Published on: Sep 17, 2025
A new study from the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), led by investigators at Mass General Brigham, suggests that cocoa extract supplements rich in flavanols may help reduce inflammation and support heart health.
The research focused on five biomarkers of age-related inflammation in participants who took daily cocoa extract over several years. Results, published in Age and Ageing, showed a notable decrease in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)—a key marker of cardiovascular risk—among participants receiving cocoa supplements. This reduction may help explain the heart-protective effects observed in earlier COSMOS findings.
Cocoa flavanols, naturally occurring compounds also found in berries, grapes, tea, and other plant-based foods, have previously been linked to reduced inflammation in smaller studies. To expand on this evidence, the large-scale COSMOS trial enrolled more than 21,000 adults over 60 in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study between 2014 and 2020. Earlier results from COSMOS showed cocoa extract supplementation lowered cardiovascular mortality by 27percentage.
In this latest analysis of 598 participants, researchers measured inflammatory biomarkers over two years. hsCRP declined by an average of 8.4% per year compared with placebo, while other markers such as IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, and interferon-γ showed smaller or mixed changes. An increase in interferon-γ, an immune-related cytokine, was also observed, pointing to new avenues for future investigation.
Cocoa extract isn’t a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, but our findings highlight its potential role in reducing age-related inflammation,said senior author Yanbin Dong, MD, PhD, of Augusta University.
The researchers emphasize that cocoa’s anti-inflammatory properties may contribute to its cardiovascular benefits and reinforce the value of a diet rich in plant-based foods. This study underlines the importance of diverse, colorful, plant-based diets—where flavanol-rich cocoa can play a part, added corresponding author Howard Sesso, ScD, MPH, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
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