Acute effects of cocoa flavanols on cognitive control and response inhibition.

2025-11
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) 139
- Ahmet Altinok
- Monica Moruzzi
- Elkan G Akyürek

PubMed: 40614481
DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2025.112860

Study Design

Type: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Population: 36 healthy adult participants
Methods: randomized, placebo-controlled, gender-balanced, and double-blind crossover study; participants consumed three different drinks across separate sessions: a placebo drink containing alkalized cocoa powder, a low-dose drink with 415 mg CF, and a medium-dose drink with 623 mg CF; completed Flanker, Simon, and Go/No-go tasks
Blinding: Double-blind
Funding: Unclear

In this pre-registered study, we investigated the effects of acute cocoa flavanol (CF) consumption on cognitive control and response inhibition processes, at two different dosage levels. This crossover study was randomized, placebo-controlled, gender-balanced, and double-blind, and included 36 healthy adult participants. Participants consumed three different drinks across separate sessions: a placebo drink containing alkalized cocoa powder, a low-dose drink with 415 mg CF, and a medium-dose drink with 623 mg CF, both derived from flavanol-rich cocoa powder. Following each treatment, participants completed the Flanker, Simon, and Go/No-go tasks in a counterbalanced order. We analyzed accuracy and response times for congruent and incongruent trials in the Simon and Flanker tasks, and commission errors, omission errors, and response times in the Go/No-go task. The acute effects of CF on cognitive control and response inhibition were examined using (Generalized) Linear Mixed Model analysis, which included random intercepts, fixed effects, and random slopes. Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks. Furthermore, neither participant gender nor BMI predicted performance in cognitive control or response inhibition beyond the effects of the treatment conditions. Taken together, these findings suggest that acute cocoa flavanol consumption has no significant effect on cognitive control or response inhibition in healthy young adults.

Research Insights

Cocoa→Improved Flanker Task Accuracy
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF
Cocoa→Improved Simon Task Accuracy
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF
Cocoa→Reduced Commission Error
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF
Cocoa→Reduced Interference Score
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF
Cocoa→Reduced Interference Score on Simon Task
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF
Cocoa→Reduced Omission Errors
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF
Cocoa→Reduced Response Time
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF
Cocoa→Reduced Response Time on Flanker Task
Results revealed that neither dose of CF acutely improved accuracy, interference scores, errors, or response times in these three tasks.
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Dose
low-dose 415 mg CF, medium-dose 623 mg CF