BLOOD PRESSURE

NEW RESEARCH CONFIRMS LINK BETWEEN FLAVANOLS AND BLOOD PRESSURE

New research undertaken at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) seems to confirm that consuming high concentrations of flavanols – such as those found in cocoa – lowers blood pressure, improves the health of blood vessels and increases the number of angiogenic cells circulating in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

The findings, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), indicate that foods that are rich in flavanols – including cocoa, tea, wine, and various fruits and vegetables – have a cardio-protective benefit for heart disease patients.

In the study, the benefit seen from the twofold increase in circulating angiogenic cells was similar to that achieved by therapy with statin medications and lifestyle changes such as exercise and stopping smoking.

Researchers calculated the outcome of the cocoa intervention using blood pressure readings, ultrasound to measure dilation of the brachial artery, and cell assays to calculate the number and behavior of circulating angiogenic cells.

Tests showed a 47 per cent improvement in vasodilation of the brachial artery in the high-flavanol time period compared to the low-flavanol period. Circulating angiogenic cells also increased 2.2 fold, and systolic blood pressure decreased among the high-flavanol versus low flavanol periods.

“Reduced blood vessel function is a hallmark of early development of coronary artery disease,” said Yerem Yeghiazarians, MD, senior author of the paper. “If we can improve the health and function of damaged blood vessels, heart disease patients will have a better chance of survival. Our findings demonstrate that a further increase in endothelial function and improvement in blood pressure can be achieved by complementing standard treatment with a flavanol-rich diet.”

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