Mary B. Engler, PhD, Marguerite M. Engler, PhD, Chung Y. Chen,
PhD, Mary J. Malloy, MD, Amanda Browne, BS, Elisa Y. Chiu, BS, MS,
Ho-Kyung Kwak, PhD, Paul Milbury,
MS, Steven M. Paul, PhD, Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, FACN and
Michele L. Mietus-Snyder,
MDLaboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Department of Physiological Nursing (M.B.E., M.M.E., A.B., E.Y.C., M.L.M.-S.), Boston, Massachusetts
|
Office of Research (S.M.P.), Boston, Massachusetts
School of Nursing, Cardiovascular Research Institute (M.J.M.), Boston, Massachusetts
School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, Antioxidant Research Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University (C.Y.C., H.-K.K., P.M., J.B.), Boston, Massachusetts
Address reprint requests to: Dr. Mary B. Engler, University of California, San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, Suite N631, San Francisco, California 94143-0610. E-mail:
mary.engler@nursing.ucsf.edu
Background: Dark chocolate derived from the plant (
Theobroma cacao) is a rich source of flavonoids. Cardioprotective effects
including antioxidant properties, inhibition of platelet activity,
and activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase have been
ascribed to the cocoa flavonoids.
Objective: To investigate the effects of flavonoid-rich dark
chocolate on endothelial function, measures of oxidative stress,
blood lipids, and blood pressure in healthy adult subjects.
Design: The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
design conducted over a 2 week period in 21 healthy adult subjects.
Subjects were randomly assigned to daily intake of high-flavonoid
(213 mg procyanidins, 46 mg epicatechin) or low-flavonoid dark
chocolate bars (46 g, 1.6 oz).
Results: High-flavonoid chocolate consumption improved endothelium-dependent
flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery (mean change
= 1.3 ± 0.7%) as compared to low-flavonoid chocolate
consumption (mean change = –0.96 ± 0.5%) (
p = 0.024).
No significant differences were noted in the resistance to LDL
oxidation, total antioxidant capacity, 8-isoprostanes, blood
pressure, lipid parameters, body weight or body mass index (BMI)
between the two groups. Plasma epicatechin concentrations were
markedly increased at 2 weeks in the high-flavonoid group (204.4
± 18.5 nmol/L,
p 
0.001) but not in the low-flavonoid
group (17.5 ± 9 nmol/L,
p = 0.99).
Conclusion: Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial
function and is associated with an increase in plasma epicatechin
concentrations in healthy adults. No changes in oxidative stress
measures, lipid profiles, blood pressure, body weight or BMI
were seen.
Key words: flavonoid, endothelial, cholesterol, oxidized LDL, 8-isoprostanes, chocolate, epicatechin
This article has been cited by other articles found on this LINK
Volgens een nieuwe studie gepresenteerd op het 14 de International Headache Society Congress werd aangetoond dat Theobroma cacao een geschikte voedingssupplement kan zijn voor mensen die lijden aan migraine . Het ingrediënt wordt verondersteld om ontstekingsreacties te onderdrukken in de hersenen die worden geassocieerd met pijn. In een study gedaan in Italië door wetenschappers van de Catholic University, Campobasso heeft men aangetoond dat de CRP waarden bij een matige consumptie 20 gram per 3 dagen van donkere chocola met een hoog flavonoïden gehalte al voldoende is om deze C-reactive protein(CRP) waarden flink te verlagen. (melk chocolade werkt niet )
