A recent study from Mass General Brigham, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, brings new insights into the cognitive benefits of cocoa extract for older adults.
This study, part of the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), focused on the impact of daily cocoa extract supplements containing 500 mg of cocoa flavanols.
Interestingly, the benefits of cocoa extract were not uniform across all participants. The study included 573 older adults who underwent detailed, in-person cognitive testing over two years.
While the results showed no overall cognitive benefits for the entire group, a more in-depth look revealed a different story.
Participants with lower-quality diets at the start of the study experienced cognitive improvements from taking the cocoa extract supplement. This was not the case for those who already had healthy dietary habits.
This finding aligns with results from an earlier web-based cognitive assessment involving a different set of COSMOS participants.
COSMOS is a large-scale, long-term clinical trial conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. It’s an investigator-initiated study involving more than 21,000 older men and women across the United States.
This study aims to test whether daily supplements of cocoa extract or a common multivitamin can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other significant health outcomes.
The latest findings from COSMOS contribute to a growing body of research exploring the links between dietary supplements and human health.
The study’s results suggest that cocoa extract supplements could be particularly beneficial for older adults with less healthy diets, offering a potential avenue for improving cognitive function in this group.
However, it’s important to note that these cognitive benefits were not observed in participants with healthier diets, indicating that the protective effects of cocoa flavanols might be more pronounced in individuals with nutritional deficiencies or poorer dietary habits.
Overall, the COSMOS study continues to provide valuable insights into how dietary supplements might influence health and cognition, particularly in older adults.
As research in this area progresses, it could lead to more targeted nutritional recommendations and interventions for improving cognitive health in aging populations.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and Coconut oil could help improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s.
The research findings can be found in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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