Home Ingredients CocoaNol® (Cocoa Flavanol Extract)
Cardiovascular

CocoaNol® (Cocoa Flavanol Extract)

Theobroma cacao
Evidence Level
Preliminary
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
1/5 Evidence Score

CocoaNol® is a cocoa (Theobroma cacao) extract that its supplier, Bioriginal, describes as standardized to 20% flavanols. Bioriginal says a gentle post-harvest process, used instead of the fermentation and high-heat roasting most cocoa goes through, retains more of the bean's epicatechin, and it recommends 200 mg a day. No study of CocoaNol itself appears in PubMed, so the evidence here is for cocoa flavanols in general. A Cochrane review of 35 short trials in 1,804 mainly healthy adults found that flavanol-rich cocoa lowered blood pressure by about 2 mmHg. In the large COSMOS-Mind trial, cocoa extract with 500 mg flavanols a day did not improve overall cognition over 3 years.

Studied Dose No published trial has tested CocoaNol. Bioriginal recommends 200 mg a day (about 40 mg flavanols at 20%). Cochrane blood pressure trials used 30 to 1,218 mg flavanols a day (average 670 mg); COSMOS-Mind used 500 mg.
Active Compound Cocoa extract that Bioriginal describes as standardized to 20% flavanols, made with a process aimed at keeping more epicatechin.

Benefits

Blood pressure support

A Cochrane review of 35 randomized trials (1,804 mainly healthy adults, 2 to 18 weeks) found that flavanol-rich cocoa lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by about 1.76 mmHg each, on moderate-quality evidence. The trials averaged about 670 mg flavanols a day, far more than the roughly 40 mg in a 200 mg CocoaNol serving, and none tested CocoaNol.

Supported by Trial 1

Cognition in older adults

In COSMOS-Mind, 2,262 older adults took cocoa extract with 500 mg flavanols a day or placebo for 3 years, and cocoa had no effect on global cognition (P = 0.28). CocoaNol itself has not been tested for memory or thinking.

Supported by Trial 1

Antioxidant activity in laboratory tests

Cocoa polyphenols act as antioxidants in laboratory tests. No trial has shown a measured antioxidant clinical outcome in people taking CocoaNol.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Flavanol nitric-oxide support

Cocoa flavanols are thought to increase nitric-oxide signaling in blood vessels, which is the usual proposed explanation for cocoa's small short-term effect on blood pressure. This has not been tested for CocoaNol.

2

Antioxidant action

Cocoa polyphenols scavenge free radicals in laboratory tests. Whether a CocoaNol dose does this meaningfully in people has not been shown.

Clinical trials

1
Cocoa and Blood Pressure: Cochrane Review (cocoa in general, not CocoaNol)
PubMed

Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 randomized trials (40 comparisons) of flavanol-rich cocoa products versus flavanol-free or low-flavanol controls. (Ried et al. 2017, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)

1,804 mainly healthy adults; trials lasted 2 to 18 weeks and used 30 to 1,218 mg flavanols a day.

Systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell by about 1.76 mmHg each, which the authors called a small (about 2 mmHg) short-term effect on moderate-quality evidence. Larger drops in people with high blood pressure were a subgroup result of borderline significance. None of the trials used CocoaNol.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

In cocoa trials, stomach complaints and nausea were reported by about 1% of people taking cocoa products and 0.4% of those on control products.
Contains some caffeine and theobromine; can affect sleep if taken late.
Theobromine is toxic to dogs and cats; keep away from pets.

Important Drug interactions

Stimulant medications: possible additive effects; use caution.
Blood pressure medication: possible mild additive effect.
Tell your doctor if pregnant or breastfeeding.

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Frequently asked questions about CocoaNol® (Cocoa Flavanol Extract)

What is CocoaNol?

CocoaNol® is a cocoa (Theobroma cacao) extract that its supplier, Bioriginal, describes as standardized to 20% flavanols. Bioriginal says a gentle post-harvest process, used instead of the fermentation and high-heat roasting most cocoa goes through, retains more of the bean's epicatechin, and it recommends 200 mg a day…

What is CocoaNol used for?

CocoaNol is researched primarily for Cardiovascular. A Cochrane review of 35 randomized trials (1,804 mainly healthy adults, 2 to 18 weeks) found that flavanol-rich cocoa lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by about 1.76 mmHg each, on moderate-quality evidence.

What is the recommended dosage of CocoaNol?

No published trial has tested CocoaNol. Bioriginal recommends 200 mg a day (about 40 mg flavanols at 20%). Cochrane blood pressure trials used 30 to 1,218 mg flavanols a day (average 670 mg); Cosmos-Mind used 500 mg. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is CocoaNol safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for CocoaNol include: In cocoa trials, stomach complaints and nausea were reported by about 1% of people taking cocoa products and 0.4% of those on control products. Contains some caffeine and theobromine; can affect sleep if taken late. It may also interact with some medications. CocoaNol is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does CocoaNol interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Stimulant medications: possible additive effects; use caution. Blood pressure medication: possible mild additive effect. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for CocoaNol?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for CocoaNol as Preliminary (1 out of 5). It is backed by 1 study summary and 3 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(3 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Ried K, Fakler P, Stocks NP. Effect of cocoa on blood pressure. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;4(4):CD008893. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008893.pub3.PubMedUsed to support: Cochrane review of 35 randomized trials (40 comparisons, 1,804 mainly healthy adults, 2 to 18 weeks) of flavanol-rich cocoa products versus flavanol-free or low-flavanol controls. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell by about 1.76 mmHg each, rated moderate-quality evidence. Systolic pressure fell about 4 mmHg in people with high blood pressure, but the test for a subgroup difference was of borderline significance (P = 0.08). Stomach complaints and nausea were reported by about 1% of people on cocoa and 0.4% on control. It did not test CocoaNol.
  2. Baker LD, Manson JE, Rapp SR, Sesso HD, Gaussoin SA, Shumaker SA, Espeland MA. Effects of cocoa extract and a multivitamin on cognitive function: A randomized clinical trial. Alzheimers Dement. 2023;19(4):1308-1319. doi: 10.1002/alz.12767.PubMedUsed to support: COSMOS-Mind: 3-year randomized trial in 2,262 older adults. Cocoa extract with 500 mg flavanols a day had no effect on global cognition (P = 0.28); the separate multivitamin arm produced a small benefit.
  3. Bioriginal Food & Science Corp. Cocoanol cocoa flavanols powder (product page). bioriginal.com. 2026;.SourceUsed to support: Supplier page stating that Cocoanol is standardized to 20% flavanols, made with a gentle post-harvest process instead of fermentation and high-heat roasting, and recommended at 200 mg a day. It cites no clinical studies. Not PubMed-indexed.