Remembering something? Can not remember the actor’s name from that movie, you know, the one?
A recent study reveals that you may need to increase your intake of red wine and cherries.
Researchers discovered that after three years of taking flavanol supplements, persons with diets low in the chemical flavanols—found in some foods—had improved recollections.
According to a news release from Gunter Kuhnle, research co-author and professor of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Reading in the UK, “these are exciting results because they suggest that there is an optimal amount of flavanols in the diet.”
According to experts, foods that are rich in flavanols include red wine, black and green tea, dark chocolate, beans, kale, watercress, onions, and fruits including cherries, blackberries, black grapes, and apples.
photo of chocolates, tea, and fruit
There is proof that eating a diet high in flavanols—found in tea, fruit, and other foods—may prevent age-related memory decline.
Over 3,562 senior citizens were instructed to take a 500 mg flavanol supplement or a placebo daily for three years by researchers. On a yearly basis, online tests of short-term memory were used to assess their memory.
Additionally, participants’ urine was taken at the start of the research period and once a year to assess their flavanol levels.
Even after taking the flavanol supplements, the memory of those who consumed a lot of flavanols at the beginning of the research period did not significantly improve.
However, after just one year of taking the flavanol supplements, the memory scores of those whose diets were initially poor in flavanol increased by 16%. Additionally, their memory enhancement persisted throughout the course of three years.
According to a news release from research co-author and Columbia University professor of neuropsychology Adam Brickman, “the improvement… raises the possibility of using flavanol-rich diets or supplements to improve cognitive function in older adults.”
The study, according to health professionals, highlights the need for more research into the nutrients required to keep the brain healthy as we age.
A glass of red wine is filled.
Flavanols, which can be found in red wine, dark chocolate, and other beloved foods, may help elderly people’s brain function.
According to a news release from the study’s co-author, Dr. Scott Small, “research is beginning to reveal that different nutrients are needed to fortify our aging minds in this century as we are living longer.”
Other researchers can leverage our study’s reliance on indicators of flavanol intake to uncover other, essential nutrients, said Small.
However, not all experts were pleased with the study’s findings, which were supported in part by Mars, a company that makes chocolate and other confectionery.
According to David Curtis, honorary professor in the Genetics Institute at University College London, “I am afraid that the results obtained do not support the claim that flavanols improve memory function.”
Even in the group that initially consumed little flavanol, individuals taking a flavanol supplement for years had roughly the same memory performance as those taking a placebo, and any changes were far beyond the range of chance expectation, according to Curtis.
Some researchers express concern that the study’s emphasis on short-term memory obscures important information concerning the dangers of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
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“[I]t’s crucial to distinguish between dementia and age-related memory decline. Although loss of episodic memory is the main symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, age-related memory loss affects everyone, according to Davide Bruno, a researcher at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK.
The impact of the supplement on memory “appears to be modest, and limited to those individuals with a lower quality diet at the start of the study,” Bruno said, adding that it is plausible that flavanols may contribute in some way to the onset of dementia.
