Cocoa and cognitive performance in young adults
What it found
In 11 small trials in children and young adults, cocoa and cocoa products were linked to better scores on several thinking tasks.
Some studies also found more blood flow to the brain or higher levels of a nerve-growth protein.
What they found
Studies in people
Thinking tasks
Across the 11 trials, cocoa taken once or daily was followed by better results on several measures of memory, attention and executive function. The authors note that the evidence is still scarce.
Brain blood flow
After a single dose, the improvements in thinking came alongside more blood flow to the brain or more oxygen in the brain. Five days of cocoa flavanols in young women raised the blood oxygen signal during a mental task.
Nerve growth protein
Longer daily intake of cocoa flavanols was linked to higher levels of a protein involved in nerve growth and brain plasticity. One 12-week study saw changes in this protein, though another study of a single 900 mg dose found no effect.
Stress and fatigue
Several trials tested cocoa while people were under a stressor such as extreme exercise, sleep loss, pollution or mental fatigue. The authors suggest this may explain why some studies found effects and others did not.
Animal and lab studies
Animal and cell work
In animals and lab tests, cocoa flavanols and their breakdown products reached the brain and were found in areas tied to learning and memory. These studies also pointed to effects on blood vessel growth and signalling pathways.
Other findings
Doses used
The amount of cocoa or chocolate given ranged from 35 mg of epicatechin in 24 g of 70% chocolate to almost 1 g of cocoa flavanols. The authors say active doses generally fall between less than 100 mg and around 500 mg.
What the authors conclude
“Overall, most findings support the beneficial effect of cocoa flavanols on cognitive function and neuroplasticity in young adults, suggesting that the inclusion of cocoa powder or high-cocoa flavanols products may be a realistic and reasonable preventive approach on neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that most findings support a beneficial effect of cocoa flavanols on cognitive function and neuroplasticity in young adults.
- They suggest that including cocoa powder or high-cocoa flavanol products may be a realistic and reasonable preventive approach for neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline.
- They state that "the available evidence is very scarce and future studies are needed to increase the robustness of the results".
How it was done
Most research on cocoa and thinking has been done in older people, and the authors wanted to know whether similar benefits could appear in young, healthy adults, where the brain may respond better to prevention.
They searched two databases for randomised controlled trials of cocoa or chocolate in people whose average age was 25 or under. They found 11 studies, with 366 participants in total, covering single doses and daily intake over periods from 5 days to 30 days.
What it can’t tell you
- The trials were small and used different doses, tasks and lengths of time, so the results cannot be combined into one clear answer.
- Most trials measured thinking soon after cocoa was taken, so they cannot show whether any benefit lasts.
- The studies were in young, mostly healthy people, so the findings may not apply to other groups.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN-CSIC), Spain
The paper
- Title
- Effect of Cocoa and Cocoa Products on Cognitive Performance in Young Adults
- Type
- Systematic review
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Martín MA, Goya L, de Pascual-Teresa S (2020). Effect of Cocoa and Cocoa Products on Cognitive Performance in Young Adults. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu12123691Free full textPubMed 33265948DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error