Home Ingredients CocoaGanic® (Organic Cocoa Flavanols)
Cardiovascular

CocoaGanic® (Organic Cocoa Flavanols)

Theobroma cacao
Evidence Level
Limited
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

CocoaGanic® is an organic cocoa (Theobroma cacao) extract concentrated for flavanols. The research cited on this page is not on CocoaGanic itself; it is a 2017 Cochrane review of cocoa products in general, which found a small blood pressure reduction of about 2 mmHg in short trials of mainly healthy adults. Effects on thinking skills, brain blood flow, and antioxidant status have not been tested for this ingredient.

Studied Dose Products commonly provide a few hundred milligrams of cocoa flavanols per day. In the Cochrane review, trials used 30 to 1,218 mg of cocoa flavanols per day, averaging about 670 mg. No dose has been tested for CocoaGanic specifically.
Active Compound Organic cocoa extract concentrated for flavanols (epicatechin and procyanidins).

Benefits

Cardiovascular support

A 2017 Cochrane review pooled 35 randomized trials (40 comparisons, 1,804 participants) and found that cocoa flavanol products lowered blood pressure by about 1.76 mmHg systolic and 1.76 mmHg diastolic. The authors describe this as moderate-quality evidence for a small, roughly 2 mmHg effect in mainly healthy adults in the short term. Those trials tested cocoa products in general, not CocoaGanic, and blood flow itself was not the measured outcome.

Supported by Trial 1

Cognition: not tested for this ingredient

No study of CocoaGanic, or of cocoa flavanols for brain blood flow or thinking skills, is cited on this page. The single review behind this page measured blood pressure only, so any cognitive benefit is untested here.

Supported by Trial 1

Antioxidant activity: not measured here

Cocoa polyphenols act as antioxidants in laboratory tests, but no antioxidant or oxidative stress measurement appears in the one study cited on this page. This is a laboratory-based idea rather than a demonstrated benefit in people.

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 the small blood pressure change seen in cocoa trials. Nitric oxide and blood flow were not measured in the review cited here.

2

Antioxidant action

Cocoa polyphenols scavenge free radicals in laboratory tests. Whether this changes antioxidant status in people taking CocoaGanic has not been shown in any study cited here.

Clinical trials

1
Cocoa and Blood Pressure: Cochrane Review of Cocoa in General (not CocoaGanic)
PubMed

Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 randomized trials (40 comparisons) on the effect of cocoa products on blood pressure. (Ried et al. 2017, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews). CocoaGanic was not one of the products tested.

1,804 adults, mainly healthy, pooled from 35 randomized trials; flavanol doses ranged from 30 to 1,218 mg per day (average about 670 mg), and the trials were short.

Cocoa flavanols produced a small but statistically significant reduction in blood pressure: about 1.76 mmHg systolic and 1.76 mmHg diastolic. The authors rate this as moderate-quality evidence for a roughly 2 mmHg effect in mainly healthy adults in the short term. Stomach and gut complaints were reported by about 1% of participants.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated.
Contains some caffeine and theobromine; can affect sleep if taken late.
Keep away from pets, as theobromine is toxic to dogs and cats.

Important Drug interactions

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

More Cardiovascular Ingredients

Cardiovascular
Potassium
Potassium is the most abundant intracellular cation in the human body and an essential min…
Cardiovascular
MegaNatural®-BP (Patented Grape Seed Extract — Polyphenolics)
MegaNatural-BP is a patented grape seed extract developed by Polyphenolics (division of Ca…
Cardiovascular
CoroWise® (Plant Sterols for Cholesterol — Cargill)
CoroWise® is Cargill's leading brand of plant sterols — distinguished by FDA-approved heal…
Cardiovascular
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids, primarily eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an…

Explore Other Ingredients

Cognitive
PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a redox-active coenzyme that behaves as an antioxidant i…
Cognitive
L-Theanine
L-Theanine, an amino acid primarily found in green tea (Camellia sinensis), is commonly su…
Sleep Health
Suntheanine®
Suntheanine® is a patented, 100% pure L-isomer theanine produced via an enzymatic process…

Frequently asked questions about CocoaGanic® (Organic Cocoa Flavanols)

What is CocoaGanic?

CocoaGanic® is an organic cocoa (Theobroma cacao) extract concentrated for flavanols. The research cited on this page is not on CocoaGanic itself; it is a 2017 Cochrane review of cocoa products in general, which found a small blood pressure reduction of about 2 mmHg in short trials of mainly healthy adults.

What is CocoaGanic used for?

CocoaGanic is researched primarily for Cardiovascular. A 2017 Cochrane review pooled 35 randomized trials (40 comparisons, 1,804 participants) and found that cocoa flavanol products lowered blood pressure by about 1.76 mmHg systolic and 1.76 mmHg diastolic.

What is the recommended dosage of CocoaGanic?

The clinically studied dose is Products commonly provide a few hundred milligrams of cocoa flavanols per day. In the Cochrane review, trials used 30 to 1,218 mg of cocoa flavanols per day, averaging about 670 mg. No dose has been tested for CocoaGanic specifically. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is CocoaGanic safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, CocoaGanic is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Generally well-tolerated. Contains some caffeine and theobromine; can affect sleep if taken late. It may also interact with some medications. CocoaGanic 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 CocoaGanic 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 CocoaGanic?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for CocoaGanic as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 1 cited reference summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(1 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..PubMedUsed to support: Cochrane review of cocoa products in general, not of CocoaGanic, finding a small short-term blood pressure reduction of about 2 mmHg across 35 trials in 1,804 adults.