With office work, commuting and screen time dominating modern routines, many people stay seated for hours at a stretch.
According to researchers at the University of Birmingham, extended sitting has been repeatedly linked to temporary declines in how well blood vessels expand and regulate blood flow.
Even a small reduction in this function, earlier studies have shown, is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
The research team wanted to examine whether flavanols, natural compounds found in items like cocoa, apples, tea and berries, could help blunt this decline.
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Previous experiments have hinted that these nutrients may aid the vascular system during stress, but their effect during inactivity had not been tested directly.
Cocoa drink
As reported in The Journal of Physiology, the investigators observed 40 healthy young men who were assigned either a high-flavanol cocoa drink or a version containing almost none.
Participants varied in fitness level, but all spent two uninterrupted hours seated while the scientists monitored blood pressure, muscle oxygenation and a measure of artery responsiveness known as flow-mediated dilation.
According to the team, fitness alone did not shield volunteers from the usual vascular slowdown that follows prolonged sitting.
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Those who consumed the low-flavanol drink showed the expected reductions in vessel function, regardless of whether they were highly trained or less active.
What the findings could mean for everyday habits
Only the group who consumed the flavanol-rich beverage maintained stable artery function during sitting, the researchers reported.
Their results suggest that flavanols may support blood-vessel health independently of someone’s overall fitness.
The study did not include women because hormonal fluctuations can affect vascular measurements, and the authors note this as an important direction for future work.
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Still, they point out that incorporating flavanol-rich foods, such as tea, certain cocoa powders, berries, nuts and apples, may be an easy addition to daily routines.
Combined with brief standing breaks or short walks, these choices could help reduce the vascular strain that comes with long hours in a chair.
Sources: Science Daily, and The Journal of Physiology.
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