Flavonol intake may preserve memory and cognition over time, new research suggests. Quercetin — associated with slower global cognitive decline.
Dr. Thomas Holland
“It’s never too early or too late to start making healthy lifestyle changes, especially when it comes to diet,” said principal investigator Thomas Holland, M.D., MS. Medscape Medical NewsHolland is an Assistant Professor in the Rush Institute for Aging at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.
“This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that what we eat matters. A diverse diet of fruits and vegetables is important for both cognitive and physical function. They need a particularly healthy lifestyle to maintain and maintain their overall well-being: their brain health,” Holland said.
research is publish online November 22 neurology.
Flavonols and memory
Flavonols are a subclass of flavonoids, a large class of bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties found in onions, kale, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, grapes, berries, tea and wine.
Previous research Although quercetin has been shown to reverse the histological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and protect cognitive function in mice, there is little evidence for the effects of flavonols on memory in humans.
For this study, researchers collected data from the Lush Memory and Aging Project (MAP). This project is a cohort of Chicago residents in retirement communities and senior social housing with no known dementia at baseline.
The study included approximately 960 participants with an average age of 81 years and were followed for an average of 7 years. The majority (75%) were female and Caucasian (98%). They filled out an annual questionnaire about how often they ate certain foods. He also completed an annual cognitive and memory test, including remembering lists of words, memorizing numbers, and putting them in the correct order.
Participants also reported their level of education, time spent in physical activity, and time spent in mental activities such as reading and playing games.
Participants were divided into five groups based on the amount of flavonols they consumed.
The average flavonol intake for US adults is about 16-20 mg per day, with the lowest flavonol intake group consuming about 5 mg per day and the highest intake group averaging 15 mg per day. consumed mg. to 1 cup dark leafy greens.
To determine the rate of cognitive decline, researchers used an overall cognitive score that summarized 19 cognitive tests. Mean scores ranged from 0.5 for those with no cognitive problems to 0.2 for those with cognitive problems. mild cognitive impairment to -0.5 for AD patients.
After adjusting for factors that might affect the rate of memory decline, such as age, gender, and smoking, the researchers compared the cognitive scores of those with the highest flavonol intake (1 serving of leafy greens per day) to ) and the lowest had a 32% reduction in rate of cognitive decline.
Holland says that as we age, free radicals can cause cell damage known as oxidative stress. “When you eat foods that contain antioxidants such as flavonols, Vitamin EThese antioxidants act as reducing agents, essentially destroying free radicals and preventing further cell damage.
He added that while inflammation is a natural process required for multiple immune responses, sustained or over-activation of the immune system can cause damage. Dietary intake of foods containing active substances can prevent over-activation and sustained response of inflammatory cells, thus preventing cell damage.”
kale for cognition
When researchers broke down flavonols into four components: kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and isorhamnetin, participants with the highest intake of kaempferol, found in kale, beans, tea, spinach, and broccoli, had an intake rate of 32%. It turned out to be %slow. Cognitive decline compared to those with the lowest intake of kaempferol.
Those with the highest intake of quercetin, found in tomatoes, kale, apples, and tea, experienced 30% slower cognitive decline than those with the lowest intake of quercetin.
Participants with the highest intake of myricetin, found in wine, kale, oranges, and tomatoes, had a 31% slower rate of cognitive decline than those with the lowest intake. It was not tied to holistic cognition.
Study limitations include potential bias due to participants’ self-reports of dietary intake, and age may put MAP participants at risk for cognitive impairment or asymptomatic disease, The fact that it could lead to unreliable reporting of dietary intake was included. .
“Exciting” Evidence
“Something as simple and empowering as encouraging individuals to enjoy more fruits and vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, apples and green/black tea, which are rich in various flavanols, can reverse cognitive decline. It’s exciting to see evidence that it can be done,” said Uma Naidu, MD. Medscape Medical News.
Dr Uma Naidoo
Naidoo is the Director of Nutrition and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and author of the book. This is your brain on food: Amazing Fighting Ingredients Guide to Essentials depressionanxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHDmore.
“When you think of specific plant nutrients, you can’t miss the forest for the trees. “The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the more optimized your lifestyle will be, which will help support a healthy brain as you age,” says Naidoo.
Naidoo said a diet rich in flavanols “adds powerful antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation in the brain, B vitamins that support energy and neurotransmitter production, and fiber that nourishes the gut.” I’m here. -Predominantly unprocessed diets are given to elderly patients,” she added.
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute on Aging, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Holland and Naidoo have not reported any related financial relationships.
neurologyPublished online on November 22, 2022. Overview.
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