Heart Health: Cocoa flavanol benefits on circulation and the cardiovascular system have been extensively studied and published over the past two decades. Key studies highlight improvements in circulation, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol levels (lower LDL & higher HDL), and insulin resistance. A notable recent study, measuring inputs associated with the Framingham Risk Model, projected a 30% reduction in cardiovascular deaths over a ten year period. Below are publication summaries of clinical studies assessing the impact of cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular health:
Aug
2006
Aging and vascular responses to flavanol-rich cocoa.
Journal of the American Society of Hypertension
OBJECTIVES: Strong evidence has secured aging as a powerful predictor of both cardiovascular risk and endothelial dysfunction, yet specific treatment is not available. We tested the hypothesis that vascular responsiveness to flavanol-rich cocoa increases with advancing age. We have previously shown that flavanol-rich cocoa induced peripheral vasodilation, improving endothelial function via a nitric oxide (NO)-dependent… Read more »