Exciting new data from the massive 21,000 person COSMOS cocoa flavanol study (Harvard Medical School) shows a significant and meaningful 15% reduction in the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) among those assigned to consume 500mg of cocoa flavanols, daily. AFib is a common heart rhythm disorder characterized by rapid and irregular heartbeat.
Importantly, the benefit of cocoa flavanols on AFib appeared to build over the 5.5-year assessment period. In fact, the analysis showed a 25% reduction in AFib over the final 2 years of the analysis. This is consistent with the previously reported 27% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death from COSMOS, which also showed a strengthening benefit over time.
Melissa E. Middeldorp, PhD, MPH, the lead investigator for the AFib assessment, theorized that the beneficial properties of cocoa flavanols may result in “electrical and structural atrial remodeling, which is potentially protective against AFib development.” This would help explain why the reduction of AFib events strengthened over the final two years.
While the precise mechanisms for how cocoa flavanols may reduce AFib risk are still being explored, here are a few ways these compounds might help:
- Improved Blood Vessel Function: Cocoa flavanols are known to enhance the function of the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. This can lead to better blood flow, reduced blood pressure and lower blood sugar, all of which are crucial for heart health.
- Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Chronic inflammation is a known risk factor for AFib. Cocoa flavanols have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the heart.
- Antioxidant Properties: The antioxidant effects of cocoa flavanols help protect cells from oxidative stress, which can damage heart tissues and contribute to AFib.
- Reduction in Blood Clotting: Cocoa flavanols can reduce the tendency of blood to clot, which is particularly important for AFib patients who are at a higher risk of stroke due to the formation of blood clots in the heart.
Congratulations to Dr. Middeldorp and the COSMOS team for continuing to uncover additional benefits of cocoa flavanols from the massive 21,000 person COSMOS study. The analysis is published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology.