Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the plasma kinetics in man of epicatechin from black chocolate.
Design: An intervention study with 8 volunteers. Each served as his own control. Theobromine was used as control marker of the chocolate intake.
Setting: Metabolic Unit, Nestlé Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, Switzerland.
Subjects: Eight healthy male volunteers (4 smokers and 4 non-smokers) were enrolled in this study. They abstained from foods rich in polyphenols (coffee, tea, wine, fruit juice, cocoa products) for 24 h prior to the test until its completion.
Intervention: Volunteers ate 40 g and 80 g of black chocolate (Nestlé Noir) together with bread with a one-week interval. Blood samples were drawn every hour during the first 4 h and a last one at 8 h after chocolate consumption. Plasma samples were analysed for epicatechin and theobromine content by HPLC.
Results: Plasma concentrations of epicatechin and theobromine increased markedly after chocolate consumption (P=0.002 and P=0.001, respectively), reaching a maximum between 2 and 3 h. The maximal concentration and area under the curve of plasma kinetics of both substrates correlated very well with the dose of chocolate.
Conclusions: Epicatechin is absorbed from chocolate and is rapidly eliminated from plasma. Attainable plasma values are 0.7 μmol/l from 80 g of black chocolate.
Sponshorship: Nestec LTD, Vevey, Switzerland.
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Richelle, M., Tavazzi, I., Enslen, M. et al. Plasma kinetics in man of epicatechin from black chocolate. Eur J Clin Nutr 53, 22–26 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600673
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600673
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