Should You Supplement With Cocoa Flavanols? - Rhonda Patrick
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In this video from an ask me anything session with Rhonda, she discusses the circulation, cognition, and skin health benefits of cocoa flavanols. Topics covered include:
BLOOD FLOW * A study showing patients with peripheral artery disease were able to walk 46 yards longer in a 6-minute walking test after supplementing with cocoa for 6 months * A study showing dark chocolate was able to improve cycling distance by 17% in healthy young males * How daily supplementation of 800mg cocoa was able to improve circulation and decrease systolic blood pressure by 5 points and diastolic blood pressure by 3 points
COGNITION * How a single supplement of 450mg cocoa flavanols increases blood flow to the brain * Why cocoa flavanols might protect against cognitive decline * In those with mild cognitive impairment, daily 990mg cocoa flavanols for 8 weeks improved verbal fluency and mental tests
SKIN HEALTH * In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, women taking 320 mg of cocoa flavanols for 24 weeks improved facial wrinkles & objective skin elasticity
She also covers: * The daily dose of cocoa flavanols Rhonda takes * Why Rhonda uses CocoaVia (no affiliation) for obtaining cocoa flavanols (as opposed to other brands)
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Cocoa News
- Consuming 500 milligrams of cocoa flavanols daily improves hippocampal memory function in older adults, study finds.
- Unlocking cardiovascular fitness: Cocoa flavonols enhance peak oxygen consumption by nearly 10 percent in older adults.
- Epicatechin-rich cocoa boosts endogenous antioxidant production and mitochondrial function while protecting against muscle damage in people with peripheral artery disease.
- High-flavanol cocoa protects blood vessels during stress, with function surpassing pre-stress levels at 90 minutes when paired with high-fat meals.