Investigating the effects of dietary flavonoid supplementation on mood and cognition in the postpartum

Colombage, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2138-7377 (2025) Investigating the effects of dietary flavonoid supplementation on mood and cognition in the postpartum. PhD thesis, University of Reading. doi: 10.48683/1926.00127657

Abstract/Summary

Diet has gained increasing attention for its crucial role in supporting mental health and overall wellbeing. Among its many components, phytochemicals such as flavonoids have emerged as key contributors to health, with growing evidence indicating their potential to reduce the prevalence of mood disorders. The postpartum period is a particularly vulnerable time, marked by significant changes in mood and cognition. Rates of mood disorders often rise within the first year after childbirth, especially among mothers. Access to conventional treatments during this period may be limited, highlighting the need for accessible, and cost-effective interventions such as dietary flavonoid supplementation. Prior research has shown that dietary flavonoids can improve anxiety and quality of life during the first postpartum year. However, it remains unclear if these benefits extend to fathers or whether the timing of supplementation influences its effectiveness. Additionally, although flavonoids have been linked to cognitive enhancements in various groups, it is unknown whether these effects hold during the postpartum period, when the brain undergoes notable structural and functional adaptations. The current work aims to deepen understanding of dietary flavonoids’ effects in postpartum parents. Following a 2-week flavonoid supplementation in mothers 0–6 months postpartum, reductions in postpartum depression symptoms were observed, though fathers did not engage effectively. An earlier postpartum intervention, starting within four days of delivery for 30-days was then investigated, revealing improvements in executive function and fewer subjective cognitive complaints, while mood outcomes showed no significant change. Furthermore, acute supplementation with anthocyanin-rich wild blueberries in the 0–6 month postpartum period improved verbal and working memory in both mothers and fathers, though without additional mood benefits. This work therefore provides novel insights into the benefits of dietary flavonoid supplementation to this population, and evidence to suggest ideal timepoints to supplementation, for a population who may uniquely benefit from a cost-effective and accessible intervention.

Item Type	Thesis (PhD)
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/127657
Identification Number/DOI	10.48683/1926.00127657
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences
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