The invention relates to methods of treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy with flavonoids. The methods may include (a) providing a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of flavonoid, and (b) administering the composition to a human patient, wherein the flavonoid comprises an isoflav-4-one with at least one of the carbons located at positions 8, 7, 6, 5, 2, 2′, 3′, 4′, 5′, or 6′ modified by an alcohol group. Alternatively, the flavonoid may comprise (1) a flavan-3-ol with at least one of the carbons located at positions 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 2′, 3′, 4′, 5′, or 6′ modified by an alcohol group, or (2) a Free-B-Ring flavone with at least one of the carbons located at positions 8, 7, 6, 5 or 3 modified by an alcohol group and with at least one of the carbons located at positions 8, 7, 6, 5 or 3 modified by a glycoside group.