A new study, published online Tuesday in the journal Scientific Reports, has found that flavanol-rich cocoa drinks could improve brain function and cognitive performance in healthy adults.
Researchers randomly gave participants (18 males) flavanol-rich cocoa or processed cocoa with very low levels of flavanols.
The researchers found that some participants who had flavanol-rich cocoa had faster and greater brain oxygenation, with better cognitive performance on complex tests.
Lead author and biologist Dr. Catarina Rendeiro of University of Birmingham, Britain, said, “Flavanols are small molecules found in many fruits and vegetables, and cocoa, too.”
“They give fruits and vegetables their bright colors, and they are known to benefit vascular function,” she added. “We wanted to know whether flavanols also benefit the brain vasculature, and whether that could have a positive impact on cognitive function.”
Dr. Rendeiro found that the four participants who did not show any improvement with flavanol-rich cocoa “already had the highest oxygenation responses at baseline.”
“This may indicate that those who are already quite fit have little room for improvement,” she continued. “Overall, the findings suggest that the improvements in vascular activity after exposure to flavanols are connected to an improvement in cognitive function.”
Dr. Rendeiro led the research along with Prof. Monica Fabiana and Prof. Gabriel Gratton of the University of Illinois.
Fabiana said the team measured oxygenation in the frontal cortex, a key region of the brain associated with planning, regulating, and decision-making.
However, there were a few limitations to the study. For instance, the study was conducted only on 18 healthy male volunteers and there were no female participants at all.
The researchers explained, “Females were excluded from the study to ensure a more homogenous sample and to minimize the impact of hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle on vascular outcomes.” The article was originally published on United Press International (UPI), an online news outlet.
