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notasperfectasyou wrote:The life extension products use Bioperine which might not be the best way to enhance absorption. It is A way, but might not be the best way. I promise to come back here in the coming weeks and post about this. I'm still reading about it, but Bromelain looks more promising. But, I'm still working on it .........

Ken

Br J Nutr. 2009 Apr;101(7):931-40. Epub 2009 Jan 6.

Cocoa: antioxidant and immunomodulator.
Ramiro-Puig E, Castell M.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n 08028, Barcelona, Spain.

Cocoa, a product consumed since 600 BC, is now a subject of increasing interest because of its antioxidant properties, which are mainly attributed to the content of flavonoids such as ( - )-epicatechin, catechin and procyanidins. Moreover, recent findings suggest a regulatory effect of cocoa on the immune cells implicated in innate and acquired immunity. Cocoa exerts regulatory activity on the secretion of inflammatory mediators from macrophages and other leucocytes in vitro. In addition, emerging data from in vivo studies support an immunomodulating effect. Long-term cocoa intake in rats affects both intestinal and systemic immune function. Studies in this line suggest that high-dose cocoa intake in young rats favours the T helper 1 (Th1) response and increases intestinal gammadelta T lymphocyte count, whereas the antibody-secreting response decreases. The mechanisms involved in this activity are uncertain; nonetheless, because redox-sensitive pathways control immune cell function, the action of cocoa flavonoids on modulating cell signalling and gene expression deserves investigation.

PMID: 19126261 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Br J Nutr. 2009 Jul;102(2):215-20. Epub 2008 Dec 23.

Iron bioavailability of cocoa powder as determined by the Hb regeneration efficiency method.
Yokoi K, Konomi A, Otagi M.

Department of Human Nutrition, Seitoku University Graduate School, 550 Iwase, Matsudo, Chiba 271-8555, Japan. KatsuhikoY@aol.com

Fe deficiency is a public-health problem worldwide, and effective measures for preventing Fe deficiency are needed. The aim of the present study was to determine the bioavailability of Fe in cocoa using the Hb regeneration efficiency (HRE) method. Thirty-five F344/N male weanling rats were fed a low-Fe diet for 4 weeks to deplete body Fe stores. Then, four groups of seven animals each were repleted for 20 d using a modified AIN-93G diet fortified with ferrous sulphate, ferric citrate or two brands of cocoa powder to provide a total dietary Fe concentration of 20 mg/kg. As a negative control, seven rats were maintained on the low-Fe diet. The HRE were 0.733, 0.350, 0.357 and 0.336 for ferrous sulphate, ferric citrate and the two brands of cocoa powder, respectively. The relative biological values (RBV), defined as the ratio of the sample HRE to that of ferrous sulphate, were 0.478, 0.488 and 0.459 for ferric citrate and the two brands of cocoa powder, respectively. The Fe bioavailability of cocoa was significantly less than that of ferrous sulphate and was similar to that of ferric citrate. The difference in Fe bioavailability between the two brands of cocoa powder was negligible. When the negative control was used to correct the data, estimates of the RBV derived from Hb gain were similar to those derived from the HRE. These results suggest that cocoa is a significant source of moderately bioavailable Fe.

PMID: 19102811 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Mar;53(3):389-97.

Influence of a cocoa-enriched diet on specific immune response in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.
Pérez-Berezo T, Ramiro-Puig E, Pérez-Cano FJ, Castellote C, Permanyer J, Franch A, Castell M.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Previous studies in young rats have reported the impact of 3 weeks of high cocoa intake on healthy immune status. The present article describes the effects of a longer-term cocoa-enriched diet (9 weeks) on the specific immune response to ovalbumin (OVA) in adult Wistar rats. At 4 weeks after immunization, control rats produced anti-OVA antibodies, which, according their amount and isotype, were arranged as follows: IgG1 > IgG2a > IgM > IgG2b > IgG2c. Both cocoa diets studied (4% and 10%) down-modulated OVA-specific antibody levels of IgG1 (main subclass associated with the Th2 immune response in rats), IgG2a, IgG2c and IgM isotypes. Conversely, cocoa-fed rats presented equal or higher levels of anti-OVA IgG2b antibodies (subclass linked to the Th1 response). Spleen and lymph node cells from OVA-immunized control and cocoa-fed animals proliferated similarly under OVA stimulation. However, spleen cells from cocoa-fed animals showed decreased interleukin-4 secretion (main Th2 cytokine), and lymph node cells from the same rats displayed higher interferon-gamma secretion (main Th1 cytokine). These changes were accompanied by a reduction in the number of anti-OVA IgG-secreting cells in spleen. In conclusion, cocoa diets induced attenuation of antibody synthesis that may be attributable to specific down-regulation of the Th2 immune response.

PMID: 18925611 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Ann Neurol. 2009 Sep;66(3):390-402.

Preferential recruitment of interferon-gamma-expressing T H 17 cells in multiple sclerosis.
Kebir H, Ifergan I, Alvarez JI, Bernard M, Poirier J, Arbour N, Duquette P, Prat A.

Neuroimmunology Research Unit, Center for Excellence in Neuromics, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: There is substantial evidence supporting the role of interferon (IFN)-gamma-producing T helper (T(H)) 1 and interleukin (IL)-17-expressing T(H)17 lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, to date little is known about the potential cooperative interplay between these 2 cytokines. In the current study, we sought to evaluate the frequency of IFN-gamma-expressing T(H)17 lymphocytes in MS and EAE, and study their recruitment into the central nervous system (CNS). METHODS: Human T(H)17 lymphocytes were expanded in vitro from the blood of healthy controls and relapsing MS patients using IL-23. Immune cell migration to the CNS was assessed in vitro with primary cultures of human blood-brain barrier (BBB)-derived endothelial cells, and in vivo in EAE mice. RESULTS: We demonstrate that in response to IL-23, human memory lymphocytes expand into a T(H)17 phenotype, with a subpopulation of cells simultaneously expressing IFN-gamma and IL-17. We note that lymphocytes obtained from the blood of relapsing MS patients have an increased propensity to expand into IFN-gamma-producing T(H)17 cells and identify numerous T lymphocytes coexpressing IL-17 and IFN-gamma in brain tissue of MS patients. We also find lymphocytes expressing both the T(H)1- and the T(H)17-associated transcription factors ROR gamma t and T-bet, in situ and in vitro. We further provide in vitro and in vivo evidence that IFN-gamma(+) T(H)17 lymphocytes preferentially cross the human BBB and accumulate in the CNS of mice during the effector phase of EAE. INTERPRETATION: Our data underscore the involvement of IFN-gamma(+) T(H)17 lymphocytes in the pathology of MS and EAE and their preferential recruitment into the CNS during inflammatory events.

PMID: 19810097 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

J Nutr Biochem. 2008 Aug;19(8):555-65. Epub 2007 Dec 3.

Intestinal immune system of young rats influenced by cocoa-enriched diet.
Ramiro-Puig E, Pérez-Cano FJ, Ramos-Romero S, Pérez-Berezo T, Castellote C, Permanyer J, Franch A, Izquierdo-Pulido M, Castell M.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.

Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) maintains mucosal homeostasis by counteracting pathogens and inducing a state of nonresponsiveness when it receives signals from food antigens and commensal bacteria. We report for the first time the influence of continuous cocoa consumption on GALT function in rats postweaning. Weaned Wistar rats were fed cocoa-enriched diets (4% or 10% food intake) for 3 weeks. The function of the primary inductive sites of GALT, such as Peyer's patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), was evaluated through an analysis of IgA-secretory ability and lymphocyte composition (T, B and natural killer cells), activation (IL-2 secretion and IL-2 receptor alpha expression) and proliferation. T-helper effector cell balance was also established based on cytokine profile (interferon gamma, IL-4 and IL-10) after mitogen activation. A 10% cocoa intake induced significant changes in PP and MLN lymphocyte composition and function, whereas a 4% cocoa diet did not cause significant modifications in either tissues. Cocoa diet strongly reduced secretory IgA (S-IgA) in the intestinal lumen, although IgA's secretory ability was only slightly decreased in PP. In addition, the 10% cocoa diet increased T-cell-antigen receptor gammadelta cell proportion in both lymphoid tissues. Thus, cocoa intake modulates intestinal immune responses in young rats, influencing gammadelta T-cells and S-IgA production.

PMID: 18061430 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Multiple sclerosis and possible relationship to cocoa: a hypothesis.

Maas AG, Hogenhuis LA.

The hypothesis presented in this paper suggests that MS may be caused by an allergic or other adverse reaction to certain foods, mostly cocoa products, cola, and coffee. Many MS patients have one or more manifestations of other well known reactions to those foods, such as migraine, urticaria, or gastrointestinal disturbances.

PMID: 2955724 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

ikulo wrote:This is very interesting. There is actually a study trying to link cocoa to MS, though the text of the study isn't available on PubMed, but here is the abstract.

Multiple sclerosis and possible relationship to cocoa: a hypothesis.

Maas AG, Hogenhuis LA.

The hypothesis presented in this paper suggests that MS may be caused by an allergic or other adverse reaction to certain foods, mostly cocoa products, cola, and coffee. Many MS patients have one or more manifestations of other well known reactions to those foods, such as migraine, urticaria, or gastrointestinal disturbances.

PMID: 2955724 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

I have to admit that I was a huge chocolate junkie before my diagnosis.

jackD wrote:
I have posted that NOT ALL flavonoids help MS folks. Of the 45,000 flavonoids known only those that share certain common structures seem to help.

jackD

ikulo wrote:

jackD wrote:
I have posted that NOT ALL flavonoids help MS folks. Of the 45,000 flavonoids known only those that share certain common structures seem to help.

jackD

Interesting! Could you point me to some of your posts regarding this information or to other sources?