that were conducted over a period of fifteen years, found a correlation between age-related memory decline and abnormalities in the dentate fascia of the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for remembering information. The work showed that the hippocampus is significantly affected by flavonols. In particular, in rodents, the bioactive component of flavonols epicatechin optimizes the process of memorization by accelerating the growth of nerve cells and blood filling of the hippocampus.
The study involved about 3.5 thousand healthy elderly volunteers who were randomly divided into two groups. The first group received a daily flavonol preparation (500 mg) for three years, and the other group was given a placebo. The flavonol preparation contained, among other things, 80 mg of epicatechins (the recommended daily amount for adults).
Before the start of the project, all participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their habitual diet and to undergo tests of short-term memory processes. The same tests were repeated: one year later, two years later, and at the end of the experiment. In addition, urine samples were taken to analyze the level of flavonols in the body.
Twelve months after the start of the study, individuals who had a relatively poor diet and low baseline levels of flavonols had a more than 10% improvement in the quality of remembering new information compared to placebo participants and a 16% improvement compared to baseline levels at the start of the experiment.
Scientists are convinced that the lack of flavonols may be the main cause of age-related memory impairment, since this deficiency directly depends on the processes in the hippocampus, and taking appropriate drugs has indeed shown positive results.
Epicatechin is one of the most important flavonols. It is present in well-known foods: berries, ginger root, grapes, green tea, cocoa and dark chocolate. In addition to improving memory, epicatechin optimizes blood circulation by adjusting blood nitrogen levels, increases insulin sensitivity, normalizes appetite, is a strong antioxidant and reduces "bad" cholesterol, stabilizes blood pressure, and improves skin health. According to some reports, flavonols also improve physical fitness, increase the body's adaptation to physical activity and even increase longevity.
Details of this information can be found on the PNAS journal pages of the PNAS journal at.