Intelligent Medicine Radio for November 15: Benefits of Cocoa Flavanols

written by Dr. Ronald Hoffman | November 17, 2025

Part 1: Benefits of Cocoa Flavanols

“Study” that’s not even a study spreads panic about dubious melatonin-heart failure link; Should you ignore Dr’s advice to take powerful acid-blocking drugs? Novel implantable electrical pacemakers may bring relief to sufferers of severe constipation; Benefits of cocoa flavanols for heart, brain, athletic performance. 



Part 2: Coffee and Atrial Fibrillation

The FDA belatedly liberates women’s hormone replacement; Beta-blockers now deemed passé for routine heart attack aftercare; After most breast cancer surgery, adjuvant radiation brings no survival benefits; Can you drink caffeinated coffee if you have atrial fibrillation? Ignore frequent falls without attention to balance and stability training at your peril; Is it reasonable to contemplate a knee replacement surgery at 88? 









References & Resources

Melatonin as a novel drug to improve cardiac function and quality of kid in heart failure patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinical Cardiology. 2025 Mar;48(3):e70107. doi: 10.1002/clc.70107.

A study questions melatonin use and heart health, but lose sleep over it
By Lauren Neergaard, Associated Press  November 7,2025

Burst-patterned stimulation restores colonic motility in preclinical models
Sci Transl Med. 2025 Nov 5;17(823):eadu4615. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adu4615. Epub 2025 Nov 5. PMID: 41191773.

Speaking multiple languages may slow down biological aging
Nat Aging 5, 2340–2354 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-025-01000-2

Cup of coffee a day may not be harmful for some adults with AFib and could lower episodes
American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025 Late-Breaking Science Abstract 4377429

RADIATION may be unnecessary for many breast cancer patients
N Engl J Med 2025;393:1771-1783

Beta blockers have no effect on heart attack patients
N Engl J Med 2025 Aug 30 Ibanez B et al. N Engl J Med 2025 Aug 30

Marty Makary: The FDA liberates women’s hormone replacement therapy
By Marty Makary. WSJ  November 10, 2025