Effects of Epicatechin-rich Cocoa on Collagen Synthesis

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study will investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of epicatechin-rich cocoa in humans on collagen synthesis and power-based performance outcomes (rate of force development).

Detailed Description
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The investigators have recently completed a study looking at the expression of the collagens following consumption of increasing doses of epicatechin in rats . This data clearly shows that increasing doses of epicatechin, either 0.5 mg.kg-1 delivered once, twice, or three times a day, or 2 mg.kg-1 once a day, results in increasing expression of the fibrillar collagens (I, III, and V). This preliminary data suggests that epicatechin-rich chocolate supplementation can increase collagen expression in humans and that this may improve force transfer. From this background, the hypothesis proposed is that supplementation with epicatechin-rich chocolate will increase rate of force development and performance in athletes. Therefore, this simple nutrition intervention has the potential to simultaneously improve performance, decrease injuries and accelerate return to competition through improved collagen synthesis.

Official Title
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Determining an Optimal Dose of Epicatechin-Rich Chocolate and Its Effect on Performance

Conditions
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Collagen Synthesis

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Epicatechin-rich cocoa dose response
* Other: Epicatechin-rich cocoa vs placebo on performance


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Collegiate level male athletes between the ages of 18¬-25 years of age, currently participating in sport, will be recruited to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: History of more than 3 musculoskeletal injuries within the past 12 months. Health and dietary restriction (e.g. lactose intolerance) that would be affected by the supplementation protocol. The initial phase will be performed in males since collagen synthesis varies significantly throughout the menstrual cycle in females. Since collagen synthesis is the main outcome measure for the study this would confound the initial phase of the work. Provided this work proves successful then the investigators will aim to proceed with similar research in females.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 25 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: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Arm 1 of the project will employ a randomized single-blinded crossover design with subjects completing all 4 of the epicatechin-rich chocolate trials (0, 1, 2 and 3 mg.kg-1). Arm 2 will use a randomized parallel double-blind design with neither the subjects nor the investigators knowing who is on which treatment (optimized epicatechin-rich chocolate dose or Dutch processed/epicatechin depleted placebo.
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Epicatechin Dose Response<br>This arm will investigate varying doses of epicatechin on procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) at varying doses CON, 1, 2, 3 mg/kg body mass. | Other: Epicatechin-rich cocoa dose response<br>* Subjects consume randomized doses of 0, 1, 2, 3 mg epicatechin/kg from epicatechin-rich cocoa. The optimal dose of epicatechin-rich chocolate will be the dose which have the greatest increase PNIP levels.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Epicatechin-rich cocoa on performance<br>Athletes will ingest the optimized dose of epicatechin-rich cocoa vs placebo alongside maximum power training to determine if this nutritional intervention results in a greater increase in RFD and performance than maximum power training alone. | Other: Epicatechin-rich cocoa vs placebo on performance<br>* An optimized dose of epicatechin-rich cocoa or placebo will be given for 3 weeks alongside a prescribed power-based training program. In a randomized parallel design the effect of the optimal dose of epicatechin-rich chocolate, compared to placebo, on maximal isometric squat force, RFD, and jump testing will be quantified.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Epicatechin-rich cocoa dose response | investigating effects doses of 0, 1, 2, 3 mg epicatechin/kg/day procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) in the blood after 5 days of supplementation with 2-day wash out between. |  26 days | 
| Effect of the optimized dose of epicatechin-rich cocoa on performance | Performance measures (of rate of force development) will be quantified for 3 weeks alongside the ingestion of an optimized dose of epicatechin-rich cocoa vs placebo. |  22 days |