Age-dependent Effects of Flavanols on Vascular Status

Epidemiological studies suggest that certain foods rich in flavanols, including cocoa products, red wine, and tea, are associated with decreased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Dietary interventional studies have corroborated this finding and showed that flavanols can acutely and after sustained ingestion improve surrogate markers of cardiovascular risk including endothelial function. Endothelial dysfunction is the key event in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. Aging is the major non-modifiable cardiovascular risk factor associated with progressive decline in endothelial function, vascular stiffening and increase in blood pressure. We hypothesize that flavanols can counteract age-dependent vascular changes by interacting with key mechanisms, most prominently endothelial function.