The COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) at Brigham and Women's Hospital – an affiliate of Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA) and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, WA) is a clinical trial that will randomize approximately 22,000 men and women across the U.S. The study will investigate whether taking daily supplements of cocoa flavanols (600 mg/day) or a common multivitamin reduces the risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Although results from previous studies have been promising, the health benefits of taking these supplements have not yet been proven. The only way to determine whether or not cocoa flavanol and multivitamin supplements help maintain health is by conducting a large-scale trial, such as COSMOS.
To learn more about this important research endeavor, please click on the links in the left column.