Protective Effects of Cocoa Ingestion Over Healthy Males Plasma Lipids Subjected to Peroxidative Conditions

Background: Cocoa is rich in flavonoids such as (-)-epicatechin and (+)-catechin; these compounds have displayed both in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity.

Objective: This trial evaluate the regular ingestion effect of both, dark chocolate and cocoa powder, over plasma lipids of young males subjected to ex vivo lipid peroxidative conditions.

Design: Single-blind, controlled and randomized clinical trial including 100 healthy men, divided into two groups: 50 subjects received 30 g of cocoa powder and 50 g of dark chocolate/d for 1 wk, and the other 50 subjects received placebo.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Lipid Peroxidation
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Cocoa powder berverage, dark chocolate bar; Dietary supplement: Placebo

Detailed Description

Adult young males were enrolled at the Universidad Industrial de Santander by publicity at the university food service centre. Those who respond (n=136) were selected after the normal blood lipid profile was verified by laboratory testing of total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL and triacylglycerols, as well exclusion and inclusion criteria were applied. Within the exclusion criteria we included diagnosed coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, use of any prescribed medication, restrictive diets and any migraine or cocoa products allergic antecedents.

Finally enlisted subjects were 120 non-smokers, normolipemic, ages were between 20 and 30 years old, who underwent anthropometric measurements like weight, height, BMI (among 16.0 and 27.4 kg/m2) and regular nutritional and toxicological habits using standardized surveys. Subjects received 3 meals a day from the Food Nutritional Service of Universidad Industrial de Santander, in order to ensure the same diet conditions for all subjects along the experimental period. An average colombian diet, based on 2287 calories as a total caloric value (protein 15%, fats 35% and carbohydrates 60%) was used. The study protocol and the informed consent were approved by the Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá Institutional Ethical Committee (Santa Fe de Bogotá D.C., Colombia). We got written informed consent from all participants and they received money compensation for its participation in the study.

Outcome measures:

Susceptibility of plasma lipids to oxidation Determination of plasma lipids oxidation resistance Determination of oxidative protection

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 136
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Colombia
  • Bogotá DC., Colombia
    • Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Universidad Industrial de Santander.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 30 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Normal lipid profile
• Age between 20 and 30 years old
• Must like chocolate

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed coronary artery disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypertension
• Use of any prescribed medication
• Restrictive diets and any
• Migraine or
• Cocoa products allergic antecedents

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Cocoa, Placebo

Dietary supplement: Cocoa powder berverage, dark chocolate bar; Sugar drink containing 30 g of cocoa powder and 50 g of a 65% dark chocolate, and the control group received 30 g of placebo drink containing 0 g of cocoa powder. Each drink was prepared by using 300 ml of water and 30 g of sugar, also were consumed twice each day: with breakfast and afternoon meal. during 7-d after the intervention started.; Dietary supplement: Placebo; Sugar drink containing 30 g of cocoa powder and 50 g of a 65% dark chocolate, and the control group received 30 g of placebo drink containing 0 g of cocoa powder. Each drink was prepared by using 300 ml of water and 30 g of sugar, also were consumed twice each day: with breakfast and afternoon meal. during 7-d after the intervention started.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Oxidative protection index	Oxidative protection of plasma lipids was set up by measuring hexanal, known as one of the main components of oxidizing n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The oxidative protection index (OPI), was defined as the difference between the basal and post intervention (cocoa taking in) sample chromatographic areas as stated by the formula: OPI = (Area0 - Area1/ Area0)*100. Hexanal determination was carried out by HS-SPME in situ derivatization method using PFPH fibre saturation as derivatizing agent under the methodology	7-days after the intervention started.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Oxidation resistance index (ORI)	ORI was expressed as a percentage and held as the difference among basal (0) and post interventions (1) lag time of each subject according to the following formula: ORI = (lag1 - lag0/ lag1)*100. Plasma was 50-fold diluted in a saline phosphate solution (PBS; 0.0027M KCl, 0.137M NaCl, pH 7.4) and then was exposed to copper (II) chloride at final concentration of 95 µM in a 2.5 ml quartz cuvette. Conjugated diene formation from lipid peroxidation was followed at 245 nm wavelength, recorded each 5 min over 4-h period at 37ºC in a Perkin Elmer Lambda Bio 10 spectrophotometer	7-days after the intervention started

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Fundación Santa Fe de Bogota
• Collaborators: Instituto Colombiano para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (COLCIENCIAS)
• Investigators: Study Director: Gabriel Carrasquilla, PhD, Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Barrios M, Orozco LC, Stashenko EE. Cocoa ingestion protects plasma lipids in healthy males against ex vivo oxidative conditions: A randomized clinical trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Aug;26:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.05.001. Epub 2018 May 30.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2007
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2008
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 29, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 3, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): May 4, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 4, 2011
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 3, 2011
• Last Verified: September 1, 2004

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Flavonoids; plasma; lipid peroxidation; cacao
• Other Study ID Numbers: 20114