Blood pressure and endothelial function in healthy, pregnant women after acute and daily consumption of flavanol-rich chocolate: a pilot, randomized controlled trial

Nutrition Journal

Sylvie Dodin⁴  Martin Noël⁵  Charles Couillard⁶  Laurent Bazinet⁶  Claudine Blanchet³  Mélodie Bourdages²  Simone Lemieux⁶  Emmanuel Bujold¹  Jaime Andres Mogollon³ 

[1] Reproductive Biology Research Center, Research Center, Centre hospitalier de l'Université Laval (CHUL)-CHUQ, Quebec, Canada;Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (INAF), Université Laval, Quebec, Canada;St. François d’Assise Hospital, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec (CHUQ), Quebec, Canada;Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Research Center, St. François d’Assise Hospital (CHUQ), Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1L 3 L5, Canada;Public Health Research Center, CHUQ, Quebec, Canada;Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (INAF), Université Laval, Quebec, Canada

关键词: Epicatechin;    Preeclampsia;    Pregnancy-induced;    Hypertension;    Pregnant women;    Flavanols;    Theobromine;    Chocolate;    Cacao;   

Others  :  807017
DOI  :  10.1186/1475-2891-12-41

 received in 2012-08-20, accepted in 2013-04-04,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) indicate that flavanol-rich chocolate has beneficial effects on flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and blood pressure (BP). However, no RCTs have evaluated these outcomes in pregnant women. The objective of this 2-group, parallel, double-blind RCT was to examine the effects of flavanol-rich chocolate on FMD and BP in pregnant women with normal BP.

Methods

Forty-four healthy, pregnant women were randomized to the high-flavanol (n = 23) or low-flavanol (n = 21) chocolate consumption for 12 weeks. At randomization (0, 60, 120 and 180 min after a single 40-g dose of chocolate), 6 and 12 weeks after daily 20-g chocolate intake, we evaluated plasma concentrations of flavanols and theobromine, as well as the FMD and BP.

Results

Plasma epicatechin was significantly increased (p < 0.001) 180 min after the consumption of 40-g high-flavanol chocolate compared to low-flavanol chocolate. Theobromine concentrations were significantly higher 180 min and 12 weeks after the intake of experimental chocolate or low-flavanol chocolate (p < 0.001). FMD was not different between the 2 groups at all pre-defined time periods. No other significant within-group or between-group changes were observed.

Conclusion

These results confirm the feasibility of a large-scale RCT comparing daily consumption of flavanol-rich chocolate to an equivalent placebo during pregnancy and demonstrate higher plasma epicatechin and theobromine concentration in the intervention group after acute ingestion

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01659060

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Mogollon et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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