Researchers have conducted a major study to understand if cocoa flavanols, compounds found in cocoa, could protect against heart disease.
Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, and finding new ways to prevent it is crucial.
Cocoa flavanols are naturally occurring substances found in various plant-based foods like cocoa, tea, grapes, and berries.
Previous studies have suggested that they might have health benefits, including reducing high blood pressure and improving blood vessel function.
To investigate these potential benefits, a large-scale clinical trial was conducted. This trial, known as the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), involved over 21,000 participants.
The study aimed to determine if taking a daily supplement containing cocoa flavanols could reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
In the trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive one of four options: a cocoa flavanol supplement, a multivitamin, both supplements, or a placebo (a fake pill). The study followed these participants for about 3.6 years.
The primary goal of the study was to see if the cocoa flavanol supplement could reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular events like heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular-related deaths.
Although the results did not show a statistically significant reduction in these events, some promising findings emerged.
Participants who took the cocoa flavanol supplement experienced a 27% lower rate of cardiovascular death. This suggests that cocoa flavanols may have protective effects on heart health.
Additionally, when researchers looked at participants who regularly took their study pills, they found a 15% reduction in total cardiovascular events and a remarkable 39% reduction in cardiovascular deaths.
These secondary analyses provide broader support for the potential benefits of cocoa flavanols in cardiovascular health.
While the study focused on cardiovascular outcomes, it also examined the effects of these supplements on cancer risk. However, the trial duration might have been too short to detect any impact on cancer risk.
The study’s researchers emphasize that more research is needed to confirm these findings and better understand the effects of cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular health.
They suggest that consuming natural food sources of flavanols, such as cocoa, tea, grapes, and berries, as part of a balanced diet, is a good practice for maintaining heart health.
In conclusion, while the COSMOS study did not provide definitive evidence, it offers promising signals that cocoa flavanol supplements may have cardiovascular benefits, especially in reducing cardiovascular-related deaths.
Further research will help determine the true potential of cocoa flavanols in promoting heart health.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
The research findings can be found in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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