Short-term Cocoa Supplementation and Elite Soccer Players (COCOA)

Short-term Cocoa Supplementation Influences Long-chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Concentration and Microbiota Composition in Elite Male Football Players

The goal of this interventional study was to investigate the impact of daily ingestion of 30g of dark chocolate on omega-3 fatty acid status and gut microbial community in professional soccer players.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Can 30g of dark chocolate positively influence the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs) and, particularly, arachidonic acid (AA): eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ratio? Can 30g of dark chocolate change the microbial composition in professional soccer players? Elite male soccer players were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group was provided with 30g of dark chocolate 88% (2,5 mg/g of polyphenol) and one group, as control, was provided with with 30g of white chocolate (0 mg/g of polyphenol). Each group ingested the chocolate intervention as a "solid bar" in the morning (before 9:00 am) every day for 4 weeks. The dark chocolate and white chocolate were provided every morning to each subject by the nutritionist of each team, while, during off days, the chocolate was portioned into individual serving sizes and provided to each player. Adherence was checked by the nutritionist.

For each assessment, the participants arrived at the training center in the morning, after an overnight fast. Before the beginning and the end of the study, a 3-days food record (3dr) was recorded (2 weekdays and 1 week-end day) by the nutritionist. Blood was collected between 08:00 and 09:00 hours, fecal sample was delivered within the end of the morning, and anthropometry measures were determined.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Dyslipidemias; Fatty Acid; Metabolic Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: dark chocolate; Dietary supplement: White chocolate

Detailed Description

This study was conducted in May 2022. Elite male soccer players (n=38) were randomly divided into two groups. The dark chocolate group (DC N=19) was provided with 30g of dark chocolate 88% (Novi Nero Nero 88% cacao, Elah Dufour S.p.A., Strada Serravalle 73, Novi Ligure) (2,5 mg/g of polyphenol). The white chocolate group (WC n=19) was provided with 30g of white chocolate. (Bianco Novi, Elah Dufour S.p.A., Strada Serravalle 73, Novi Ligure) (0 mg/g of polyphenol). Each group ingested the chocolate intervention as a "solid bar" in the morning (before 9:00 am) every day for 4 weeks. The participants were instructed to refrain from consuming chocolate or flavanol-containing products (i.e., blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, green tea, red wine, and pomegranate juice), starting from 3 days before the beginning of the study and throughout the intervention period. The dark chocolate and white chocolate were provided every morning to each subject by the nutritionist of each team, while, during off days, the chocolate was portioned into individual serving sizes and provided to each player. Adherence was checked by the nutritionist.

For each assessment, participants arrived at the training center in the morning, after an overnight fast. Before the beginning and the end of the study, a 3-days food record (3DR) was recorded (2 weekdays and 1 week-end day) by the nutritionist, blood was collected between 08:00 and 09:00 hours, fecal sample was delivered within the end of the morning, and anthropometry measures were determined. Briefly, for stool samples, athletes were asked to collect their fecal material (single defecation) in a plastic vial and place the vial in a labelled box. The nutritionist and/or the doctor of each team immediately collected the fresh stool samples and delivered them within 72h to the research hub facility (University of Padova, Department of Biomedical Science).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 38
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Padova, Italy, 35131
    • University of Padova

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Elite football players playing in Serie A teams

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any disease or serious medical condition
• Probiotic use
• Special diet such as vegan or vegetarian or high-fiber
• Use of specific medications such as: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and statins taken in the last week

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dark Chocolate; Dark chocolate group was provided with 30g of dark chocolate (high in flavanol) for 30 days	Dietary supplement: dark chocolate; 30g of dark or white chocolate was provided by the nutritionist for 30 days
Sham Comparator: White Chocolate; White chocolate group was provided with30g of white chocolate (0 mg/g of polyphenol) for 30 days	Dietary supplement: White chocolate; 30g of white chocolate was provided by the nutritionist for 30 days

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Plasmatic level of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (AA:EPA) ratio	Investigate the impact of daily ingestion of 30g of dark chocolate on omega-3 fatty acid status in professional soccer players	1 month
Main compositional changes in gut microbiota	Investigate the impact of daily ingestion of 30g of dark chocolate gut microbial community in professional soccer players	1 month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Padova
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Antonio Paoli, MD, University of Padova

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 3, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 3, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): May 3, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 1, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 3, 2023
• First Posted (Estimated): October 9, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): October 9, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 3, 2023
• Last Verified: May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: soccer; fatty acid; dark chocolate
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Lipid Metabolism Disorders; Dyslipidemias; Metabolic Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: Padova_Soccer

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No