Abstract
Background/Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Many patients are curious about whether changes in their diet or even taking supplements may help to reduce their risk of heart disease. Researchers have been studying plant metabolites, cocoa flavanols (CF), to determine its effects on the endothelium as well as its role in decreasing CVD. The purpose of this study is to determine if CF play a role in reducing risk factors for CVD and if their role would equally affect various patient populations, including healthy adults, overweight/obese individuals, young vs elderly, and patients diagnosed with CAD. Methods: A thorough search of medical literature was conducted using Pubmed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Keywords included: cocoa flavanols, cardiovascular health, endothelial dysfunction, and cardiovascular function. Articles that assessed CF’s role in decreasing endothelial dysfunction were included. Discussion: The four RCT studies were assessed to see if clinicians should recommend CF supplementation to their patients. All four of the studies showed that CF have clinical significant improvements in flow mediated dilation (FMD). Further research needs to be done on larger studies over longer periods of time to assess the acute vs. chronic effects. Additional research could be conducted to assess the safety profile of CF. Results: A total of 4 RCT studies were reviewed and discussed. There are consistent results showing CF have significant effects on reducing cardiovascular risk factors by increasing FMD across all four population groups. Although CF were consistent in reducing cardiovascular effects, its secondary outcomes, such as blood pressure and insulin resistance, varied between the studies.