High Flavonols Cocoa Intake for the Improvement of Body Fat Composition in Athletes

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The decrease in body fat percentage improves exercise performance, reducing race time. The intake of cocoa improves the body fat composition in obese and diabetic people by improving their cardiovascular disease risk factors. Although epidemiological studies indicate that healthy subjects who consume cocoa have lower body fat composition, there is no study indicating whether cocoa improves fat composition in athletes. The aim of the study was to determine if the intake of cocoa rich in flavonoids improves the fat composition of athletes, modifying the systemic levels of adipokines (folistatin, myostatin and leptin), resulting in an improvement of physical performance.

Detailed Description
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The objective of this project was to investigate the effects of chronic daily consumption of high in flavanols cocoa in body composition and performance of endurance athletes: A randomized, blinded, parallel placebo controlled intervention study was carried out in endurance athletes . The number of male athletes enrolled in the study was 40, with ages between 18 and 50 years and an aerobic power consumption of oxygen greater than or equal to 55 mL / kg / min). The intervention was carried out for 10 weeks. Cocoa or placebo (maltodextrin) were supplied in sachets of a single daily dose. Cocoa provided 425 mg of flavanols/ day. Athlete's body composition was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Exercise performance was evaluated with a treadmill test protocol determining the maximum aerobic capacity and also by determining the time necessary to run a kilometer at maximum speed. Adipokines (follistatin, myostatin and leptin) in plasma and serum samples were determined by ELISA. Diet was determined by three 24h-recall questionnaries and a Food Frecuency questionnaire.

Official Title
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Effects of Chronic Intake of High in Flavonols Cocoa on Body Composition, Adipokines and Exercise Performance

Conditions
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Healthy Subjects

Intervention / Treatment
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* Dietary Supplement: Cocoa group
* Dietary Supplement: Placebo group


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Men. Age between 18 and 50 years Aerobic power of oxygen consumption greater than or equal to 55 mL / kg / min Exclusion Criteria: Intake of chronical medication. Intake any type of nutritional or ergogenic supplements. Vegetarian or vegan diet Smoke. Any diagnosed disease at the time of inclusion or during the study

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Placebo controlled study
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Cocoa group<br>The cocoa was provided in 5 g sachets. The intervention last 10 weeks. Cocoa was provided in a single daily dose of 5 g, which provided 425 mg of flavonoids | Dietary Supplement: Cocoa group<br>* Athletes performed a training program and consumed 5 g of cocoa (425 mg of flavonoids) mixed with semi-skimmed fat milk, daily for 10 weeks.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Placebo group<br>Maltodextrin (5 g) was supplied as placebo in sachets identical to those provided for cocoa. | Dietary Supplement: Placebo group<br>* The athletes performed the same training program of the cocoa group and they took for 10 weeks 5 g of maltodextrin mixed with semi-skimmed fat milk.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change of body fat mass at 10 weeks | Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). | Fat mass was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time = 0) and after 10 weeks of intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change of lean mass at 10 weeks | Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). | Lean mass was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time) and after 10 weeks of intervention | 
| Change in Sport performance test at 10 weeks | Assessment of maximal aerobic capacity by treadmill test | Sport performance was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time) and after 10 weeks of intervention | 
| Change in Sport performance test 2 at 10 weeks | Measurement of the time that the sportsmen spend running one kilometer at the maximum speed. | Sport performance was analyzed at the beginning (baseline time and after 10 weeks of intervention | 
| Change from baseline of adipokines at 10 weeks | Myostatin and Follistatin levels were measured in plasma | Myostatin and Follistatin were analyzed at the beginning and at the end of the 10-week intervention. | 
| Change from baseline of leptin | leptin levels were measured in plasma by ELISA | Leptin was analyzed at the beginning and at the end of the 10-week intervention. | 
| Change in Dietary habits at 10 weeks | Food Frequency Questionnaire. Consumption data were obtained for 93 foods. These data were entered into the DietSource software 3.0 (Novartis, Barcelona, Spain) to transform food data into percentage of carbohydrates, percentage of proteins and percentage of fat in the diet. | Diet was analyzed at the beginning (baseline dose) and after 10 weeks of intervention. | 
| Change in Dietary habits 2 at 10 weeks | 24h recall questionnaire. This questionnaire was carried out 3 times on different days (2 weekdays and one weekend day) at the beginning (baseline) and after 10 weeks of intervention.These data were entered into the DietSource software 3.0 (Novartis, Barcelona, Spain) to transform food data into percentage of carbohydrates, percentage of proteins and percentage of fat in the diet. | Diet was analyzed at the beginning (baseline dose) and after 10 weeks of intervention. | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Nutritional Supplement, High in flavanoids cocoa, Body Fat composition, Physical Exercise performance