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CompletedNCT02130141CHOKOUpdated May 5, 2014

The Effects of Dark Chocolate on Blood Pressure in Individuals With Mildly Elevated Blood Pressure

An interventional study of Dark chocolate and Dietary counselling in Blood Pressure, sponsored by University of Helsinki. Completed at 2 sites in Finland. Open to participants aged 25 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-05-05.

Sponsored by University of Helsinki · Not applicable and Interventional

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
25 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The evidence linking chocolate with lowered blood pressure has been observed. However, the interventions have been short, at most 4 weeks. The aim of this study is to find out if the habitual consumption of dark chocolate for 8 weeks has an effect on blood pressure. Also, more insight to the mechanisms linking chocolate to individual healt-responses is needed.

02

Conditions studied

  • Blood Pressure

Keywords

  • cocoa
  • dark chocolate
  • hypertension
  • blood pressure monitoring, ambulatory
  • flavanols
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Helsinki is the lead sponsor of 129 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
25 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • age 25-65 years
  • resting systolic pressure 140-159 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure 90-99 mmHg
  • BMI 25.0- 29.9

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • smoking
  • regular medication for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or asthma
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
30 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Dark chocolate, dietary counselling

    Mildly hypertensive subject will replace their usual snacks with with 50 g dark chocolate daily for a period of 8 weeks.

    Dietary Supplement: Dark chocolate

  • Active comparator
    Dietary counselling

    Usual snacks are limited.

    Dietary Supplement: Dark chocolate · Other: Dietary counselling

Interventions

  • Dietary supplementDark chocolate

    Mildly hypertensive subject will replace their usual snacks with with 50 g dark chocolate daily for a period of 8 weeks.

  • OtherDietary counselling

    Usual snacks are limited.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure

    Usual daily snack is replaced by 50 g dark chocolate for a period of 8 weeks. During the control period, the same usual snack is limited in the diet, but without the replacement with the dark chocolate.

    Time frame: 8 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Ambulatory blood pressure

    Time frame: 8 weeks

  2. Blood lipids, inflammation markers, plasma levels of cocoa polyphenols

    Time frame: 8 weeks

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • University of Helsinki
    Helsinki, Helsingin Yliopisto 00014, Finland
  • Institute of Clinical Medicine
    Helsinki, Uusimaa 00290, Finland
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Koli R, Kohler K, Tonteri E, Peltonen J, Tikkanen H, Fogelholm M. Dark chocolate and reduced snack consumption in mildly hypertensive adults: an intervention study. Nutr J. 2015 Aug 22;14:84. doi: 10.1186/s12937-015-0075-3. PubMed 26296850 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 5, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02130141
Lead sponsor
University of Helsinki
Collaborators
Fazer Group
Responsible party
Mikael Fogelholm (Professor, University of Helsinki) — Principal investigator
First posted
May 5, 2014
Start date
Nov 2012
Primary completion
Jan 2014
Completion
Jan 2014
Last update
May 5, 2014

Study contacts

Mikael Fogelholm, Dr.
principal investigator · University of Helsinki

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in May 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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