Dark Chocolate Eases Walking for Artery Disease Patients
Older people who have trouble getting around because of poor blood flow to their legs may be able to walk a little longer and farther after eating dark chocolate, according to a new small Italian study.
People with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who ate a dark chocolate bar were able to slightly increase the time and distance they walked a couple of hours later, compared to people who ate milk chocolate, researchers found.
He and his colleagues write in the Journal of the American Heart Association that compounds known at polyphenols, which are much more plentiful in dark chocolate than milk chocolate, may have something to do with the improved performance.
“In the context of atherosclerosis, following an appropriate diet is crucial for reducing the burden of vascular disease,” Loffredo wrote in an email. This study supports that idea, he said, as eating polyphenol-rich nutrients led to improved blood flow in the legs.
About one in five people ages 70 years and older living in Western countries is affected by PAD, the researchers write. In addition to being a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, the condition can cause legs to hurt and cramp while walking.
The researchers also measured a type of gas in the blood that has been linked to improved blood flow and found it was higher among those who ate dark chocolate, compared to those who ate milk chocolate.
Dark chocolate change measurable things in our blood that are capable of making our blood vessels expand or contract. I just don’t think this is going to be a major answer. We must add that eating dark chocolate would also add to the calories people are consuming.
Researchers cannot be sure that other components in dark chocolate – besides polyphenols – were responsible for the improvements.
Typically, people diagnosed with PAD are advised to change their behaviors, such as by cutting out smoking and eating a better diet, Rooke said. They’re also told to exercise and may be put on some medications. Surgery to bypass blocked arteries is typically a last resort.
SOURCE: bit.ly/1sYkBpv Journal of the American Heart Association, online July 2, 2014
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