Flavonoids include flavonols, a class of phytochemicals in plant pigments and are recognized for their health benefits.

A recent study published in the American Academy of Neurology journal showed that those who consume more of the antioxidant flavonols found in various fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine, may experience a slower rate of memory deterioration.

The study included 961 participants without dementia, with an average age of 81, were included in the study. Each year, they responded to a questionnaire asking how frequently they consumed various foods. Additionally, they had yearly memory and cognition tests that involved arranging numbers in the correct sequence and recalling lists of phrases. Rates of cognitive decline were calculated using a combined score from 19 cognitive tests called the global cognition score. The average score range was 0.5 for those with no cognitive issues, 0.2 for mild cognitive impairment, and -0.5 for those with Alzheimer′s.

The individuals were split into five equal groups based on the number of flavonols in their diets.

The rate of cognitive deterioration was found to be 0.4 units, 0.2 units, and 0.3 units per decade slower in those with the highest consumption of kaempferol, quercetin and myricetin than in those with the lowest intake respectively. The study concluded that dietary isorhamnetin was unrelated to global cognition.

The study demonstrates a relationship between higher dietary flavonol intake and slower cognitive decline but does not establish that flavonols are directly responsible for a slower rate of cognitive decline.

(Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/antioxidant-flavonols-intake-linked-to-slower-mental-decline-study-453928)