Vitamin P is a time period that was as soon as used for a bunch of plant compounds referred to as flavonoids. Nonetheless, these compounds usually are not really nutritional vitamins.
There are a number of sorts of flavonoids present in fruits, greens, tea, cocoa, and wine. They offer sure meals their colour, present crops with safety from ultraviolet (UV) rays and an infection, and will provide well being advantages (1).
This text supplies an summary of vitamin P, together with data on the totally different classes of flavonoids, meals sources, and doable advantages.
Varieties of flavonoids and meals sources
Flavonoids, also referred to as bioflavonoids, are a household of polyphenol plant compounds with six subclasses. There are at present over 6,000 recognized flavonoids (2).
When first extracted from an orange by scientists in 1930, they had been considered a brand new sort of vitamin and, subsequently, named vitamin P. This title is now not used, as flavonoids usually are not nutritional vitamins (1).
Flavonoids exist in crops to assist forestall an infection, shield towards the solar and environmental stresses, and appeal to bugs for pollination. They’re additionally chargeable for the colour of many deep-colored vegatables and fruits, akin to berries, cherries, and tomatoes (1).
Listed here are the foremost lessons of flavonoids and their meals sources:
Well being advantages
Flavonoids are thought to supply quite a lot of well being advantages and assist forestall coronary heart illness, diabetes, and different ailments.
Maybe the best-studied operate of flavonoids is their capability to behave as antioxidants. They’ve been proven to cut back the formation of reactive molecules referred to as free radicals, which might result in cell injury and illness (1, 3).
Take a look at-tube vs. human research
Most analysis on the advantages of flavonoids has been carried out in check tubes. Thus, the exercise of flavonoids within the physique will not be effectively understood.
In actual fact, it’s usually thought that they’re poorly absorbed and never very bioavailable.
For one, it seems that your metabolism largely influences the bioavailability of flavonoids in your physique. They might even be quickly excreted (4, 5).
When flavonoids are consumed, they’re damaged down into compounds referred to as metabolites. A few of these metabolites might exhibit properties much like these of the flavonoid from which they had been derived, however others don’t (4, 5).
What’s extra, research counsel that whether or not flavonoids are consumed with carbs, proteins, or fat can have an effect on their bioavailability and absorption. These elements are additionally affected by the composition of your intestine micro organism (6, 7).
Thus, it’s tough to find out how and whether or not a selected flavonoid impacts human well being.
Doable well being advantages
Whereas limitations exist, some human research counsel that flavonoids have doable well being advantages.
Beneath are a few of these advantages, a lot of which stem from their antioxidant exercise, in addition to different mechanisms that aren’t totally understood:
Whereas outcomes from some observational research counsel that flavonoids might assist shield towards illness, extra in depth analysis is required to completely perceive how flavonoids have an effect on human well being.
Moreover, this text highlights just some of the doable well being advantages of flavonoids. A rising physique of analysis is inspecting the features of flavonoids, in addition to the precise lessons of flavonoids.
Dosage and dietary supplements
Presently, there isn’t any Dietary Reference Consumption (DRI) for flavonoids, as they’re not thought of important for human growth. A weight loss program wealthy in wholesome, complete meals will naturally include flavonoids and contribute to good well being (11).
Due to this fact, supplemental variations are pointless, however they do exist. Among the most typical flavonoid dietary supplements embody quercetin, flavonoid complexes, and rutin (12).
There’s no standardized dosage for flavonoid dietary supplements, and every sort might have particular directions for its use. The unwanted effects and potential risks of many of those dietary supplements are unknown.
Specialists warn that whereas there’s no danger of toxicity from the quantity of flavonoids generally consumed via meals, there could also be dangers related to excessive dose dietary supplements (11).
Excessive doses of flavonoids might negatively have an effect on thyroid operate, work together with drugs, and have an effect on ranges of different vitamins in your physique (12).
What’s extra, dietary supplements usually are not tightly regulated by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) and, subsequently, may be contaminated or include quantities of flavonoids that differ from what’s reported on their labels.
Lastly, many analysis research have proven that consuming complete meals that include sure vitamins provide larger advantages than their supplement-form counterparts.
If you wish to strive a complement, seek the advice of your healthcare supplier, particularly in case you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
The underside line
Flavonoids, as soon as generally known as vitamin P, are a big class of plant compounds present in deeply coloured fruits, greens, cocoa, tea, and wine.
Research counsel that they act as antioxidants and will assist shield towards continual ailments. Nonetheless, the useful results of flavonoids within the human physique could also be restricted by metabolism and different elements.
To reap the doable advantages of flavonoids, eat quite a lot of plant meals. Dietary supplements are additionally out there, however they need to solely be taken after consulting a healthcare supplier, as their results usually are not effectively understood.
Consuming quite a lot of complete meals which are good sources of flavonoids is probably going extra useful to your general well being.
– “p vitamins”