Supplements Backed by Science
The scientists at Mars, Incorporated, in collaboration with leading scientists and universities around the globe have been studying cocoa flavanols for over 20 years, resulting in over 150 scientific papers – making it one of the most highly-researched plant-based nutrients in the world.
Clinical studies show that taking high levels of cocoa flavanols daily – like you get with CocoaVia™ cocoa extract supplements –can improve your memory, support your cardiovascular health, and provide other health-boosting benefits. Here are some highlights.
Heart Health Studies
Improved Blood Vessel Function
Research in a heart health study showed that healthy adults between the ages of 35 and 60 who consumed about 400 mg of cocoa flavanols twice daily for one month experienced a 21% increase in blood vessel function.*
Healthy Blood Pressure
A daily intake of cocoa flavanols was shown to support healthy blood pressure levels even in healthy adults.*
Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Healthy adults who included cocoa flavanols in their diet daily for 4 weeks also experienced healthy cholesterol levels relative to those who didn’t consume them.
*Sansone et al. 2015 British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 114 , Issue 8, 28 October 2015 , pp. 1246 - 1255
See the StudyMemory Studies
Over 10 Years of Memory Research
Can cocoa flavanols help you remember names?
After taking about 750 mg of cocoa flavanols daily for 8-12 weeks, the amount in CocoaVia™ Memory+, study participants experienced a 31% improvement in word recall and were able to complete a brain test an average of 21% faster.
Sometimes forget the way?
Research showed that in just three months, healthy adults who took ~750mg of cocoa flavanols were able to complete spatial memory tasks 24% faster compared to the control group.
Those who took ~750mg of cocoa flavanols also had 62% more blood flowing to the parts of the brain associated with age-related memory loss than they did before the study began.
Cognition and Diet
Scientists at Columbia University studied the role of diet on cognitive performance, including memory, and whether adding cocoa flavanols to their normal diet could help support memory.
- The effects of cocoa flavanols on memory were greater in people with less healthy diets.
- List learning is a task linked to long-term memory.
- Those in the high flavanol group, and had a low diet quality, remembered 14% more words in a list learning test than the control group after 12 weeks.
Explore More Cocoa Science Research
Still not sure if cocoa flavanol supplements are right for you? Read the research and discover what scientific data continues to reveal: cocoa flavanols can positively impact your health from head to toe.
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Heart Health
See The StudiesYour cardiovascular system is a crucial part of your health, and it involves much more than just your heart.
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Brain Health
See The StudiesYour brain requires the constant replenishment of oxygen and nutrients in order to perform at its best.
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Overall Health
See The StudiesCocoa flavanols can work to keep your whole body healthy – from the surface of your skin to the microbes in your gut.
Find the Right CocoaVia™ Product for You
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CocoaVia™ Cardio Health Powder
Regular price $44.99 USDRegular priceUnit price per$44.99 USDSale price $44.99 USD -
CocoaVia™ Cardio Health Capsules
Regular price $44.99 USDRegular priceUnit price per$44.99 USDSale price $44.99 USD -
CocoaVia™ Memory+ Supplement
Regular price $49.99 USDRegular priceUnit price per$49.99 USDSale price $49.99 USD -
CocoaVia™ Memory & Focus Capsule
Regular price $49.99 USDRegular priceUnit price per$49.99 USDSale price $49.99 USD
Heart Studies
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- Davison, K., et al. Effect of cocoa flavanols and exercise on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects. Int J Obes (Lond), 2008. 32(8): p. 1289-96.
- Sansone, R., et al. Methylxanthines enhance the effects of cocoa flavanols on cardiovascular function: randomized, double-masked controlled studies. Am J Clin Nutr, 2017. 105(2): p. 352-360.
- Sansone, R., et al. Cocoa flavanol intake improves endothelial function and Framingham Risk Score in healthy men and women: a randomised, controlled, double-masked trial: the Flaviola Health Study. Br J Nutr, 2015. 114(8): p. 1246-55.
- Fisher, N.D., et al. Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy humans. J Hypertens, 2003. 21(12): p. 2281-6
- Heiss, C., et al. Acute consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa and the reversal of endothelial dysfunction in smokers. J Am Coll Cardiol, 2005. 46(7): p. 1276-83.
- Fisher, N.D. and N.K. Hollenberg Aging and vascular responses to flavanol-rich cocoa. J Hypertens, 2006.24(8): p. 1575-80
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- Schroeter, H., et al. (-)-Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2006. 103(4): p. 1024-9.
- Heiss, C., et al. Sustained increase in flow-mediated dilation after daily intake of high-flavanol cocoa drink over 1 week. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 2007. 49(2): p. 74-80.
- Berry, N.M., et al. Impact of cocoa flavanol consumption on blood pressure responsiveness to exercise. Br J Nutr, 2010. 103(10): p. 1480-4.
- Davison, K., et al. Dose-related effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on blood pressure. J Hum Hypertens, 2010. 24(9): p. 568-76.
- Heiss, C., et al. Impact of cocoa flavanol intake on age-dependent vascular stiffness in healthy men: a randomized, controlled, double-masked trial. Age (Dordr), 2015. 37(3): p. 9794.
- Rodriguez-Mateos, A., et al. Assessing the respective contributions of dietary flavanol monomers and procyanidins in mediating cardiovascular effects in humans: Randomized-controlled, double-masked intervention trial.AJCN, 2018.
Brain Studies
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- Brickman, A.M., et al. Enhancing dentate gyrus function with dietary flavanols improves cognition in older adults. Nat Neurosci, 2014. 17(12): p. 1798-803.
- Scholey, A.B., et al. Consumption of cocoa flavanols results in acute improvements in mood and cognitive performance during sustained mental effort. J Psychopharmacol, 2010. 24(10): p. 1505-14.
- Mastroiacovo, D., et al. Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study--a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr, 2015. 101(3): p. 538-48.
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- Francis, S.T., et al. The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on the fMRI response to a cognitive task in healthy young people. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 2006. 47 Suppl 2: p. S215-20.
- Sorond, F.A., et al. Cerebral blood flow response to flavanol-rich cocoa in healthy elderly humans. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, 2008. 4(2): p. 433-40.
- Desideri, G., et al. Benefits in Cognitive Function, Blood Pressure, and Insulin Resistance Through Cocoa Flavanol Consumption in Elderly Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study. Hypertension, 2012. 60(3): p. 794-801.
Full Body Studies
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- Heinrich, U., et al. Long-term ingestion of high flavanol cocoa provides photoprotection against UV-induced erythema and improves skin condition in women. J Nutr, 2006. 136(6): p. 1565-9.
- Neukam, K., et al. Consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa acutely increases microcirculation in human skin. Eur J Nutr, 2007. 46(1): p. 53-6.
- Holt, R.R., et al. Procyanidin dimer B2 [epicatechin-(4beta-8)-epicatechin] in human plasma after the consumption of a flavanol-rich cocoa. Am J Clin Nutr, 2002. 76(4): p. 798-804.
- Rios, L.Y., et al. Cocoa procyanidins are stable during gastric transit in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 2002. 76(5): p. 1106-10.
- Schramm, D.D., et al. Food effects on the absorption and pharmacokinetics of cocoa flavanols. Life Sci, 2003. 73(7): p. 857-69.
- Ottaviani, J.I., et al. The stereochemical configuration of flavanols influences the level and metabolism of flavanols in humans and their biological activity in vivo. Free Radic Biol Med, 2011. 50(2): p. 237-44.
- Tzounis, X., et al. Prebiotic evaluation of cocoa-derived flavanols in healthy humans by using a randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover intervention study. Am J Clin Nutr, 2011. 93(1): p. 62-72.
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- Ottaviani, J.I., et al. Intake of dietary procyanidins does not contribute to the pool of circulating flavanols in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012. 95(4): p. 851-858.
- Ottaviani, J.I., et al. Structurally related (-)-epicatechin metabolites in humans: assessment using de novo chemically synthesized authentic standards. Free Radic Biol Med, 2012. 52(8): p. 1403-12.
- Rodriguez-Mateos, A., et al. Influence of sugar type on the bioavailability of cocoa flavanols. Br J Nutr, 2012: p. 1-8.
- Ottaviani, J.I., et al. Safety and efficacy of cocoa flavanol intake in healthy adults: a randomized, controlled, double-masked trial. Am J Clin Nutr, 2015. 102(6): p. 1425-35.
- Ottaviani, J.I., et al. The metabolome of [2-(14)C](-)-epicatechin in humans: implications for the assessment of efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action of polyphenolic bioactives. Sci Rep, 2016. 6: p. 29034.
- Ottaviani, J.I., et al. Evaluation at scale of microbiome-derived metabolites as biomarker of flavan-3-ol intake in epidemiological studies. Sci Rep, 2018. 8(1): p. 9859.
