Black Forest Cocoa Flavanol Supplementation and Health Trial
Panoramica dello studio
Stato
Stato
Condizioni
Condizioni
Intervento / Trattamento
Intervento / Trattamento
Descrizione dettagliata
This is an early-phase, randomized, double-blind, controlled mechanistic clinical trial designed to evaluate the effects of daily cocoa flavanol supplementation on vascular biology and inflammatory biomarkers in healthy adults.
Participants aged 30 to 75 years will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either:
A cocoa flavanol supplement providing approximately 1,200 mg total flavanols daily, or A nutrient-matched low-flavanol cocoa-based control product.
The intervention period will last 4 to 8 weeks. Study products will be provided in identical packaging to maintain blinding.
Primary objectives include evaluating changes in biomarkers associated with endothelial function and systemic inflammation, including hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin, TNF-α, CCL2, CCL4, and IFN-γ.
Secondary objectives include assessment of oxidative stress and vascular tone markers, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, endothelial progenitor cell-related markers, endothelial microparticles, and nitric oxide-related biomarkers. Optional mechanistic assessments include flow-mediated dilation and single-cell RNA sequencing analyses in a participant subset.
Blood samples and vascular measurements will be obtained at baseline and at the end of the intervention period. The study is designed to explore physiologic and biomarker responses associated with cocoa flavanol supplementation in a healthy adult population
Tipo di studio
Tipo di studio
Iscrizione (Stimato)
Iscrizione
Fase
Fase
- Non applicabile
Contatti e Sedi
Contatto studio
Contatto studio
- Nome: Shlomi Brielle, PhD
- Numero di telefono: (617) 744-9534
- Email: briellescientific@gmail.com
Luoghi di studio
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Florida
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Miami, Florida, Stati Uniti, 33166
- Black Forest Supplements (The Black Forest LLC)
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Contatto:
- Shlomi Brielle, PhD
- Numero di telefono: (617) 744-9534
- Email: shlomi.brielle@gmail.com
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Contatto:
- Email: sbrielle@g.harvard.edu
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Investigatore principale:
- Shlomi Brielle, PhD
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Miami, Florida, Stati Uniti, 33166
- Power Wellness Spot
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Contatto:
- Shlomi Brielle, PhD
- Numero di telefono: (617) 744-9534
- Email: shlomi.brielle@gmail.com
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Investigatore principale:
- Shlomi Brielle, PhD
-
Contatto:
- Email: shlomi.brielle@gmail.com
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Criteri di partecipazione
Criteri di ammissibilità
Criteri di ammissibilità
Età idonea allo studio
- Adulto
- Adulto più anziano
Accetta volontari sani
Descrizione
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male participants aged 30 to 75 years.
- Able and willing to provide written informed consent.
- Generally healthy, as determined by medical history and screening assessments.
- Willing and able to comply with all study procedures, including blood collection, daily study-product intake, and required study visits.
- Willing to consume the assigned cocoa flavanol supplement or low-flavanol control product once daily for the duration of the study.
- Willing to provide peripheral blood samples at baseline and at the end of the intervention.
- Willing to maintain generally stable dietary, exercise, sleep, medication, and supplement habits during the study.
- Willing to refrain from initiating new supplements, restrictive diets, fasting regimens, or major exercise programs during the study.
- Not currently taking medications or supplements known to substantially affect vascular function, nitric oxide pathways, inflammation, oxidative stress, or coagulation, unless approved by the investigator.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Female biological sex.
- Younger than 30 years or older than 75 years.
- Known cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, hepatic, inflammatory, or autoimmune disease, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or another clinically significant inflammatory disorder.
- Hypertension requiring prescription medication.
- Active infection, acute illness, or other clinically significant medical condition at screening or baseline.
- Current use of medications or supplements that may substantially affect vascular function, inflammatory biomarkers, nitric oxide pathways, oxidative stress, or coagulation, including chronic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, systemic corticosteroids, anticoagulants, antiplatelet drugs, prescription immunomodulatory agents, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, or high-dose antioxidant supplements, unless approved by the investigator.
- Known allergy, hypersensitivity, or intolerance to cocoa, chocolate, cocoa flavanols, or any ingredient in either study product.
- Gastrointestinal disease or condition that may interfere with digestion or absorption of the study product, including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, active gastritis, or a clinically significant malabsorption disorder.
- Current smoking or vaping of nicotine or cannabis products.
- Major psychiatric illness, cognitive impairment, or another condition that may interfere with informed consent, adherence, or completion of study procedures.
- Alcohol or drug abuse within the previous 12 months that, in the investigator's judgment, may affect participant safety or study adherence.
- Participation in another interventional clinical study within 30 days before screening.
- Plans to begin a new medication, supplement, restrictive diet, fasting regimen, or major exercise program during the study period.
- Any condition or circumstance that, in the investigator's judgment, would increase participant risk, interfere with study procedures, compromise adherence, or affect interpretation of the study results.
Piano di studio
Come è strutturato lo studio?
Dettagli di progettazione
- Scopo principale: Scienza basilare
- Assegnazione: Randomizzato
- Modello interventistico: Assegnazione parallela
- Mascheramento: Triplicare
Numero di armi
Armi e interventi
Gruppo di partecipanti / ArmGruppo di partecipanti / Arm |
Intervento / TrattamentoIntervento / Trattamento |
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Sperimentale: Cocoa Flavanol Supplement
Participants will receive a daily cocoa flavanol powder supplement providing approximately 1,200 mg total cocoa flavanols per day for 4 to 8 weeks.
The supplement will be administered orally once daily in a blinded fashion.
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A powdered cocoa flavanol dietary supplement administered orally once daily for 4 to 8 weeks.
Each daily serving contains approximately 1,200 mg total cocoa flavanols in a 10 g powder formulation.
The supplement is mixed with water or a non-alcoholic beverage and consumed in a blinded fashion.
Altri nomi:
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Comparatore placebo: Low-Flavanol Control
Participants will receive a nutrient-matched low-flavanol cocoa-based powder containing less than 2% total flavanols for 4 to 8 weeks.
The control product is designed to match the active supplement in appearance and administration while minimizing biologically active flavanol exposure.
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A nutrient-matched low-flavanol cocoa-based powder administered orally once daily for 4 to 8 weeks.
The control product contains less than 2% total flavanols and is designed to match the active supplement in appearance, taste, and administration while minimizing biologically active flavanol exposure.
Altri nomi:
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Cosa sta misurando lo studio?
Misure di risultato primarie
Misure di risultato primarie
Misura del risultato |
Misura Descrizione |
Lasso di tempo |
|---|---|---|
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Change From Baseline in Circulating C-Reactive Protein Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating C-reactive protein will be measured in serum using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated for each participant as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration.
Change from baseline will be compared between the cocoa flavanol supplementation group and the nutrient-matched low-flavanol control group.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Interleukin-6 Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating interleukin-6 will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating vascular endothelial growth factor A will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Endothelin-1 Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating endothelin-1 will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Stromal Cell-Derived Factor 1 Alpha Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating stromal cell-derived factor 1 alpha, also known as SDF-1α or CXCL12, will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating E-Selectin Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating E-selectin will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 4 Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating C-C motif chemokine ligand 4, also known as CCL4, will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, also known as CCL2, will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Interferon-Gamma Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating interferon-gamma will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Interleukin-10 Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating interleukin-10 will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Interleukin-1 Beta Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating interleukin-1 beta will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Leptin Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating leptin will be measured in serum or plasma using a custom multiplex bead-based immunoassay.
The outcome will be calculated as the Week 4 concentration minus the baseline concentration and compared between treatment groups.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Misure di risultato secondarie
Misure di risultato secondarie
Misura del risultato |
Misura Descrizione |
Lasso di tempo |
|---|---|---|
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cell Frequency
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and 4 weeks after the first dose
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Circulating endothelial progenitor cells will be quantified in peripheral blood by flow cytometry.
The outcome will be calculated as the end-of-intervention value minus the baseline value and compared between the cocoa flavanol supplementation group and the nutrient-matched low-flavanol control group.
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Baseline and 4 weeks after the first dose
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Change From Baseline in Circulating Nitric Oxide Metabolite Concentration
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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Circulating nitric oxide metabolites will be measured in serum or plasma using the RayBiotech MA-NO metabolism assay.
The outcome will be calculated for each participant as the Week 4 value minus the baseline value.
Change from baseline will be compared between the cocoa flavanol supplementation group and the nutrient-matched low-flavanol control group.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Altre misure di risultato
Altre misure di risultato
Misura del risultato |
Misura Descrizione |
Lasso di tempo |
|---|---|---|
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Change From Baseline in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell-Type Abundance by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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As an exploratory pilot analysis, single-cell RNA sequencing will be performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected at baseline and Week 4 from a subset of participants.
For each identified immune-cell population, cell-type abundance will be calculated as the proportion of quality-controlled cells assigned to that cell type.
Exploratory changes from baseline will be evaluated within participants and compared between the cocoa flavanol supplementation and nutrient-matched low-flavanol control groups.
This pilot analysis is not powered for confirmatory hypothesis testing.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Exploratory Change From Baseline in Single-Cell Gene-Expression Pathway Scores
Lasso di tempo: Baseline and Week 4
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As an exploratory pilot analysis, single-cell RNA sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells will be used to evaluate cell-type-specific transcriptional changes associated with inflammation, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, vascular repair, and progenitor-cell activity.
Prespecified gene-expression pathway scores will be calculated within relevant cell populations.
Exploratory changes from baseline to Week 4 will be evaluated within participants and compared between treatment groups.
This pilot analysis is not powered for confirmatory hypothesis testing.
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Baseline and Week 4
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Collaboratori e investigatori
Sponsor
Sponsor
Investigatori
Investigatori
- Investigatore principale: Shlomi Brielle, PhD, The Black Forest LLC
Studiare le date dei record
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Inizio studio (Stimato)
Inizio studio
Completamento primario (Stimato)
Completamento primario
Completamento dello studio (Stimato)
Completamento dello studio
Date di iscrizione allo studio
Primo inviato
Primo inviato
Primo inviato che soddisfa i criteri di controllo qualità
Primo inviato che soddisfa i criteri di controllo qualità
Primo Inserito (Effettivo)
Primo Inserito
Aggiornamenti dei record di studio
Ultimo aggiornamento pubblicato (Effettivo)
Ultimo aggiornamento pubblicato
Ultimo aggiornamento inviato che soddisfa i criteri QC
Ultimo aggiornamento inviato che soddisfa i criteri QC
Ultimo verificato
Ultimo verificato
Maggiori informazioni
Termini relativi a questo studio
Parole chiave
Altri numeri di identificazione dello studio
Altri numeri di identificazione dello studio
- BF-CF-HEALTH-001
- Pro00092276 (Altro identificatore: Advarra IRB)
Piano per i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)
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Descrizione del piano IPD
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