New research suggests cocoa extract supplements may support heart health
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Conversations about how food impacts long-term health have persisted for centuries, often blending cultural practices with modern science.
Researchers continue to explore natural compounds that may influence not only wellness today but also the trajectory of aging.
These discoveries highlight how something small in daily routines can have measurable impacts on health outcomes. Each new study builds curiosity about the overlooked role of nutrition in preventing serious disease.
A team from Mass General Brigham has found that cocoa extract supplements rich in flavanols may reduce inflammation and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Their research focused on inflammatory markers tied to aging and chronic illness, analyzing data from a large clinical trial.
They observed that “hsCRP”—a key inflammatory protein linked to cardiovascular risk—showed significant decreases among participants who took cocoa extract.
These findings add weight to earlier smaller studies pointing toward the potential heart-protective benefits of flavanols.
Between 2014 and 2020, Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted the COSMOS trial with more than 21,000 older adults.
During that period, they discovered cocoa extract supplementation reduced cardiovascular disease mortality by 27 percent.
A subset of 598 participants provided blood samples to measure changes in five inflammaging biomarkers, including hsCRP, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, and IFN-γ.
The most consistent improvements were seen in hsCRP, which dropped by 8.4 percent each year compared to the placebo group.
Study author Howard Sesso explained: “Our interest in cocoa extract and inflammaging started on the basis of cocoa-related reductions in cardiovascular disease.”
“We also appreciate the important overlap between healthy aging and cardiovascular health, where aging-related inflammation can harden arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease.”
Also read: Experts reveal the protein-packed food that supports heart health after 60
“Because of that, we wanted to see whether multiyear cocoa extract supplementation versus a placebo could modulate inflammaging—and the data suggests it does.”
His team emphasized that these outcomes help explain why cocoa extract may contribute to cardiovascular protection.
While hsCRP levels declined significantly, other biomarkers either stayed steady or rose modestly, though female participants did show slight improvements in IL-6.
The researchers note that these mixed results highlight the complexity of inflammaging and the need for more studies to fully understand long-term effects.
Even so, they argue that food-based strategies could be a valuable complement to traditional approaches for preventing chronic disease.
The trial’s data supports a broader view that diet-linked compounds can influence aging and heart health in meaningful ways.
Also read: 12 superfoods to help you feel stronger, sharper, and healthier after 50
Sesso clarified that cocoa extract supplements differ from chocolate, which loses much of its bioactive content during processing and often contains excess sugar and fat.
“This trial tells us nothing about chocolate—which has excess calories and fat, and always without the key bioactives of the cocoa bean such as cocoa flavanols due to the processing of the food. So, eating chocolate is not the proper response to this study—it remains important to have a well-balanced diet with a variety of plant-based foods that contain flavanols!” he told Newsweek. Foods like berries, tea, and grapes naturally contain the compounds studied.
Read next: Chocolate and tea: The surprising health duo you need to know
Do you think more people should turn to supplements like cocoa extract, or focus instead on whole foods naturally rich in flavanols? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Researchers continue to explore natural compounds that may influence not only wellness today but also the trajectory of aging.
These discoveries highlight how something small in daily routines can have measurable impacts on health outcomes. Each new study builds curiosity about the overlooked role of nutrition in preventing serious disease.
A team from Mass General Brigham has found that cocoa extract supplements rich in flavanols may reduce inflammation and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Their research focused on inflammatory markers tied to aging and chronic illness, analyzing data from a large clinical trial.
They observed that “hsCRP”—a key inflammatory protein linked to cardiovascular risk—showed significant decreases among participants who took cocoa extract.
These findings add weight to earlier smaller studies pointing toward the potential heart-protective benefits of flavanols.
Between 2014 and 2020, Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted the COSMOS trial with more than 21,000 older adults.
New research suggests cocoa extract supplements may support heart health. Image source: Etty Fidele / Unsplash
During that period, they discovered cocoa extract supplementation reduced cardiovascular disease mortality by 27 percent.
A subset of 598 participants provided blood samples to measure changes in five inflammaging biomarkers, including hsCRP, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, and IFN-γ.
The most consistent improvements were seen in hsCRP, which dropped by 8.4 percent each year compared to the placebo group.
Study author Howard Sesso explained: “Our interest in cocoa extract and inflammaging started on the basis of cocoa-related reductions in cardiovascular disease.”
“We also appreciate the important overlap between healthy aging and cardiovascular health, where aging-related inflammation can harden arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease.”
Also read: Experts reveal the protein-packed food that supports heart health after 60
“Because of that, we wanted to see whether multiyear cocoa extract supplementation versus a placebo could modulate inflammaging—and the data suggests it does.”
His team emphasized that these outcomes help explain why cocoa extract may contribute to cardiovascular protection.
While hsCRP levels declined significantly, other biomarkers either stayed steady or rose modestly, though female participants did show slight improvements in IL-6.
The researchers note that these mixed results highlight the complexity of inflammaging and the need for more studies to fully understand long-term effects.
Even so, they argue that food-based strategies could be a valuable complement to traditional approaches for preventing chronic disease.
The trial’s data supports a broader view that diet-linked compounds can influence aging and heart health in meaningful ways.
Also read: 12 superfoods to help you feel stronger, sharper, and healthier after 50
Sesso clarified that cocoa extract supplements differ from chocolate, which loses much of its bioactive content during processing and often contains excess sugar and fat.
“This trial tells us nothing about chocolate—which has excess calories and fat, and always without the key bioactives of the cocoa bean such as cocoa flavanols due to the processing of the food. So, eating chocolate is not the proper response to this study—it remains important to have a well-balanced diet with a variety of plant-based foods that contain flavanols!” he told Newsweek. Foods like berries, tea, and grapes naturally contain the compounds studied.
Read next: Chocolate and tea: The surprising health duo you need to know
