Healthy living
Mind matters
Is chocolate good for the brain?
Flavonol-rich cocoa may help boost blood flow to the brain, say scientists
Cocoa, one of the main ingredients of chocolate, may increase blood flow to the brain and improve brain function, according to findings presented by a panel of scientists at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
However the cocoa has to be especially rich in naturally occurring compounds called flavanols that can help to keep the brain healthy. Current processing methods substantially reduce the flavanol content of most cocoa products, and the scientists suggest that specially prepared cocoa is needed to achieve the full effect.
Dr Ian Macdonald at Nottingham Medical School carried out a small study on 16 young healthy subjects to see whether flavanol-rich cocoa beverage supplied by Mars Inc helped increase brain function during challenging mental tasks. He used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques to measure brain activity. Although the flavanol drink did not improve the subjects' performance, Dr Macdonald found that there was increased blood flow to the brain for a two- to three-hour period.
Dr Macdonald believes that cocoa flavanols could potentially be used to increase blood flow in the brain and improve "brain function among older adults or for others in situations where they may be cognitively impaired, such as fatigue or sleep deprivation."
Flavanols are naturally occurring compounds found in various foods including dark chocolate, apricots, blackberries, raspberries and broad beans. They are known to have a number of health benefits. The flavanols are believed to increase the amount of nitric oxide in the blood, which helps blood vessels to dilate and keeps them pliable.
A study carried out in Germany found that flavanols reversed some of the smoking related impairment of blood vessels. A dozen smokers (six men and six women) in their early 30s, who did not have any known health problems, were enrolled in a study to compare the effects of a cocoa drink rich in flavanols to a cocoa drink that tasted the same, but contained very low levels of flavanols.
The researchers found that there was significant improvement in blood flow in subjects given the flavanol-rich drink. Dr Kelm, who led the study, concluded that his findings "support the notion that flavanol-rich foods, including cocoa products, may help to promote cardiovascular health."
Dr Hollenberg, of Harvard Medical School fed the flavanol-rich cocoa to healthy volunteers over 50 and found a "striking blood flow response." He added: "This raises hope that the brain blood flow response it stimulates can result in maintenance of healthy brain function and cognition, which is an issue that unfortunately plagues many older adults today."
Sadly for chocoholics, however, all the scientists made the point that their findings shouldn't be seen as a green light for eating massive amounts of chocolate in the hope of getting more brain-boosting flavanols.
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
