Drinking a cup of cocoa, a drink rich in flavonoids known for their anti-inflammatory effects, could be a simple and pleasant way to combat the fatigue that plagues people with dementia. multiple sclerosis. This was confirmed by scientists from the Center for Health and Nutrition in Oxford (Great Britain) who conducted a first clinical trial on 40 patients. The results of this trial have just been published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
A “slight effect” on fatigue
These 40 patients with multiple sclerosis were divided into two groups. The first group drank a cup of a rich drink every day for 6 weeks in flavonoids made of rice milk and cocoa powder, while the other group drank a low-flavonoid drink. During this period, researchers assessed fatigue of participants as well as their “fatigability”, i.e. how long a patient can maintain cognitive and physical performance before fatigue sets in.
The study found that the flavonoid-rich cocoa drink had a “mild effect on fatigue” and a “moderate effect on fatigability”. Patients in the high flavonoid group also reported feeling less pain, although the researchers did not measure this symptom.
Scientists admit, however, that a larger, larger study with longer follow-up is needed before advising new nutritional rules for patients with multiple sclerosis.
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