\u200b\u200bForget death by chocolate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
New research<\/a> suggests cocoa extract supplements might actually help you live longer by slowing down the inflammation that accelerates aging.<\/p>\n Better yet, they may also lower the risk of dying from heart disease<\/a> \u2014 the top killer nationwide.<\/p>\n As we age, chronic inflammation persists in our bodies. New research suggests cocoa extract might help slow it down. NDABCREATIVITY \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n \u201cThis study calls for more attention to the advantage of plant-based foods for cardiovascular health, including cocoa products rich in flavanols,\u201d Dr. Howard Sesso<\/a>, corresponding author of the study, said in a statement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt reinforces the importance of a diverse, colorful, plant-based diet \u2014 especially in the context of inflammation,\u201d he continued. <\/p>\n Past studies<\/a> have found that cocoa extract can reduce inflammatory markers in the body, largely thanks to its high flavanol content.<\/p>\n These natural compounds \u2014 also found in fruits, vegetables and tea \u2014 are known for their antioxidant properties. They\u2019ve been shown to reduce inflammation<\/a>, prevent blood clots<\/a> and improve blood vessel function<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cocoa is rich in flavonoids, which may help lower the risk of some age-related chronic diseases. iprachenko \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n To better understand the connection, Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital launched the COSMOS trial<\/a>.<\/p>\n The long-term study explores how cocoa extract affects heart health and fights \u201cinflammaging<\/a>\u201d \u2014 the chronic low-grade inflammation that hastens aging and raises the risk of chronic disease.<\/p>\n \u201cWe appreciate the important overlap between healthy aging and cardiovascular health, where aging-related inflammation can harden arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease,\u201d said Sesso, the associate director of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of that, we wanted to see whether multi-year cocoa extract supplementation versus a placebo could modulate inflammaging \u2014 and the data suggests it does.\u201d<\/p>\n Sesso and his team analyzed blood samples from 598 COSMOS participants aged 60 and older who were taking cocoa extract supplements.<\/p>\n Over a two-year follow-up period, they tracked changes in several inflammaging biomarkers, including three pro-inflammatory proteins, one anti-inflammatory protein and one immune-mediating protein.<\/p>\n The most common type of heart disease in the US is coronary artery disease. digitalskillet1 \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n By the end of the study, the scientists found that levels of one pro-inflammatory protein tied to higher heart disease risk \u2014 called hsCRP \u2014 dropped by 8.4% each year in those taking cocoa supplements compared to a placebo group.<\/p>\n The other markers mostly stayed steady or rose slightly.<\/p>\n That drop in hsCRP could explain the heart-protective effects seen in the larger COSMOS trial<\/a>, in which people taking cocoa extract had a 27% lower chance of dying from cardiovascular disease, researchers said.<\/p>\n That\u2019s huge. In the US, a person dies from heart disease every 34 seconds. In 2023, the condition accounted for 1 in 3 deaths across the country, according to the CDC<\/a>.<\/p>\n