Key points
Polyphenols, found in plant foods, support overall and brain health, and show promise in aging research.
Polyphenols may benefit brain aging by enhancing gut health and supporting the gut-brain axis.
Research suggests polyphenols impact brain aging by influencing inflammation, neuroplasticity, and energy use.
Source: Austin Perlmutter/DALL-E/OpenAI As our bodies age, our brains age too. This isn’t necessarily bad, as we gain wisdom and experience with the passing years. However, research shows that time can take a substantial toll on various aspects of our brain function. For example, older adults are at higher risk of depression and dramatically higher risk of dementia . However, new research indicates that certain lifestyle choices, including those related to our diets, may help target pathways related to brain aging. In this post, we’re exploring the role of polyphenols, a nutrient group that shows promise. What is a polyphenol?
For most people, food is seen as comprising calories, macronutrients (fats, carbs, and proteins), and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Yet our food also contains an incredible diversity of additional molecules. One group of these molecules now coming into the spotlight is called polyphenols. Polyphenols are molecules found in plant foods as well as (in smaller amounts) animal foods. A wide range of research suggests that the consumption of diverse polyphenol-rich food is a powerful way to support overall and brain health. This is an active area of investigation, with nearly $10 million just committed by the NIH to further study the topic. How could polyphenols act on the brain?
In understanding how dietary nutrients may influence brain aging, researchers often start by looking at the gut and the gut microbiome . This is especially the case for polyphenols since they are poorly absorbed by our GI tract. Polyphenols are proposed to have several beneficial effects within the gut that could translate into downstream enhancements for the brain. For example, they may help to support the integrity of the gut lining, beneficially influence the species and abundance of bacteria in the gut, and, after being acted on by microbes, turn into metabolites that can be […]
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