Daily cocoa extract supplements may hold the key to slowing ageing, with new findings suggesting they significantly reduce inflammation, according to new research.
A new major clinical study, known as COSMOS, revealed that participants who took cocoa supplements experienced an 8.4 per cent yearly reduction in hsCRP, a protein marker associated with cardiovascular disease risk.
This decrease in inflammation could explain why the broader trial, involving over 21,000 participants aged 60 and above, showed a 27 per cent reduction in cardiovascular disease deaths among those taking cocoa extract.
The research, conducted between 2014 and 2020, suggests that flavanol-rich cocoa supplements may offer protective benefits against age-related inflammatory processes.
Ageing-related inflammation can harden arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease
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Researchers from Mass General Brigham and their collaborators examined blood samples from 598 participants in this double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation. The team analysed five age-related inflammatory markers at baseline, one year, and two years of follow-up.
Scientists measured three proteins that promote inflammation (hsCRP, IL-6, and TNF-α), one anti-inflammatory protein (IL-10), and one immune-mediating protein (IFN-γ).
While most markers showed minimal change or modest increases, hsCRP demonstrated a notable annual decline compared to the placebo.
The investigation forms part of the larger COSMOS trial, which explored whether cocoa extract supplementation could influence cardiovascular health outcomes in ageing populations.
"Our interest in cocoa extract and inflammaging started on the basis of cocoa-related reductions in cardiovascular disease," said Howard Sesso, associate director of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"We also appreciate the important overlap between healthy ageing and cardiovascular health, where ageing-related inflammation can harden arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease."
Sesso, who also serves as associate epidemiologist at the hospital, noted that the multi-year supplementation data indicate cocoa extract can modulate age-related inflammation.
"Because of that, we wanted to see whether multi-year cocoa extract supplementation versus a placebo could modulate inflammaging -- and the data suggest it does," he explained.
The research team also observed an unexpected increase in interferon-γ, an immune-related protein, which raises new avenues for investigation.
"Interestingly, we also observed an increase in interferon-γ, an immune-related cytokine, which opens new questions for future research," said Yanbin Dong, Director of the Georgia Prevention Institute and cardiologist at the Medical College of Georgia/Augusta University.
Dong emphasised that while the supplements show promise, they cannot substitute for healthy lifestyle choices.
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Supplements cannot substitute healthy lifestyle choices
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"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."
The findings reinforce the value of flavanol-rich plant foods for cardiovascular health.
The findings align with previous research by the University of Surrey, which found that a daily cup of tea or a small piece of chocolate significantly benefits heart health.
The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology earlier this year, provided new evidence that flavonols improve blood pressure and blood vessel health.
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