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The Effects of Dark Chocolate Implementation in Elite Athletes

NCT03288623 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 24

Last updated 2019-04-17

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Dark chocolate (DC) is rich in epicatechin which augments nitric oxide (NO) production through endothelium-dependent influences. The increased bioavailability and activity of NO have been demonstrated to statistically increase flow-mediated dilation in healthy subjects and in hypertensive patients. DC supplementation has been hailed for its positive effects on cardiovascular health and it has been proposed as a booster of physical performance in athletes, however the mechanisms by which DC improves oxidative stress, vascular function and athletic performance are not fully understood. The investigators designed a human study assessing how DC improves NO bioavailability and activity in elite athletes. Twenty-four elite soccer players (aged 18-35 years old, all males) are divided in 2 groups and randomly assigned to receive DC (85% cocoa), 40g per day or white/milk chocolate (\<35% cocoa) for 30 days. The primary outcome measure is the evaluation of Soluble NOX2-derived peptide (sNOX2-dp), a direct marker of NADPH oxidase activation. The secondary outcome measures are other markers of oxidative stress, as the soluble P-selectin (sPs), Vitamin E, soluble CD40 Ligand (sCD40L), a marker of in vivo platelet activation and flow-mediated dilation assessed by vascular ultrasound. All parameters are assessed at baseline and after 30 days in both groups.

Conditions

  • Oxidative Stress
  • Athletes Heart
  • Physical Activity

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Dark Chocolate (85% cocoa)

Dark chocolate (85% cocoa) in tablet

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

White/Milk chocolate (<35% cocoa)

white or milk chocolate (\<35% cocoa) in tablet

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Roma La Sapienza

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Giacomo Frati, MD · University of Roma La Sapienza

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
35 Years
Sex
MALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2017-09-25
Primary Completion
2018-03-31
Completion
2018-11-01

Countries

  • Italy

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03288623 on ClinicalTrials.gov