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Am J Clin Nutr 2008;88:123. Printed in USA. 2008 American Society for Nutrition
EDITORIAL
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changes could be reversible, and acute effects are not easily translated into long-term risks of disease. Meta-analysis of chronic tea intake did not show significant effects on blood pressure (9, 10). Acute effects of tea may also be due to other substances, eg, caffeine, rather than flavonoids. This brings us to a drawback of the review by Hooper et alnamely, that a distinction between trials with isolated flavonoids and those with flavonoid-rich products cannot be made easily (if at all). Most of the trials included flavonoid-rich products, whereas only 10 trials were based on isolated flavonoids. Thus, it remains unclear whether the measured effect on cardiovascular biomarkers could actually be attributed to the targeted flavonoid(s). Chocolate and cocoa contain a rich mixture of (poly)phenols such as the flavonoid class of proanthocyanidins, which itself contains many different compounds. Apart from that, plant-derived foods such as tea and cocoa also contain other substances that could exert an effect on the cardiovascular system, such as theobromine, tryptophan, caffeine, and minerals such as potassium and magnesium. This meta-analysis shows the state of the art in flavonoid and cardiovascular research. As Hooper et al stated, no randomized controlled trials have studied the effects of flavonoids on clinical cardiovascular endpoints. However, a number of trials of acceptable quality with flavonoid-rich foods provide evidence for a beneficial effect on flow-mediated dilation, blood pressure, and lipid profile, which are relevant indicators of cardiovascular health. Substantial evidence for a vasoprotective effect of specific flavonoids is, however, still lacking. Optimal doses of specific flavonoids for cardiovascular protection, one of the aims of the review, are still beyond the horizon. Flavonoid research has
made large progress since the days of Szent-Gyrgi, but, to really advance the field, the step to individual flavonoids must be made now.
Neither of the authors had a personal or financial conflict of interest.
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