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Health See other Health Articles Title: Chocolate better than aspirin for heart health Doctors are forever advising their patients to take an aspirin a day in order to thin the blood as they believe that this reduces the risk of getting a stroke. Indeed aspirin does reduce the risk of stroke but as with most medication, there are side-effects which will increase the risk of other potentially fatal problems. Aspirin can cause internal bleeding which includes a haemorrhage within the brain itself, so it is not advisable to take aspirin every day. However the research also showed that if you have been taking aspirin every day for a long time, you increase the danger of stroke if you suddenly stop taking it. A new study published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology showed that eating a moderate amount of chocolate each week may be associated with a lower risk of stroke in men. “While other studies have looked at how chocolate may help cardiovascular health, this is the first of its kind study to find that chocolate, may be beneficial for reducing stroke in men,” said study author Susanna C. Larsson, PhD, with the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. For the study, 37,103 Swedish men ages 49 to 75 were given a food questionnaire that assessed how often they consumed various foods and drinks and were asked how often they had chocolate. Researchers then identified stroke cases through a hospital discharge registry. Over 10 years, there were 1,995 cases of first stroke. Men in the study who ate the largest amount of chocolate, about one-third of a cup of chocolate chips (63 grams) per week, had a lower risk of stroke compared to those who did not consume any chocolate. Those eating the highest amount of chocolate had a 17-percent lower risk of stroke, or 12 fewer strokes per 100,000 person-years compared to those who ate no chocolate. Person-years is the total number of years that each participant was under observation. In a larger analysis of five studies that included 4,260 stroke cases, the risk of stroke for individuals in the highest category of chocolate consumption was 19 percent lower compared to non-chocolate consumers. For every increase in chocolate consumption of 50 grams per week, or about a quarter cup of chocolate chips, the risk of stroke decreased by about 14 percent. “The beneficial effect of chocolate consumption on stroke may be related to the flavonoids in chocolate. Flavonoids appear to be protective against cardiovascular disease through antioxidant, anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory properties. As far as I am concerned, I certainly prefer to reduce the risks of stroke by eating a few squares of dark chocolate each day than by taking an aspirin. Just below is a link to a new video which you might be interested to see. The video promotes the fact that I am happy to answer questions about men's prostate disease. It is quite a fun video because it's an animated doodle. Please click on it and watch it through to the end since it takes less than three minutes. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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