Diabetes Health
Chocolate May Improve Blood Flow in Type 2 Diabetes PatientsEvidence about chocolate being good for your health is growing, with new information about its benefits to diabetics reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
And with this emphasis on learning more about the benefits of chocolate, candy maker Mars Inc. has established a scientific division called Symbioscience.
Mars researchers have published a report showing that an enriched hot cocoa beverage can improve blood flow in type 2 diabetes patients. "The study is the first of its kind in terms of its rigor, as well as the population studied," says Harold Schmitz, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer of Mars. "Diabetics treated as well as they could be treated with pharmaceutical intervention did see, on average, a 30 percent improvement in vascular function," he says. Flavonols in Chocolate Relax ArteriesThe study researchers asked 41 adults with type 2 diabetes to drink cocoa enriched with flavanols, which are natural compounds found in some fruits and vegetables and in chocolate - especially dark chocolate. Flavanols are believed to improve blood flow by increasing the production of nitric oxide, which causes arteries to relax. After an initial trial of cocoa containing various amounts of flavanols, the participants were assigned to drink cocoa with either 321 milligrams or 25 milligrams of flavanols per serving three times a day for 30 days. The researchers then tested the participants for "flow-mediated dilation," the ability of their arteries to expand in response to the body's demand for more blood and oxygen. Before the study began, the brachial artery in the upper arms of the participants expanded only 3.3 percent on average. After 30 days, participants drinking the high-flavanol cocoa saw an average brachial-artery expansion of 5.8 percent. No increase was seen in the people who consumed low-flavanol cocoa. "This is a nice study, confirming and extending previous work that cocoa compounds can enhance vasodilation in humans to diabetes patients," says Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., an investigator in the National Institute on Aging Neuroplasticity and Behavior Unit. "The study would have been better if they had tested the individual flavanols they suggest are responsible for the effect separately," says van Praag. Endorphins in Cocoa also Boost MoodNutritionist Angela Kurtz of New York University Medical Center had some mild criticism of the study, centering on the caloric content of cocoa. "Those 170 extra calories in the cocoa would promote obesity," she says. "You would have to omit some other calorie sources that match that amount to prevent weight gain." Still, Kurtz says, "The bottom line is that diabetics who have a poor vascular system can benefit from something that gives pleasure at the same time it helps health. Cocoa increases the amount of endorphins, the feel-good chemicals." Schmitz says more research is needed to substantiate the findings. "Clearly, the next step is a long study with enough subjects to clearly demonstrate there is a benefit [from] flavanol-enriched beverages for diabetics," he explains. Anthony McCall, M.D., Ph.D., a diabetes specialist and Professor of Medicine at the University of Virginia Health System, cautions diabetes patients about consuming too much chocolate. "Doctors are likely to know of this [benefit from chocolate] and probably not so much prescribe it as to advise that small amounts of known high flavanol chocolates (good quality dark chocolates) may be beneficial, but that eating lots of chocolate is likely to lead to weight gain, poorer diabetes control and cancellation of the beneficial effects," he says. "Whether this will become a new medicinal agent for patients is unclear. Chocolate lovers, however, are likely to be cheered by these results."To learn more about treating and managing diabetes - or to find a diabetes specialist - visit www.uvahealth.com. Always consult your physician for more information. |
August 2008Chocolate May Improve Blood Flow in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Flavonols in Chocolate Relax Arteries Endorphins in Cocoa also Boost Mood Facts about DiabetesDiabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by a failure to secrete enough insulin, or by cells not responding appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Because insulin is needed by the body to convert glucose into energy, these failures result in abnormally high levels of glucose accumulating in the blood. Diabetes may be a result of other conditions such as genetic syndromes, chemicals, drugs, malnutrition, infections, viruses or other illnesses. The three main types of diabetes - type 1, type 2, and gestational - are all defined as metabolic disorders that affect the way the body uses digested food to make glucose, the main source of fuel for the body. In prediabetes, blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be defined as diabetes. However, many people with prediabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Prediabetes also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. With modest weight loss and moderate physical activity, people with prediabetes can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes. For glucose to be able to move into the cells of the body, the hormone insulin must be present. Insulin is produced primarily in the pancreas, and, normally, is readily available to move glucose into the cells. However, in persons with diabetes, the pancreas produces either too little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This causes a buildup of glucose in the blood, which passes into the urine where it is eventually eliminated, leaving the body without its main source of fuel. Diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of death among Americans, and the fifth-leading cause of death from disease. Although it is believed that diabetes is underreported as a condition leading to or causing death, more than 200,000 deaths each year are reported as being caused by diabetes or its complications. Complications of diabetes include eye problems and blindness, heart disease, stroke, neurological problems, amputation and impotence. Because diabetes (except for gestational diabetes) is a chronic, incurable disease that affects nearly every part of the body, contributes to other serious diseases and can be life-threatening, it must be managed under a physician's care. Always consult your physician for more information. Online Resources(Our organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.) Dietary Guidelines - MyPyramid.gov National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) |