EFFECTS OF CHOCOLATE ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 可可是抗氧化多酚的丰富来源，经常食用可可和黑巧克力与死亡率显著降低和许多CVD风险因素（包括血压和血管内皮功能）的改善相关。 这项研究的主要目的是检查可可衍生多酚对心血管风险的几个标志物的影响，包括心血管和激素对心理压力的反应。 该项目建立在最近的研究基础上，这些研究表明，食用黑巧克力和可可后，血压显着降低。Grassi等人报道，富含黄酮醇的黑巧克力可显著降低血压正常和高血压患者的24小时动态血压。这表明可可的降压作用并不局限于受控的休息条件，在日常生活中暴露于压力下也可能明显降低血压。 我们计划招募35名年龄在40-65岁之间的健康成年人，他们是典型的美国人群（体重指数在超重至肥胖范围内，但没有糖尿病或其他全身性疾病）。 我们的目标是在30名受试者中完成测试，这些受试者将在交叉设计中暴露于高多酚黑可可或匹配的低多酚巧克力4周。 设计包括筛选访视和治疗之间的2 - 4周洗脱期。 高多酚可可（22克/天）将在无糖可可饮料和37克黑巧克力中提供。在随机化之前和每个治疗期结束时测量的主要结局包括：对急性应激源的心血管和激素反应性、情绪、血管内皮功能、脉搏波振幅以及在血液、唾液和尿液中测量的几个其他CVD风险因素。这些包括肾素/ACE/血管紧张素、脂质、炎性细胞因子、胰岛素、葡萄糖、HbA 1c和尿应激激素。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Cocoa is a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols and frequent consumption of cocoa and dark chocolate is associated with significant reductions in mortality and improvements in a number of CVD risk factors including blood pressure and vascular endothelial function. The primary goal of this study is to examine the effects of cocoa-derived polyphenols on several markers of cardiovascular risk, including cardiovascular and hormonal responses to psychological stress. This project builds on recent studies showing significant reductions in blood pressure after consumption of dark chocolate and cocoa. Grassi et al reported that 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure was significantly reduced by flavonol-rich dark chocolate in both normotensive and hypertensive individuals. This suggests that the hypotensive effects of cocoa are not restricted to controlled resting conditions, and that lower blood pressure may also be evident during exposure to stress in daily life. We propose to enroll 35 healthy adults, ages 40-65, who are typical of the US population (having body mass index in the overweight to obese range but without diabetes or other systemic disease). Our goal is to complete testing on 30 subjects who will be exposed to high polyphenol dark cocoa or a matched low polyphenol chocolate for 4 weeks each in a crossover design. The design includes a screening visit and a 2 -4 week washout between treatments. High polyphenol cocoa (22 g/d) will be delivered in a sugar-free cocoa beverage and a 37 g bar of dark chocolate. Primary outcomes to be measured before randomization and at the end of each treatment period include: cardiovascular and hormonal reactivity to acute stressors, mood, vascular endothelial function, pulse wave amplitude, and several other CVD risk factors measured in blood, saliva and urine. These include renin/ACE/angiotensin, lipids, inflammatory cytokines, insulin, glucose, HbA1c, and urinary stress hormones.