Mol.Nutr.Food Res：黑巧克力有益健康，特别是对男性

阿伯丁大学罗维特学院的营养和健康研究人员研究了对吃过巧克力的志愿者体内血液成份变化情况进行了研究,结果表明含有丰富可可的黑巧克力可以预防心脏病及中风,特别是对男性.

心血管疾病(Cardiovascular disease, CVD)是指心脏及血液循环系统类疾病,它是工业世界的最大杀手之一,在欧洲及美洲,每年死于心血管疾病的人数在上升.CVD的其中一个特征就是血液流动受阻及血栓的形成.

血栓的形成是由于血液中的血小板过度活跃而黏在一起引起的.这会增加血管堵塞的风险,从而引发心脏病及中风.

血小板的功能不仅会受到某些药物的影响,同时还会受到食物中的化合物的影响.在水果、蔬菜、药草、香料、茶叶及酒中所含有的某些成份可以改善血小板功能.

然而,在可可中发现的黄烷醇对血小板的功能具有持续性的有益作用.直到现在,关于黄烷醇对血小板功能影响的研究还不多.

研究人员开展了一项研究,他们研究健康人在吃了富含黄烷醇的黑巧克力后血液中的血小板的功能变化情况.对照组的健康人群则吃黄烷醇含量较低的白巧克力.在进食2小时及6小时后收集受试者的血液和尿液样本.

Dr Baukje de Roos说：“血小板对伤口凝血具有重要作用,但是在某些情况下,如肥胖、糖尿病或吸烟会使血小板功能过度活跃,从而形成血栓,影响血液流动.”

“可可富含黄烷醇,而黄烷醇是已知的可抑制血小板黏在一起的物质,但是,我们不知道这是怎么实现的.”

研究人员观察了一系列的血小板功能测试,如血小板活化及血小板凝集.

他们发现,黑巧克力能显着减少男性血液中血小板的活化及凝集.然而,黑巧克力只能减少女性血液中血小板的凝集.最强的效果出现在进食后的2小时.

研究人员还测定了血流时间——血流时间越短说明血小板越粘稠.他们发现,无论男女,进食黑巧克力6小时后,血流时间有所延长.这可能是因为黄烷醇在人体内的代谢物所引起的.

“男性和女性以不同的方式使得血小板功能都得到了改善,这是特别有意思的.这种作用效果似乎对男性更有效.”Dr De Roos说.

“经过几个小时的消化,我们在受试者的血液及尿液中检测到了黄烷醇及其代谢物,这些化合物确实对血小板功能具有积极的作用.”

“尽管如此,这不意味着可以狂吃巧克力,因为它们富含脂肪与糖分.如果我们要吃巧克力,在面临多种选择的时候,我们最好选择吃黑巧克力,黑巧克力的可可含量至少为70%.”

“我们希望我们的发现可以最终应用在健康食物的开发中.”

DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201200283
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Flavan-3-ol-enriched dark chocolate and white chocolate improve acute measures of platelet function in a gender-specific way—a randomized-controlled human intervention trial

Luisa M. Ostertag1,2, Paul A. Kroon2, Sharon Wood1, Graham W. Horgan3, Elena Cienfuegos-Jovellanos4, Shikha Saha2, Garry G. Duthie1, Baukje de Roos1,*

Scope We examined whether flavan-3-ol-enriched dark chocolate, compared with standard dark and white chocolate, beneficially affects platelet function in healthy subjects, and whether this relates to flavan-3-ol bioavailability. Methods and results A total of 42 healthy subjects received an acute dose of flavan-3-ol-enriched dark, standard dark or white chocolate, in random order. Blood and urine samples were obtained just before and 2 and 6 h after consumption for measurements of platelet function, and bioavailability and excretion of flavan-3-ols. Flavan-3-ol-enriched dark chocolate significantly decreased adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation and P-selectin expression in men (all p ≤ 0.020), decreased thrombin receptor-activating peptide-induced platelet aggregation and increased thrombin receptor-activating peptide-induced fibrinogen binding in women (both p ≤ 0.041), and increased collagen/epinephrine-induced ex vivo bleeding time in men and women (p ≤ 0.042). White chocolate significantly decreased adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet P-selectin expression (p = 0.002) and increased collagen/epinephrine-induced ex vivo bleeding time (p = 0.042) in men only. Differences in efficacy by which flavan-3-ols affect platelet function were only partially explained by concentrations of flavan-3-ols and their metabolites in plasma or urine. Conclusion Flavan-3-ols in dark chocolate, but also compounds in white chocolate, can improve platelet function, dependent on gender, and may thus beneficially affect atherogenesis.