Key result
Dark chocolate improves flow-mediated dilation by ~57% and lowers NT-proBNP in heart failure patients.
Why the study?
Dietary recommendations have become important in heart failure treatment, but the effects of milk and dark chocolate on endothelial function in heart failure patients were unclear.
Does dark or milk chocolate consumption improve endothelial function and reduce NT-proBNP in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction?
RCT (n=20)
Crossover
Does dark or milk chocolate consumption improve endothelial function and reduce NT-proBNP in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction?
Chocolate consumption acutely decreases NT-proBNP in HFrEF patients, with dark chocolate additionally improving endothelial function as measured by flow-mediated dilation.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May improve endothelial function in HFrEF; hypothesis-generating and requires confirmation in larger trials before any dietary change.
OBJECTIVE: Dietary recommendations, in addition to medications, have recently become important in the treatment of heart failure. Our study aimed to show the positive effects of both milk chocolate and dark chocolate on heart failure through endothelial functions. METHODS: Twenty patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction were included in the study. In this randomized, crossover study, some of the patients consumed milk chocolate and some consumed dark chocolate. We recorded the patients' 6-minute walking tests, flow- mediated dilatation values, plasma catechin, epicatechin, and N-terminal pro-brain natri- uretic peptide values before and after chocolate consumption. After 2 weeks, their chocolate consumption was changed. The same parameters were measured again. RESULTS: A significant decrease was observed in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide values after consumption of both milk chocolate (356 ± 54.2 and 310 ± 72.1 pg/mL; P = .007) and dark chocolate (341 ± 57 and 301 ± 60.1 pg/mL;P=.028). Flow-mediated dilation values increased after dark chocolate consumption (8.9 ± 3% and 14 ± 4.5%; P = .019). CONCLUSION: Chocolate consumption acutely decreases N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic pep- tide values in heart failure. Dark chocolate consumption also seems to improve endothelial functions by increasing flow-mediated dilation values.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Dural et al. (2022) conducted an RCT in Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (n=20). Dark chocolate and milk chocolate vs. Baseline (before consumption) was evaluated on N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and flow-mediated dilation (p=.007, .028, .019). Dark chocolate consumption increased flow-mediated dilation (8.9% to 14%; P=.019) and both milk and dark chocolate decreased NT-proBNP values in patients with heart failure.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: