title: Natural cocoa consumption: Potential to reduce atherogenic factors?
abstract: Short-term consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa has been demonstrated to improve various facets of vascular health. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of 4 weeks of natural cocoa consumption on selected cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarkers in young (19-35 years) women of differing body mass indices (BMI; normal, overweight or obese). Subjects (n = 24) consumed a natural cocoa-containing product (12.7 g natural cocoa, 148 kcal/serving) or an isocaloric cocoa-free placebo daily for 4 weeks in a random, double-blind manner with a 2-week washout period between treatment arms. Fasted (>8-h) blood samples were collected before and after each 4-week period. Serum was analyzed to determine lipid profile (chemistry analyzer) and CVD biomarkers (26 biomarkers). EDTA-treated blood was used to assess monocytes (CD14, CD16, v11b and CD62L), while citrate-treated blood was used to measure changes in endothelial microparticles (EMPs; CD42a-/45-/144+) by flow cytometry. Natural cocoa consumption resulted in a significant decrease in haptoglobin (P = .034), EMP concentration (P = .017) and monocyte CD62L (P = .047) in obese compared to overweight and normal-weight subjects. Natural cocoa consumption regardless of BMI group was associated with an 18% increase in high-density lipoprotein (P = .020) and a 60% decrease in EMPs (P = .047). Also, obese subjects experienced a 21% decrease in haptoglobin (P = .034) and a 24% decrease in monocyte CD62L expression in (P = .047) following 4 weeks of natural cocoa consumption. Collectively, these findings indicate that acute natural cocoa consumption was associated with decreased obesity-related disease risk. More research is needed to assess the stability of the observed short-term changes.
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA. Electronic address: brian.mcfarlin@unt.edu.
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: McFarlin
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Adam S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Venable
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Henning
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jill N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Best Sampson
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jakob L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vingren
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry*; D002182:Candy; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D044948:Flavonols / Q000494:pharmacology; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019041:L-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D044948:Flavonols; D006242:Haptoglobins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D019041:L-Selectin
keywords: Chronic disease; Endothelial microparticle; Flavanol-rich cocoa; Inflammation; Monocyte adhesion molecule