Randomized and controlled clinical trial of the effect of cocoa consumption in patients with insulin resistance

Abstract

Objective: to determine the effect of cocoa consumption in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Design: a randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, prospective, double-masked clinical trial was conducted.

Patients: people between 18 and 70 years of age, non-diabetic, with insulin resistance.

Intervention: the effect of consumption of 50 g of chocolate rich in polyphenols was evaluated for eight weeks. The control group received placebo.

Measurements: at the beginning and at the end of the study, the HOMA-IR index, abdominal circumference, body mass index (BMI), blood glucose and lipid profile.

Results: in the experimental group (n = 37) there was a reduction of HOMA IR (3.24 initial and 2.77 final, p = 0.02), reduction of body weight, on average 1.53 Kg (initial 86.3 Kg and final 84.8 Kg, p = 0.002 ), decreased BMI (34.3 at baseline and 33.5 at end, p = 0.0001) and decreased abdominal waist (initial 106.3 cm and final 102.5 cm, p = 0.0001). When comparing the results of the group treated with black chocolate with those of the control group (n = 38), there was a statistically significant difference in the mean abdominal waist at the end between both groups (102.5 cm for the experimental group and 108.0 cm for the control, p = 0.01).

Conclusions: This study suggests that consumption of 50 grams of chocolate rich in cocoa solids daily for eight weeks is associated with a decrease in waist circumference and the HOMA-IR index. In addition, it provides evidence of higher quality than observational studies on the use of cocoa in the reduction of obesity, adiposity and in the prevention of cardiometabolic disease in Colombian patients.