Editor’s Pick: People who eat or drink more foods containing antioxidant flavonols may experience slower memory decline, according to a new study. Flavonols are found in several fruits and vegetables, as well as in tea and wine.
Eating or drinking more food containing Memory loss may be slower in people who eat foods that are antioxidant flavonols, which are found in several fruits and vegetables, as well as in tea and wine.
“Excitingly, our research shows that specific dietary choices may lead to a slower rate of cognitive decline,” said study author Thomas M. Holland of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. An easy way to play a positive role in your health.”
Flavonols are a type of flavonoids, a group of phytochemicals found in plant pigments that have health benefits.
The study involved 961 people with an average age of 81 and no dementia. Each year they filled out a questionnaire about how often they ate certain foods. They also completed annual cognition and memory tests, which included recalling lists of words, memorizing numbers and putting them in the correct order. They were also asked about other factors such as their education level, how much time they spent doing physical activities, and how much time they spent doing intellectual activities such as reading and playing games. They were followed for an average of 7 years.
The people were divided into five groups based on the amount of flavonols in their diet. While the average flavonol intake for U.S. adults is about 16 to 20 milligrams (mg) per day, the average dietary flavonol intake for the study population was about 10 mg per day. The lowest group got about 5 mg per day, and the highest group averaged about 15 mg per day; that’s the equivalent of a cup of dark leafy greens.
To determine the rate of cognitive decline, the researchers used a global cognitive score that combines 19 cognitive tests. Average scores ranged from 0.5 for people with no thinking problems, to 0.2 for people with mild cognitive impairment, to -0.5 for people with Alzheimer’s.
After adjusting for other factors that may affect the rate of memory decline, such as age, sex, and smoking, the researchers found that those with the highest intake of flavonols had Scores fell more slowly by 0.4 units per decade than those with the lowest intakes. Holland notes that this may be due to the inherent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of flavonols.
The study also broke down flavonols into four components: kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and isorhamnetin. The foods that contributed most to each type of kaempferol were: kale, beans, tea, spinach, and broccoli; tomatoes, kale, apples, and tea contain quercetin; tea, wine, kale, oranges, and tomatoes Vegetarian; pears, olive oil, wine and tomato sauce contain isorhamnetin.
The group with the highest kaempferol intake had a 0.4 slower rate of cognitive decline per decade than the group with the lowest kaempferol intake units. The group with the highest quercetin intake experienced 0.2 units slower cognitive decline per decade than the group with the lowest quercetin intake. Those with the highest myricetin intake experienced 0.3 units slower cognitive decline per decade than those with the lowest myricetin intake. Dietary isorhamnetin is not associated with overall cognitive performance.
Holland noted that the study showed a link between high levels of dietary flavonols and slower cognitive decline, but did not prove that flavonols directly cause slower cognitive decline. cognitive decline rate.
Other limitations of the study are that the food frequency questionnaire, while valid, was self-reported, so people may not remember exactly what they ate.
This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute on Aging, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Source: American Academy of Neurology
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