Red rooibos tea mitigates recognition memory deficits in female rats fed a low vitamin D and calcium diet
Low vitamin D status is associated with cognitive decline, while polyphenols may support brain health. This study investigated whether 3 months of supplementation with red rooibos (RR) tea, as a source of polyphenols, could mitigate recognition memory deficits in female Sprague-Dawley rats fed a low vitamin D and calcium diet. Results showed that RR tea attenuated memory impairments induced by this diet (p = 0.0034), suggesting its potential as a strategy to support recognition memory under conditions of low vitamin D and calcium status.
Authors
- Wendy E. Ward (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9518-9608)
- Shawn M. Beaudette (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8427-3959)
- Sarah Bellaflor
- Matthew K. Goncharow
- Dawson B. Kays
- Mitchell A. Ianiero
- Rebekah S. Feld
- Sara Madanat
- Ahmad Mohammad
- Rebecca E.K. MacPherson
Institutions
- Brock University (CA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism
- Published
- 2026-04-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2025-0399
- Primary Topic
- Tea Polyphenols and Effects
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00