High Flavonols Cocoa Intake for the Improvement of Body Fat Composition in Athletes
- Conditions
- Healthy Subjects
- Interventions
- Dietary Supplement: Placebo groupDietary Supplement: Cocoa group
- Registration Number
- NCT04028128
- Lead Sponsor
- Universidad Europea de Madrid
- Brief Summary
The decrease in body fat percentage improves exercise performance, reducing race time. The intake of cocoa improves the body fat composition in obese and diabetic people by improving their cardiovascular disease risk factors. Although epidemiological studies indicate that healthy subjects who consume cocoa have lower body fat composition, there is no study indicating whether cocoa improves fat composition in athletes. The aim of the study was to determine if the intake of cocoa rich in flavonoids improves the fat composition of athletes, modifying the systemic levels of adipokines (folistatin, myostatin and leptin), resulting in an improvement of physical performance.
- Detailed Description
The objective of this project was to investigate the effects of chronic daily consumption of high in flavanols cocoa in body composition and performance of endurance athletes:
A randomized, blinded, parallel placebo controlled intervention study was carried out in endurance athletes . The number of male athletes enrolled in the study was 40, with ages between 18 and 50 years and an aerobic power consumption of oxygen greater than or equal to 55 mL / kg / min). The intervention was carried out for 10 weeks. Cocoa or placebo (maltodextrin) were supplied in sachets of a single daily dose. Cocoa provided 425 mg of flavanols/ day.
Athlete's body composition was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Exercise performance was evaluated with a treadmill test protocol determining the maximum aerobic capacity and also by determining the time necessary to run a kilometer at maximum speed.
Adipokines (follistatin, myostatin and leptin) in plasma and serum samples were determined by ELISA.
Diet was determined by three 24h-recall questionnaries and a Food Frecuency questionnaire.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- Male
- Target Recruitment
- 40
- Men.
- Age between 18 and 50 years
- Aerobic power of oxygen consumption greater than or equal to 55 mL / kg / min
- Intake of chronical medication.
- Intake any type of nutritional or ergogenic supplements.
- Vegetarian or vegan diet
- Smoke.
- Any diagnosed disease at the time of inclusion or during the study
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Placebo group Placebo group Maltodextrin (5 g) was supplied as placebo in sachets identical to those provided for cocoa. Cocoa group Cocoa group The cocoa was provided in 5 g sachets. The intervention last 10 weeks. Cocoa was provided in a single daily dose of 5 g, which provided 425 mg of flavonoids
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change of body fat mass at 10 weeks Fat mass was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time = 0) and after 10 weeks of intervention Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in Sport performance test at 10 weeks Sport performance was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time) and after 10 weeks of intervention Assessment of maximal aerobic capacity by treadmill test
Change from baseline of leptin Leptin was analyzed at the beginning and at the end of the 10-week intervention. leptin levels were measured in plasma by ELISA
Change in Dietary habits at 10 weeks Diet was analyzed at the beginning (baseline dose) and after 10 weeks of intervention. Food Frequency Questionnaire. Consumption data were obtained for 93 foods. These data were entered into the DietSource software 3.0 (Novartis, Barcelona, Spain) to transform food data into percentage of carbohydrates, percentage of proteins and percentage of fat in the diet.
Change of lean mass at 10 weeks Lean mass was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time) and after 10 weeks of intervention Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
Change in Sport performance test 2 at 10 weeks Sport performance was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time and after 10 weeks of intervention Measurement of the time that the sportsmen spend running one kilometer at the maximum speed.
Change from baseline of adipokines at 10 weeks Myostatin and Follistatin were analyzed at the beginning and at the end of the 10-week intervention. Myostatin and Follistatin levels were measured in plasma
Change in Dietary habits 2 at 10 weeks Diet was analyzed at the beginning (baseline dose) and after 10 weeks of intervention. 24h recall questionnaire. This questionnaire was carried out 3 times on different days (2 weekdays and one weekend day) at the beginning (baseline) and after 10 weeks of intervention.These data were entered into the DietSource software 3.0 (Novartis, Barcelona, Spain) to transform food data into percentage of carbohydrates, percentage of proteins and percentage of fat in the diet.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Jose Ángel García Merino
🇪🇸Villaviciosa De Odón, Madrid, Spain