Cocoa Flavanols
What it’s good for
Cocoa Flavanols for High Blood Pressure
Solid1 study · 1 supporting · 0 against
Cocoa flavanols increase nitric oxide bioavailability in blood vessels, improving endothelial function and vessel relaxation.
Dose: 200–900 mg
Tested as: cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate or a cocoa beverage, 30-1218 mg/day (average ~670 mg), for 2-18 weeks; NOT total cocoa or chocolate mass — most chocolate products contain far below the effective dose
Cocoa Flavanols for Chronic Inflammation
Mixed2 studies · 1 supporting · 1 against
Proposed to reduce chronic low-grade inflammation ('inflammaging') via nitric-oxide-mediated endothelial effects and antioxidant activity.
Dose: 500 mg
Tested as: cocoa extract capsules, 500 mg flavanols/day (including 80 mg (-)-epicatechin), for up to 2 years
Cocoa Flavanols for Muscle Soreness
No Benefit2 studies · 0 supporting · 2 against
How it was tested: Neither 830 mg nor 1245 mg of cocoa flavanols, given acutely after a hamstring eccentric-damage protocol, changed indices of exercise-induced muscle damage versus control.
Proposed antioxidant/anti-inflammatory action was expected to blunt exercise-induced muscle damage and perceived soreness.
Dose: 830–1245 mg
Tested as: cocoa flavanol beverages/capsules, 830-1245 mg acutely post-exercise, or added to a cocoa recovery beverage over several days
Cocoa Flavanols for Brain Fog
No Benefit1 study · 0 supporting · 1 against
How it was tested: No significant benefit of 3 years of daily cocoa extract on the global cognition composite, which included processing-speed and executive-function tests, versus placebo.
Proposed nitric-oxide-mediated increase in cerebral blood flow that would be expected to support attention, processing speed and executive function.
Dose: 500 mg
Tested as: cocoa extract capsules, 500 mg flavanols/day, for 3 years
Cocoa Flavanols for Poor Memory
No Benefit1 study · 0 supporting · 1 against
How it was tested: 3 years of daily cocoa extract (500 mg flavanols) produced no significant improvement in the global cognition composite (which incorporated word-list and story recall) versus placebo; a concurrent multivitamin arm did improve global cognition and episodic memory.
Proposed nitric-oxide- and antioxidant-mediated improvement in cerebral blood flow and neuronal protection.
Dose: 500 mg
Tested as: cocoa extract capsules, 500 mg flavanols/day (including 80 mg (-)-epicatechin), for 3 years
Cocoa Flavanols for Low Stamina
Not verified1 study · 0 supporting · 0 against
Why it gets suggested: Proposed to improve exercise capacity via better endothelial/vascular function and blood flow to working muscle.
Dose: 1000 mg
Tested as: 500 mg cocoa flavanol capsules twice daily (1000 mg/day total) for 30 days