Navigation
Effects of dietary flavonoids on mood and mental health: a systematic review
Collective evidence underscores the significant relationship between diet and mental health, positioning dietary interventions as a feasible public health strategy to enhance mental well-being. Among dietary components, flavonoids are particularly noteworthy for their implications in mental health. This review aims to assess the effects of dietary flavonoids on mental health in healthy individuals throughout their lifespan. Eligible studies included experimental trials involving participants of any age, sex, or ethnicity, focusing on supplementation with at least one flavonoid-rich food (≥15 mg/100 g/mL flavonoid constituents), administered either as lyophilized powder or whole food, and measuring at least one mood-related outcome. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases was conducted, with no restrictions on publication dates up to October 2024. The methodology and risk of bias of the studies were evaluated using the Evidence Analysis Manual Quality Criteria Checklist (QCC) from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library®. A total of 38 experimental studies met the eligibility criteria, consisting of 13 studies examining acute effects and 25 focusing on chronic effects of flavonoids. The majority of these studies (n=9) utilized cocoa as the primary intervention. Among the acute studies, five reported mood benefits from flavonoid supplementation, specifically three from wild blueberries, one from purple grape juice, and one from orange juice. In contrast, 12 out of 25 chronic studies indicated positive outcomes associated with flavonoid consumption, including interventions involving cocoa, blueberries, cherries, peppermint, orange juice, walnuts, green tea, and mixed foods. These findings suggest that chronic flavonoid supplementation may positively influence mood and mental health. Further research is warranted to elucidate the effects of dietary flavonoids using standardized methodologies and dosing protocols, and to investigate the mechanistic links between flavonoid intake and mental health across different life stages. [NPID: Flavonoid, mental health, mood, supplementation, green tea, orange juice, peppermint]
Year: 2025
