To Your Health
July, 2023 (Vol. 17, Issue 07) |
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Flavanols Preserve Memory
By Editorial Staff
We could probably all benefit from more flavanols in our lives, but before we discuss how they specifically affect memory, let's start with the obvious question for most people: What the heck are they?
Flavanols are a class of flavonoids (not much help, right?) – a class of compounds found in many fruits and vegetables. Good examples include leafy vegetables, apples, onions, broccoli, and berries. They're important from a health perspective because they exert anti-inflammatory effects and protect cells from oxidative damage. In other words, they help prevent the circumstances that can lead to major diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's and dementia. And this last point leads us to our discussion about their role in preserving memory.
Research suggests getting enough flavanols in our diet is critical, particularly as we get older and our mental acuities tend to naturally decline. In fact, insufficient flavanol intake is associated with reduced memory in adults over the age of 60. The good news, according to the same study, is that replenishing these compounds in flavanol-deficient older adults appears to improve memory.
Researchers used a pool of 3,500 healthy older adults to demonstrate the power of flavanols, randomly assigning them to receive either a daily flavanol supplement or a placebo pill (an inactive substance that participants couldn't distinguish from the flavanol supplement, so they didn't know which they were taking) for three years. The active supplement contained 500 mg of flavanols.
At the start of the study, seniors also completed a survey that assessed diet quality, particularly foods high in flavanols; and performed a series of tests to assess short-term memory. These tests were repeated every year for three years. After only the first year, seniors who reported lower baseline levels of flavanols saw memory scores jump by more than 10% compared to seniors taking the placebo; and by 16% compared to their own memory scores at baseline.
OK, it's time for a quick self-assessment: Are you getting enough dietary flavanols? If you shy away from regular consumption of fruits and veggies, especially the ones noted above, the answer is probably no. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the profound impact diet can have on your body and brain, whether you're 18, 80 or anywhere in between.
