NCT03214133

Effects of Epicatechin-rich Cocoa on Collagen Synthesis

Determining an Optimal Dose of Epicatechin-Rich Chocolate and Its Effect on Performance

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 12 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of California, Davis · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 25 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of epicatechin-rich cocoa in humans on collagen synthesis and power-based performance outcomes (rate of force development).

Detailed description

The investigators have recently completed a study looking at the expression of the collagens following consumption of increasing doses of epicatechin in rats . This data clearly shows that increasing doses of epicatechin, either 0.5 mg.kg-1 delivered once, twice, or three times a day, or 2 mg.kg-1 once a day, results in increasing expression of the fibrillar collagens (I, III, and V). This preliminary data suggests that epicatechin-rich chocolate supplementation can increase collagen expression in humans and that this may improve force transfer. From this background, the hypothesis proposed is that supplementation with epicatechin-rich chocolate will increase rate of force development and performance in athletes. Therefore, this simple nutrition intervention has the potential to simultaneously improve performance, decrease injuries and accelerate return to competition through improved collagen synthesis.

Conditions

• Collagen Synthesis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Epicatechin-rich cocoa dose response	Subjects consume randomized doses of 0, 1, 2, 3 mg epicatechin/kg from epicatechin-rich cocoa. The optimal dose of epicatechin-rich chocolate will be the dose which have the greatest increase PNIP levels.
OTHER	Epicatechin-rich cocoa vs placebo on performance	An optimized dose of epicatechin-rich cocoa or placebo will be given for 3 weeks alongside a prescribed power-based training program. In a randomized parallel design the effect of the optimal dose of epicatechin-rich chocolate, compared to placebo, on maximal isometric squat force, RFD, and jump testing will be quantified.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-05-23
• Primary completion: 2018-08-30
• Completion: 2018-08-30
• First posted: 2017-07-11
• Last updated: 2021-08-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States