Heart disease is leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, with some 659,000 people dying each year. Those who are at the highest risk for heart disease have underlying problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. Unhealthy habits like of smokingexcessive drinking, poor dietand lack of exercise can also lead to possible heart disease.
For those at risk, there ways to reduce potential, such as changing your eating habits and constantly monitoring and managing your underlying conditions. Medications and supplements can also act as helpful aids. In fact, a study has shown that Cocoa extract supplements are a way to reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
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A study by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined whether cocoa extract supplementation decreases the cardiovascular disease (CVD) among older adults. The researchers included 12,666 women age 65 and older and 8,776 men age 60 and older, all of whom were free of major cardiovascular disease and newly diagnosed cancer.
The experiment used a double-blind, two-by-two factorial test. The cocoa extract supplements were randomly administered, as were the multivitamins for the placebo, a harmless pill prescribed for the patient’s psychological benefit rather than any physiological effect, from June 2015 to December 2020.
After 3.6 years, it was determined that Cocoa extract supplements reduced CVD death in older adults by 27%. Potential reductions in total cardiovascular events were also found to be supported by per-protocol analysis, an interpretation of randomized clinical trial results that removes data from patients who did not adhere to the protocol.
Cocoa extract comes from the cocoa bean, which is normally found in chocolate. According to the National Cancer Institute, the extract comes with potential benefits such as anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, cognition enhancement and chemopreventive activities, and vasodilation– the widening of the blood vessels as a result of the relaxation of the muscular walls of the blood vessels.
The extract contains flavonoids–a group of plant metabolites believed to provide health benefits through cell signaling pathways and antioxidant effects. Flavonoids include high levels of epicatechin, catechin, procyanidins, and xanthines, such as theobromine.
The National Cancer Institute also suggests that consuming cocoa extract makes its effective ingredients produce vasodilation. This, in turn, improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. Cocoa extract also improves insulin sensitivity, improves cognition, and decreases the production of pro-inflammatory molecules.
For more information on cardiovascular disease, see Eating habits to avoid if you don’t want heart disease, says science.
Kayla Garritano
Kayla Garritano is a staff writer for Eat This, Not That! She is a graduate of Hofstra University, where she majored in Journalism and double majored in Marketing and Creative Writing. read more
