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Dietary Flavonoids and Human Cognition: A Meta‐Analysis
Author(s) -
Cheng Nancy,
Bell Lynne,
Lamport Daniel J.,
Williams Claire M.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
molecular nutrition and food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.495
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1613-4133
pISSN - 1613-4125
DOI - 10.1002/mnfr.202100976
Subject(s) - cognition , meta analysis , cognitive decline , mood , randomized controlled trial , flavonoid , dementia , effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance , psychological intervention , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , psychiatry , biology , biochemistry , antioxidant , disease
Improving cognition is important in all age groups, from performance in school examinations to prevention of cognitive decline in later life. Dietary polyphenols, in particular flavonoids, have been examined for their benefits to cognitive outcomes. This meta‐analysis evaluates the effects of dietary flavonoids on cognition across the lifespan. In January 2020 databases were searched for randomized controlled trials investigating flavonoid effects on human cognition. Eighty studies, comprising 5519 participants, were included in the final meta‐analysis. The global analysis indicates dietary flavonoids induced significant benefit to cognitive performance ( g = 0.148, p < 0.001), with subgroup analyses revealing that cocoa ( g = 0.224, p = 0.036), ginkgo ( g = 0.187, p ≤ 0.001), and berries ( g = 0.149, p = 0.009) yielded the most notable improvements. Significant benefits were observed from chronic studies, in middle‐aged and older adults, and with low and medium doses. The domains of long‐term memory, processing speed, and mood showed sensitivity to flavonoid intervention. This meta‐analysis provides evidence for the positive effects of flavonoids on cognition and highlights several moderating factors. Flavonoid‐based dietary interventions therefore potentially offer a highly accessible, safe, and cost‐effective treatment to help tackle the burden of cognitive decline.