Table 2 The effect of CF supplementation on exercise-induced inflammation

Allgrove et al. [42]

20 healthy males

Age 22 ± 4 years

Mass 74.6 ± 8 kg

V̇O_2max 53.1 ± 7.0 ml·kg⁻¹

Power output 300 ± 30 W

CF: 80 g dark chocolate a day for 14 days, 197.4 mg CF per dose (EPI: 77.4 mg, CAT: 31.2 mg)

CON: 56.8 g iso-CHO-fat control chocolate, 0 mg CF

Each day for 14 days, with a half dose 2 h pre-exercise

Cycling at 60% V̇O_2max for 1.5 h, intensity raised to 90% every 10 min for 30 s

5 min post cycling there was a time to exhaustion trial at 90% V̇O_2max

(i) Circulating leukocytes

(ii) Neutrophils

(iii) IL-10

(iv) IL-6

(v) IL-1ra

(i–v) ↔ between groups

Davison et al. [47]

14 healthy males

Age 22 ± 1 years

Mass 71.6 ± 1.6 kg

V̇O_2max 53.1 ± 1.9 ml·kg⁻¹ min⁻¹

Power output 300 ± 12 W

CF: 100 g dark chocolate 246.8 mg CF (EPI: 96.8 mg, CAT: 39.1 mg)

CON: isomacronutrient control, 0 mg CF

None: water

Acute dose 2 h pre-exercise

Cycling at ~ 60% V̇O_2max for 2.5 h

IL-6

 ↔ between groups

Decroix et al. [43]

12 well-trained males

Age 30 ± 3 years

Stature 177.9 ± 8.8 cm

Mass 72.8 ± 7.8 kg

V̇O_2max 63.0 ± 3.5 ml·kg⁻¹ min⁻¹

CF: cocoa drink, 900 mg CF (EPI: 185 mg, CAT: 20 mg)

CON: placebo, 15 mg CF (EPI: 0 mg, CAT: 0 mg)

Acute dose 1.5 pre-exercise

Two 30 min time trials 60 min apart, performed at a ~ 75% peak power output

(i) TNF-α

(ii) IL-1

(iii) IL-6

(i) ↔ between groups

(ii) ↔ between groups

Morgan et al. [48]

10 active males

Age 23 ± 3 years

Stature 184 ± 59 cm

Mass 85.3 ± 12.0 kg

Single leg 1RM 90.4 ± 19.0 kg

CF: 330 ml cacao juice, 74 mg CF (EPI: 8 mg, CAT: 43 mg)

CON: 330 ml CHO and flavour matched placebo, 0 mg CF

10 days supplementation (7 days pre-exercise, 3 days post)

10 sets of 10 single leg knee extensions at ~ 80% 1RM

(i) CRP

(ii) IL-6

(i) ↔ between groups

(ii) ↔ between groups

Taub et al. [50]

17 sedentary (9 males 8 females) participants

CF:

Age 50 ± 3

Stature 168 ± 3

Mass 78.8 ± 5.6

V̇O_2max 22.9 ± 1.9 ml·kg⁻¹ min⁻¹

CON:

Age 50 ± 2

Stature 175 ± 5

Mass 92.2 ± 9.7

V̇O_2max 24 ± 1.7 ml·kg⁻¹ min⁻¹

CF: 20 g dark chocolate, 175.2 mg CF (EPI: 26 mg, CAT: 4.6)

CON: 20 g placebo chocolate

Chronic (3 months daily intake)

Cycling exercise including V̇O_2max

CRP

 ↔ between groups