Chocolate study aims to assess link to heart health

A new study has been launched that will test whether a 'chocolate pill' is beneficial to health levels. Some 18,000 adults are to be involved in the clinical trial that will cover both Boston and seattle, US.

The benefits of eating dark chocolate have long been talked about, as many have found evidence that the food can help with heart health, reducing cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. The new study will trial a capsule that contains concentrated amounts of cocoa flavanols that are found in dark chocolate. 

Flavonoids in chocolate are often destroyed during processing, according to Dr JoAnn Mason, leader of the study, meaning that the majority of chocolate available on the market does not have any protecting capabilities. Chocolate available on the market also contains added fat and sugar, which have negative consequences for health.

Each of the participants will be given either a placebo or two of the chocolate pills everyday over the course of four years. The participants will not know what pill they are receiving, nor do the leaders of the study. Each of the chocolate capsules will contain levels of cocoa flavonoids that a person would not be able to consume by eating commercial chocolate bars. They will also have no sugar or saturated fat within them.

Previous studies have found that cocoa flavonoids have helped to improve the body's use of insulin, artery health, blood pressure, cholesterol and other factors related cardiovascular health. This study will assess whether high doses of these flavonoids without the additives that are found in commercial chocolate bars will help to improve health over a long period of time.

Funding for the trial is being provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and Mars Inc.

A second part of the study will also look at whether multivitamins play a role in helping to prevent cancer. Researchers will look at whether daily doses of multivitamins will help to reduce cancer rates in the population. Previous studies have found that multivitamins could be beneficial but the trials tended to include only only men, whereas this trial will look at a broader range of people.