Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bénéfices cardiovasculaires du cacao et du chocolat

Cardiovascular benefits of cocoa and chocolate

  • Article Original
  • Nutrition
  • Published:
Phytothérapie

Résumé

Il existe probablement un effet favorable du chocolat sur la santé cardiovasculaire. Après avoir décrit les nutriments candidats en cause dans ce bénéfice nous passons en revue ces études expérimentales, cliniques et épidémiologiques et les méta-analyses permettant de soutenir cette hypothèse. Nous analysons également les mécanismes potentiellement impliqués: les polyphénols du cacao exercent notamment des effets sur la fonction endothéliale et, par l’intermédiaire de ce mécanisme, entraînent une baisse de la pression artérielle.

Abstract

Chocolate has probably a favourable effect on cardiovascular health. First we describe the nutrients which are good candidates for this benefit; then we review the experimental, clinical, epidemiological studies and the meta-analysis allowing to support this hypothesis. We analyse the probable implied mechanisms: particularly the cocoa’s polyphenols exert effects on endothelial function and through this mechanism lower blood pressure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Références

  1. Ariefdjohan MW, Savaiano DA (2005) Chocolate and cardiovascular health: is it too good to be true? Nutr Rev 63: 427–430

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Baba S, Osakabe N, Kato Y, et al. (2007) Continuous intake of polyphe?nolic compounds containing cocoa powder reduces LDL oxidative susceptibility and has beneficial effects on plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 85: 709–717

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bayard V, Chamorro F, Motta J, Hollenberg NK (2007) Does flavanol intake influence mortality from nitric oxide-dependent processes? Ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and cancer in panama. Int J Med Sci 4: 53–58

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Buijsse B, Feskens EJM, Kok FJ, Kromhout D (2006) Cocoa intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular mortality: the Zutphen Elderly Study. Arch Intern Med 166: 411–417

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Buijsse B, Weikert C, Drogan D, et al. (2010) Chocolate consumption in relation to blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease in german adults. Eur Heart J 31: 1616–1623

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Buitrago-Lopez A, Sanderson J, Johnson L, et al. (2011) Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 343: d4488

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Davison K, Coates AM, Buckley JD, Howe PRC (2008) Effect of cocoa flavanols and exercise on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects. Int J Obes (Lond) 32: 1289–1296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Desch S, Schmidt J, Kobler D, et al. (2010) Effect of cocoa products on blood pressure: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Hypertens 23: 97–103

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Djoussé L, Hopkins PN, Arnett DK, et al. (2011) Chocolate consumption is inversely associated with calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries: the Nhlbi Family Heart Study. Clin Nutr 30: 38–43

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Djoussé L, Hopkins PN, North KE, et al. (2011) Chocolate consumption is inversely associated with prevalent coronary heart disease: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study. Clin Nutr 30: 182–187

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ellinger S, Reusch A, Stehle P, Helfrich H (2012) Epicatechin ingested via cocoa products reduces blood pressure in humans: a nonlinear regression model with a bayesian approach. Am J Clin Nutr 95: 1365–1377

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Engler MB, Engler MM, Chen CY, et al. (2004) Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. J Am Coll Nutr 23: 197–204

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Faridi Z, Njike VY, Dutta S, et al. (2008) Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial function: a randomized controlled crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr 88: 58–63

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Flammer AJ, Hermann F, Sudano I, et al. (2007) Dark chocolate improves coronary vasomotion and reduces platelet reactivity. Circulation 116: 2376–2382

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Grassi D, Desideri G, Necozione S, et al. (2008) Blood pressure is reduced and insulin sensitivity increased in glucose-intolerant, hypertensive subjects after 15 days of consuming high-polyphenol dark chocolate. J Nutr 138: 1671–1676

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Grassi D, Lippi C, Necozione S, et al. (2005) Short-term administration of dark chocolate is followed by a significant increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure in healthy persons. Am J Clin Nutr 81: 611–614

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Heiss C, Jahn S, Taylor M, et al. (2010) Improvement of endothelial function with dietary flavanols is associated with mobilization of circulating angiogenic cells in patients with coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 56: 218–224

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Heiss C, Kelm M (2010) Chocolate consumption, blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk. Eur Heart J 31: 1554–1556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hermann F, Spieker LE, Ruschitzka F, et al. (2006) Dark chocolate improves endothelial and platelet function. Heart 92: 119–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hooper L, Kay C, Abdelhamid A, et al. (2012) Effects of choco?late, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Am J Clin Nutr 95: 740–751

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hooper L, Kroon PA, Rimm EB, et al. (2008) Flavonoids, flavonoid-rich foods, and cardiovascular risk: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 88: 38–50

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Hu F, Stampfer M, Willett W (2000) No evidence for a link between consumption of chocolate and coronary heart disease reply to pm kris-etherton et al. Am J Clin Nutr 72: 1059–1060

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Janszky I, Mukamal KJ, Ljung R, et al. (2009) Chocolate consumption and mortality following a first acute myocardial infarction: the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program. J Intern Med 266: 248–257

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Jia L, Liu X, Bai YY, et al. (2010) Short-term effect of cocoa product consumption on lipid profile: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 92: 218–225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kris-Etherton PM, Derr J, Mitchell DC, et al. (1993) The role of fatty acid saturation on plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins: i. effects of whole food diets high in cocoa butter, olive oil, soybean oil, dairy butter, and milk chocolate on the plasma lipids of young men. Metab Clin Exp 42: 121–129

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Kris-Etherton PM, Derr JA, Mustad VA, et al. (1994) Effects of a milk chocolate bar per day substituted for a high-carbohydrate snack in young men on an ncep/aha step 1 diet. Am J Clin Nutr 60: 1037S–1042S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Kris-Etherton PM, Mustad VA (1994) Chocolate feeding studies: a novel approach for evaluating the plasma lipid effects of stearic acid. Am J Clin Nutr 60: 1029S–1036S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Larsson SC, Virtamo J, Wolk A (2011) Chocolate consumption and risk of stroke in women. J Am Coll Cardiol 58: 1828–1829

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Larsson SC, Virtamo J, Wolk A (2012) Chocolate consumption and risk of stroke: a prospective cohort of men and meta-analysis. Neurology 79: 1223–1229

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Lecerf JM (2011) Le chocolat atout coeur. Les bénéfices neuropsychiques et cardiovasculaires du cacao. MHDN XV(no 8): 288–295

    Google Scholar 

  31. Lee KW, Kang NJ, Oak M, et al. (2008) Cocoa procyanidins inhibit expression and activation of mmp-2 in vascular smooth muscle cells by direct inhibition of mek and mt1-mmp activities. Cardiovasc Res 79: 34–41

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. McCullough ML, Chevaux K, Jackson L, et al. (2006) Hypertension, the Kuna, and the epidemiology of flavanols. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 47(Suppl 2): S103–S109; discussion 119–21

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Mink PJ, Scrafford CG, Barraj LM, et al. (2007) Flavonoid intake and cardiovascular disease mortality: a prospective study in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 85: 895–909

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Monagas M, Khan N, Andres-Lacueva C, et al. (2009) Effect of cocoa powder on the modulation of inflammatory biomarkers in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr 90: 1144–1150

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Mostofsky E, Levitan EB, Wolk A, Mittleman MA (2010) Chocolate intake and incidence of heart failure: a population-based prospective study of middle-aged and elderly women. Circ Heart Fail 3: 612–616

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Muniyappa R, Hall G, Kolodziej TL, et al. (2008) Cocoa consumption for 2 wk enhances insulin-mediated vasodilatation without improving blood pressure or insulin resistance in essential hypertension. Am J Clin Nutr 88: 1685–1696

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Nestel PJ, Chronopulos A, Cehun M (2005) Dairy fat in cheese raises LDL cholesterol less than that in butter in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr 59: 1059–1063

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Rein D, Lotito S, Holt RR, et al. (2000) Epicatechin in human plasma: in vivo determination and effect of chocolate consumption on plasma oxidation status. J Nutr 130: 2109S–2114S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Scalbert A, Williamson G (2000) Dietary intake and bioavailability of polyphenols. J Nutr 130: 2073S–2085S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Schroeter H, Heiss C, Balzer J, et al. (2006) (-)-Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103: 1024–1029

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Stote KS, Clevidence BA, Novotny JA, et al. (2012) Effect of cocoa and green tea on biomarkers of glucose regulation, oxidative stress, inflammation and hemostasis in obese adults at risk for insulin resistance. Eur J Clin Nutr 66: 1153–1159

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Taubert D, Roesen R, Lehmann C, et al. (2007) Effects of low habitual cocoa intake on blood pressure and bioactive nitric oxide: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 298: 49–60

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Taubert D, Roesen R, Schömig E (2007) Effect of cocoa and tea intake on blood pressure: a meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med 167: 626–634

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Tokede OA, Gaziano JM, Djoussé L (2011) Effects of cocoa products/dark chocolate on serum lipids: a meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr 65: 879–886

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Triche EW, Grosso LM, Belanger K, et al. (2008) Chocolate consumption in pregnancy and reduced likelihood of preeclampsia. Epidemiology 19: 459–464

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Tzounis X, Rodriguez-Mateos A, Vulevic J, et al. (2011) Prebiotic evaluation of cocoa-derived flavanols in healthy humans by using a randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover intervention study. Am J Clin Nutr 93: 62–72

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Wan Y, Vinson JA, Etherton TD, et al. (2001) Effects of cocoa powder and dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptibility and prostaglandin concentrations in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 74: 596–602

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Wang JF, Schramm DD, Holt RR, et al. (2000) A dose-response effect from chocolate consumption on plasma epicatechin and oxidative damage. J Nutr 130: 2115S–2119S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de nutrition, institut Pasteur de Lille, 1, rue du Professeur Calmette, F-59019, Lille, France

    J. -M. Lecerf

Authors
  1. J. -M. Lecerf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. -M. Lecerf.

About this article

Cite this article

Lecerf, J.M. Bénéfices cardiovasculaires du cacao et du chocolat. Phytothérapie 11, 85–91 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10298-013-0764-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10298-013-0764-z

Mots clés

Keywords

Search

Navigation