While previous studies have suggested that younger adults can benefit from flavonol, this is the first study to show that older adults, too, can benefit from the substance. This is important because older adults are generally more likely to suffer from age-related loss of blood vessel function than younger adults.
The researchers note that the cocoa flavonols appear to be influencing the body's production of nitric oxide, which is an important regulator of blood vessel tone.
"Aging is typically associated with deterioration in vessel health, specifically related to function of the critical inner lining, or endothelium," co-author Dr. Naomi Fisher, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, explained in a recent press release. "Our findings demonstrate that consumption of this flavonol-rich cocoa can improve the function of blood vessels in a healthy elderly population. More research is needed to see if older adults with cardiovascular disease can also experience these improvements following consumption of this cocoa, but these initial findings certainly offer great promise. These findings have great potential to impact the health of our aging population."
The results of the study are to be published in the August issue of the Journal of Hypertension.
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