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Acticoa™


a brand of Barry Callebaut

Reading list

Publications

  1. Davison K, Coates AM, Buckley JD, Howe PR (2008) Effect of cocoa flavanols and exercise on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects. Int J Obes (Lond). 32(8):1289-96.*
  2. Engler, M.B., Engler, M.M., The emerging role of flavonoid-rich cocoa and chocolate in cardiovascular health and disease. Nutrition Reviews 2006 Mar; 64(3) ; 109-18
  3. Engler, M.B., Engler, M.M. (2004) The vasculoprotective effects of flavonoid-rich cocoa and chocolate. Nutrition Research, 24(9) : 695-706
  4. Engler MB, Engler MM, Chen CY, Malloy MJ, Browne A, Chiu EY, Kwak HK, Milbury P, Paul SM, Blumberg J, Mietus-Snyder ML (2004) Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. J Am Coll Nutr.;23(3):197-204.
  5. Fisher ND et al. Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy humans. J Hypertens 2003 21:2281-6.
  6. Fisher NDL, Hughes M, Gerhard-Herman M, Hollenberg NK. Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy humans. J Hypertens 2003;21:2281-6.
  7. Grassi D, Lippi C, Necozione S, Desideri G, Ferri C. 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 2004;81:611-4.*
  8. Grassi D, Necozione S, Lippi C, Croce G, Valeri L, Pasqualetti P, Desideri G, Blumberg JB, Ferri C (2005b) Cocoa reduces blood pressure and insulin resistance and improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in hypertensives. Hypertension. 46(2):398-405.*
  9. Grassi D, Desideri G, Necozione S, Lippi C, Casale R, Properzi G, Blumberg JB, Ferri C (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(9):1671-1676.*
  10. Heiss C, Dejam A, Kleinbongard P, Schewe T, Sies H, Kelm M. Vascular effects of cocoa rich in flavan-3-ols. JAMA 2003;290:1030-1.
  11. Heiss C, et al. Vascular effects of cocoa rich in flavan-3-ols. JAMA 2003 290:1030-1.
  12. Njike VY, Faridi Z, Shuval K, Dutta S, Kay CD, West SG, Kris-Etherton PM, Katz DL. (2011) Effects of sugar-sweetened and sugar-free cocoa on endothelial function in overweight adults. Int J Cardiol. 149(1):83-88.
  13. Steinberg FM, Bearden MM, Keen CL. Cocoa and chocolate flavonoids: implications for cardiovascular health. J Am Diet Assoc 2003 Feb;103(2):215-23.
  14. Steffen Y, et al. Epicatechin protects endothelial cells against oxidized LDL, and maintains NO synthase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2005 331:1277-83.
  15. Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, Alexopoulos N, Economou E, Andreadou I, Stefanadis C. Effect of dark chocolate on arterial function in healthy individuals. Am J Hypertens 2005 Jun;18(6):785-91.
  16. Vita JA. Polyphenols and cardiovascular disease: effects on endothelial and platelet function. Am J Clin Nutr 2005 81:292S-7S.

Publications reporting on acute, single dose effects

  1. Balzer J, Rassaf T, Heiss C, Kleinbongard P, Lauer T, Merx M, Heussen N, Gross HB, Keen CL, Schroeter H, Kelm M (2008) Sustained benefits in vascular function through flavanol-containing cocoa in medicated diabetic patients a double-masked, randomized, controlled trial. J Am Coll Cardiol. 51(22):2141-2149.
  2. Berry NM, Davison K, Coates AM, Buckley JD, Howe PR (2009) Impact of cocoa flavanol consumption on blood pressure responsiveness to exercise. Br J Nutr. 103(10):1480-1484.
  3. Davison K, Coates AM, Buckley JD, Howe PR (2008) Effect of cocoa flavanols and exercise on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects. Int J Obes (Lond). 32(8):1289-1296.
  4. Faridi Z, Njike VY, Dutta S, Ali A, Katz DL (2008) Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial function: a randomized controlled crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 88(1):58-63.
  5. Heiss C, Finis D, Kleinbongard P, Hoffmann A, Rassaf T, Kelm M, Sies H (2007) Sustained increase in flow-mediated dilation after daily intake of high-flavanol cocoa drink over 1 week. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 49(2):74-80.
  6. Heiss C, Dejam A, Kleinbongard P, Schewe T, Sies H, Kelm M (2003) Vascular effects of cocoa rich in flavan-3-ols. JAMA. 290(8):1030-1031.
  7. Heiss C, Kleinbongard P, Dejam A, Perré S, Schroeter H, Sies H, Kelm M (2005) Acute consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa and the reversal of endothelial dysfunction in smokers. J Am Coll Cardiol. 46(7):1276-1283.
  8. Hermann F, Spieker LE, Ruschitzka F, Sudano I, Hermann M, Binggeli C, Lüscher TF, Riesen W, Noll G, Corti R (2006) Dark chocolate improves endothelial and platelet function. Heart. 92(1):119-120.
  9. Schroeter H, Heiss C, Balzer J, Kleinbongard P, Keen CL, Hollenberg NK, Sies H, Kwik-Uribe C, Schmitz HH, Kelm M (2006) (-)-Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 103(4):1024-1029.
  10. Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, Alexopoulos N, Economou E, Andreadou I, Stefanadis C (2005) Effect of dark chocolate on arterial function in healthy individuals. Am J Hypertens. 18(6):785-791.
  11. Westphal S, Luley C (2010) Flavanol-rich cocoa ameliorates lipemia-induced endothelial dysfunction. Heart Vessels 26(5):511-5.

Publications assessing “dose-response” effects and effective doses

  1. Heiss C, Kleinbongard P, Dejam A, Perré S, Schroeter H, Sies H, Kelm M (2005) Acute consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa and the reversal of endothelial dysfunction in smokers. J Am Coll Cardiol. 46(7):1276-1283.
  2. Heiss C, Finis D, Kleinbongard P, Hoffmann A, Rassaf T, Kelm M, Sies H (2007) Sustained increase in flow-mediated dilation after daily intake of high-flavanol cocoa drink over 1 week. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 49(2):74-80.
  3. Monahan KD, Freehan RP, Kunselman AR, Preston AG, Miller DL, Lott ME (2011) Dose-dependent increases in flow-mediated dilation following acute cocoa ingestion in healthy older adults. J Appl Physiol 111(6):1568-74.

Published Meta-analyses

  1. Hooper L, Kay C, Abdelhamid A, Kroon PA, Cohn JS, Rimm EB, Cassidy A (2012) Effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 95(3):740-51.
  2. Hooper L, Kroon PA, Rimm EB, Cohn JS, Harvey I, Le Cornu KA, Ryder JJ, Hall WL, Cassidy A (2008) Flavonoids, flavonoid-rich foods, and cardiovascular risk: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 88(1):38-50.
  3. Shrime MG, Bauer SR, McDonald AC, Chowdhury NH, Coltart CEM, Ding EL (2011) Flavonoid-rich cocoa consumption affects multiple cardiovascular risk factors in a meta-analysis of short-term studies. J Nutr. 141(11):1982-8.
* Studies recognized as pertinent by the EFSA in the Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to cocoa flavanols and maintenance of normal endothelium-dependent vasodilation pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006