Hydroxyl Groups on the B Ring of Flavonols Significantly Impact the Energy and Lipid Metabolism in Mice: A Biochemical and Gut Microbiota Approach

ABSTRACT In this study, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, and morin were compared in context to their ameliorative effects on lipid disorders in high‐fat dietary mice. In both normal and high‐fat dietary mice, flavonol intervention promoted energy expenditure and specifically induced browning of iWAT, as evidenced by increased expression levels of genes and proteins related to thermogenesis, with the best effects detected in the case of myricetin and quercetin. The dominant gut bacteria after the intervention of flavonols were also closely related to energy metabolism results. The fermentation of flavonols promoted the production of short‐chain fatty acids. In summary, the number and position of hydroxyl groups on the B ring of flavonols led to differences in regulating energy metabolism in mice. Flavonols with a higher number of hydroxyl groups on the B ring showed a high antiobesity effect in vivo.