Catherine Kwik-Uribe, PhD, is global R&D-scientific & regulatory affairs director, Mars Symbioscience, a business within the Mars Edge segment of New Jersey-based Mars, Incorporated. Mars Edge is dedicated to human health and wellness through targeted nutrition, including scientific research on the health and biomedical potential of cocoa flavanols. Kwik-Uribe received her doctorate degree in human nutrition from the University of California, Davis, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in the Department of Toxicology.
Question: Please describe your work at Mars Symbioscience.
Answer: I lead research and development (R&D) and scientific and regulatory affairs (SRA) for Mars Symbioscience. Across my team, we work to drive the development and enable the launch of new products that can bring the benefits of cocoa flavanols to consumers. We are passionate about the creation of evidence-based products that can support the health and lives of consumers.
Question: How are cocoa flavanols beneficial for heart health?
Answer: For over 20 years now, Mars, Incorporated has been studying cocoa, and specifically the distinct mixture of phytonutrients found in cocoa, called cocoa flavanols. This research shows that the regular consumption of cocoa flavanols helps to keep the cells that line blood vessels (endothelial cells) healthy and, in doing so, helps to keep arteries flexible and responsive. Keeping your arteries healthy is key to supporting your entire cardiovascular system, including the heart itself.
Question: How are cocoa flavanols beneficial for other areas of human health?
Answer: There is quite a bit of research out there on the benefits of cocoa flavanols. By helping to keep the vascular system healthy and resilient, there are a range of benefits that have been shown including improved circulation, healthy blood pressure and even supporting skin health. One of the most exciting areas of research is on the benefits to the brain, with several studies now showing sustained cognitive benefits, including improved memory.
Question: Please describe the safety of ingesting cocoa flavanols. What is a safe amount of intake?
Answer: Cocoa flavanols have been extensively studied, with Mars alone having completed more than 40 human studies on the metabolism, safety and efficacy of these compounds. In this work, we have found that cocoa flavanols are very well tolerated with no major negative health effects caused by the consumption of these natural compounds. In addition, in 2015, we published a study that looked at the intake of up to 2,000 mg cocoa flavanols taken daily for several months, and again, found that intake was well-tolerated among healthy adult men and women.
It is important to note that while levels of up to 2,000 mg cocoa flavanols daily have been well-tolerated, much lower intakes are needed to achieve cardiovascular and brain benefits. At levels starting around 200 mg, improvements in vascular function begin to emerge, with intakes of 450-900 mg daily shown to offer a range of benefits including improved vascular function, increased circulation, healthy blood pressure, as well as improvements in cognitive performance.
Question: What do you suggest natural product retailers consider when discussing these products with their customers, and what should they look for when choosing these products for their stores?
Answer: The research that has been done is specific to cocoa flavanols, and not cocoa, per se. Thus, while people may look to natural cocoa powder, dark chocolate or even cocoa nibs as a way to get these flavanols, in most cases, these products will not be reliable sources of cocoa flavanols. How the beans are handled—from the moment of collection to their final conversion into a product—really matters because these flavanols are labile and sensitive to destruction in traditional cocoa processing. This is why for our CocoaVia products, we label the cocoa flavanol content so that consumers know exactly what they are getting in each serving.
Further, an independent provider of test results and information for health and nutrition products, ConsumerLab.com, completed a thorough assessment of the quality and safety of various flavanol sources. Their findings showed, in addition to variability in actual flavanol content, many products also contained high levels of the harmful contaminant cadmium. It noted that CocoaVia had a large amount of flavanols with minimal contaminants, as well as minimal calories.
Question: Other comments?
Answer: While cocoa flavanols are not as well-known as other supplements by many consumers, we do think this will change, particularly as new research continues to be published. We are especially excited by a new study continuing to explore the cognitive benefits of cocoa flavanols expected to be published later this year. And, of course, we are eager to learn about the outcomes of COSMOS, the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study. This study, with findings expected to be out in late 2021, is the largest clinical study to date that explores the potential benefits of cocoa flavanols on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
