Table 4. Oxidative damage biomarkers and antioxidant defense before and after cocoa consumption.

Variables		NW (n = 15)		P-value	CIIO (n = 15)		P-value
		Before	After		Before	After
Biomarkers of oxidative damage
	MDA (µM)	2.21 ± 0.27	1.02 ± 0.12*	0.0002	3.13 ± 0.48*	1.38 ± 0.108*	0.0022
	4-HNE (µM)	2.33 ± 0.30*	4.98 ± 0.51*	0.0001	1.34 ± 0.11	3.16 ± 0.480*	0.0012
	Carbonyl groups (nmol/mg protein)	0.64 ± 0.12	0.27 ± 0.10*	0.0230	0.51 ± 0.07	0.31 ± 0.050*	0.0290
Biomarkers of defense antioxidant
	TAC (µM)	0.75 ± 0.02	0.79 ± 0.01*	0.0001	0.58 ± 0.01*	0.68 ± 0.010*	0.0001
	Thiol groups (nmol/mg protein)	3.32 ± 0.47	1.27 ± 0.28*	0.0019	3.37 ± 0.77	1.42 ± 0.460*	0.0347

Data are expressed as mean ± SE and intergroup differences were analyzed by Student’s t-test ^*P < 0.05.

NW, normoweight; CIIO, class II obese; MDA, malondialdehyde; 4-HNE, 4-hydroxynonenal; TAC, total antioxidant capacity.