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Chocolate testers required for year-long study
28 Apr 2008
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes are to take part in a UK study investigating whether compounds contained in chocolate can reduce their chances of developing heart disease.
The volunteers in the University of East Anglia study will be required to eat a bar of specially-formulated chocolate containing high levels of compounds called flavonoids, for a period of one year.
Many flavonoids, thought to possess properties that are beneficial to the heart, are found in the cocoa used to make chocolate; however these are often lost in the chocolate production process.
Soy, which also contains high levels of flavonoids, has also been added to the chocolate bar, which differs from most ordinary products that contain high levels of sugar and fat.
Researchers hope to attract 150 women under the age of 70 with type 2 diabetes who have been taking drugs to lower their cholesterol, known as statins, for at least 12 months.
They want to find out whether a flavonoid-rich diet could give protection on top of prescription drugs against heart disease.
"We hope to show that adding flavonoids to their diets will provide additional protection from heart disease and give women the opportunity to take more control over reducing their risk of heart disease in the future," lead researcher professor Aedin Cassidy said.
If the results of the tests do demonstrate positive effects linked to the chocolate, medical experts could be forced to rethink existing advice given to postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes.
People suffering from diabetes are more likely to be at risk of heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure, with type 2 diabetes thought to increase the risk of death by heart-related illnesses by 3.5 times in women.
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