Could a daily cocoa extract supplement help slow age-related inflammation? Researchers behind one of the largest nutrition trials say the answer may be yes, at least in part.
In a new analysis from the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), researchers looked at blood samples from nearly 600 older adults who took cocoa extract supplements for two years. They found an 8% yearly decrease in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of inflammation tied to cardiovascular risk, compared with those on a placebo.
“Our interest in cocoa extract and inflammaging started on the basis of cocoa-related reductions in cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Howard Sesso of Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Because of that, we wanted to see whether multi-year cocoa extract supplementation versus a placebo could modulate inflammaging — and the data suggests it does.”
Other inflammatory measures changed little, but the hsCRP reduction may help explain earlier COSMOS results showing cocoa extract was linked to fewer cardiovascular deaths. Flavanols, plant compounds found in cocoa, tea, berries and grapes, are believed to support blood vessel function and reduce oxidative stress.
Still, experts say supplements aren’t a shortcut.
“While cocoa extract is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, these results are encouraging and highlight its potential role in modulating inflammation as we age,” said co-author Dr. Yanbin Dong of the Medical College of Georgia.
Importantly, the study used cocoa extract supplements, not chocolate bars. While flavanols occur naturally in cocoa, most commercial chocolate is processed in ways that reduce flavanol levels and add sugar and fat, which outweigh potential benefits.
Researchers caution that more work is needed to see if cocoa extract influences aging-related inflammation more broadly. For now, the findings reinforce the value of plant-based foods rich in flavanols as part of a balanced diet.
The study, published in Age and Ageing, was funded mainly by the National Institutes of Health, with additional support from Mars Edge and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, which supplied study pills. The companies were not involved in the trial design or analysis.