Previous studies have shown that flavanols in cocoa are as capable of lowering blood pressure and arteriosclerosis as some blood pressure medications. However, all studies were conducted under tightly controlled experimental conditions, so it is unclear exactly how effective they are in lowering blood pressure in daily life. This left concern that cocoa, used as a treatment, could unintentionally pose a health risk by lowering blood pressure when it is not rising.
Therefore, in their new study, Professor Christian Heiss, a cardiovascular medicine expert at Sally University, and his colleagues set out to investigate the effects of cocoa flavanol outside the clinical environment.
Professor Heiss said: “High blood pressure and arteriosclerosis increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, so it is important to investigate innovative ways to treat these conditions.
“Before considering introducing cocoa into the clinical setting, we need to test whether the results previously reported in the laboratory settings can be safely translated into the actual settings.”
To do this, the researchers recruited 11 healthy participants.
Over the course of several days, the team alternately gave each participant 6 capsules containing cocoa flavanols or 6 placebos containing brown sugar.
Each subject was also given a brachial blood pressure cuff and a finger clip to record the so-called pulse wave velocity (measurement of arteriosclerosis).
Blood pressure and pulse wave velocity were recorded every 30 minutes before and for the first 3 hours after ingestion of the capsule for the day.
After that, it was read every hour for another 9 hours.
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Researchers have found that participants’ blood pressure and arteriosclerosis are reduced by cocoa flavanols only if such levels are already high.
Cocoa treatment was ineffective when blood pressure was already recorded low in the morning. In short, these flavonols are ideal for treating blood pressure.
In addition to this, the team also noted the effect that appeared about eight hours after the cocoa was consumed. This is a delayed response that is thought to be due to the way male bacteria metabolize cocoa flavanols.
Professor Heiss said: “The positive effects of cocoa flavonols on our cardiovascular system, especially vascular function and blood pressure, cannot be ruled out.”
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Professor Heiss continues: “Doctors are often afraid that one day their blood pressure may drop too low, depending on their blood pressure chart.
“We have found that cocoa flavanols lower blood pressure only when it rises.
“Using participant’s personal health technology, we learned how blood pressure and arteriosclerosis change daily, and the role of personal health monitors in the development and implementation of effective personalized care.”
The full findings of this study were published in the journal Frontiersin Nutrition.
