Vordos Zacharias, Deli Ifigeneia, Anifanti Maria, Kluzek Stefan, Koutlianos Nikolaos, Kouidi Evangelia, Deligiannis Asterios
Laboratory of Sports Medicine, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 57001 Thermi, Greece.
Sports & Exercise Medicine and Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
Sports (Basel). 2024 Dec 13;12(12):344. doi: 10.3390/sports12120344.
Foods rich in polyphenols have beneficial effects on health. This study aimed to examine the impact of dark chocolate on endurance runners' arterial function. Forty-six male amateur runners, aged 25-55, participated. The initial assessments included clinical testing, arterial stiffness measurements, and a cardiopulmonary exercise test. The participants then consumed 50 g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa) daily for two weeks, maintaining their usual training routine. After this period, the baseline assessment was repeated. The results showed significant improvements. Pulse wave velocity decreased by 11.82% ( < 0.001), and augmentation index by 19.47% ( < 0.001). Systolic brachial blood pressure reduced by 2.12% ( < 0.05), diastolic by 2.79% ( < 0.05), and mean pressure by 2.41% ( < 0.05). Central arterial pressure also decreased, with systolic by 1.24% ( < 0.05), diastolic by 2.80% ( < 0.05), and mean pressure by 2.43% ( < 0.05). Resting heart rate increased by 4.57% ( < 0.05) and left ventricular ejection time decreased by 4.89% ( < 0.05), particularly in athletes over 40. Exercise time increased by 2.16% ( < 0.05), heart rate (max) by 1.15% ( < 0.05), VOmax by 2.31% ( < 0.05), and anaerobic threshold shifted by 6.91% ( < 0.001) in exercise time and 6.93% ( < 0.001) in VOmax. In conclusion, dark chocolate improves arterial function in endurance runners, enhancing vascular health.
富含多酚的食物对健康有益。本研究旨在探讨黑巧克力对耐力跑者动脉功能的影响。46名年龄在25 - 55岁的男性业余跑者参与了研究。初始评估包括临床测试、动脉僵硬度测量和心肺运动测试。参与者随后连续两周每天食用50克黑巧克力（可可含量70%），同时保持其日常训练习惯。在此期间过后，重复进行基线评估。结果显示有显著改善。脉搏波速度下降了11.82%（<0.001），增强指数下降了19.47%（<0.001）。肱动脉收缩压降低了2.12%（<0.05），舒张压降低了2.79%（<0.05），平均压降低了2.41%（<0.05）。中心动脉压也有所下降，收缩压下降了1.24%（<0.05），舒张压下降了2.80%（<0.05），平均压下降了2.43%（<0.05）。静息心率增加了4.57%（<0.05），左心室射血时间减少了4.89%（<0.05），在40岁以上的运动员中尤为明显。运动时间增加了2.16%（<0.05），心率（最大值）增加了1.15%（<0.05），最大摄氧量增加了2.31%（<0.05），无氧阈值在运动时间上偏移了6.91%（<0.001），在最大摄氧量上偏移了6.93%（<0.001）。总之，黑巧克力可改善耐力跑者的动脉功能，增进血管健康。
