Figure 2.

Time course of Heart rate (A), Heart rate variability (B), Pre-ejection period (C) and Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) (D) before (pre-intervention baseline) and following either a high-flavanol cocoa or low-flavanol cocoa, at rest and during stress (8-min PASAT). Data are presented as Mean ± SEM. Post-hoc analyses were conducted using Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test. *** HR, HRV, PEP, SBP and DBP were significantly different during stress, compared to rest and pre-intervention baseline, for both conditions (p < 0.001). ** SBP was significantly greater during rest compared to pre-intervention baseline (p < 0.01). * DBP was significantly greater during rest compared to pre-intervention baseline (p < 0.05). (N = 10–13 for HR, HRV and PEP; N = 30 for BP).HR, heart rate; HRV, heart rate variability; PEP, pre-ejection period; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; BP, blood pressure, PASAT, paced-auditory-serial-addition-task, SEM, standard error of mean