The Effects of Dark Chocolate on Blood Pressure in Individuals With Mildly Elevated Blood Pressure

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Blood Pressure
• Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Dark chocolate; Other: Dietary counselling

• Registration Number: NCT02130141
• Lead Sponsor: University of Helsinki

Brief Summary

The evidence linking chocolate with lowered blood pressure has been observed. However, the interventions have been short, at most 4 weeks. The aim of this study is to find out if the habitual consumption of dark chocolate for 8 weeks has an effect on blood pressure. Also, more insight to the mechanisms linking chocolate to individual healt-responses is needed.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2012-11
• Primary Completion: 2014-01
• Study Completion: 2014-01
• Status Verified: 2014-05
• Study First Submitted: 2014-05-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2014-05-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-05-01
• Study First Posted: 2014-05-05
• Last Update Posted: 2014-05-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• age 25-65 years
• resting systolic pressure 140-159 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure 90-99 mmHg
• BMI 25.0- 29.9

Exclusion Criteria

• smoking
• regular medication for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or asthma

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Dietary counselling	Dietary counselling	Usual snacks are limited.
Dark chocolate, dietary counselling	Dark chocolate	Mildly hypertensive subject will replace their usual snacks with with 50 g dark chocolate daily for a period of 8 weeks.
Dietary counselling	Dark chocolate	Usual snacks are limited.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure	8 weeks	Usual daily snack is replaced by 50 g dark chocolate for a period of 8 weeks. During the control period, the same usual snack is limited in the diet, but without the replacement with the dark chocolate.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Ambulatory blood pressure	8 weeks
Blood lipids, inflammation markers, plasma levels of cocoa polyphenols	8 weeks

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Institute of Clinical Medicine; 🇫🇮 Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

University of Helsinki; 🇫🇮 Helsinki, Helsingin Yliopisto, Finland