A team of researchers from Brigham Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Augusta University (USA) has explored the healing properties of cocoa through supplements containing its extract. The scientists found that cocoa bean extract reduces age-related inflammation and lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
This new study builds on previous research that revealed that foods and beverages rich in significantly decrease mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
Praise for Flavanols!
These natural compounds found in cocoa beans and other foods, such as , , apples, and grapes, have long been associated with positive health effects. Their role in reducing the damaging effects of chronic inflammation is well known.
As we age, inflammation tends to increase. It is responsible for numerous health issues related to aging, ranging from chronic pain to .
Epidemiologist Howard Sesso, a co-author of the study, noted, “We wanted to determine whether cocoa extract supplementation could influence inflammatory processes. The data showed that it does.”
What Did the Scientists Discover?
The team involved 598 healthy adults aged 60 and older in the study. For two years, volunteers consumed either 500 mg of cocoa extract or a placebo daily. Throughout this period, researchers measured the levels of inflammatory biomarkers in the participants’ blood, as reported by Science Alert.
Consumption of cocoa extract the increase in hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), a general biomarker of systemic inflammation and a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The most significant effects were observed in participants who began the study with a very high risk of these diseases.
“Interestingly, we also noted an increase in levels of interferon-γ—a cytokine associated with immunity; this opens new questions for future research,” said cardiologist and population geneticist Yanbing Dong. He added, “While cocoa extract is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, these results are encouraging.”
“This study highlights the importance of paying more attention to beneficial plant-based foods that support cardiovascular health, particularly cocoa products rich in flavanols,” Sesso remarked. He also emphasized the significance of a “diverse, colorful plant-based diet, especially concerning inflammation.”
The study’s results were published in the journal Age and Ageing.
A previous study on the effects of cocoa supplements found that among older adults taking these supplements, mortality from cardiovascular diseases was 27 percent lower.
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