Overview

• A two-year ancillary analysis of 598 COSMOS participants found hsCRP fell by 8.4% per year with cocoa extract compared with placebo.
• The inflammation result may help explain the 27% reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality previously reported in the 21,442-participant randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
• Other immune markers were mixed, with a modest increase in interferon-γ and a small IL-6 reduction seen only in women, which investigators say warrants further study.
• The regimen provided 500 mg of cocoa flavanols daily, including about 80 mg of epicatechin, a level not typically obtainable from standard chocolate products.
• Researchers disclosed donated pills and packaging from Mars Edge and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare (Haleon) with no role in the study’s design or analysis, and emphasized that supplements are not a substitute for healthy lifestyle habits.