Scientists found a link between a chemical found in dark chocolate and signs of slower biological ageing.
According to Euro News, theobromine, a chemical found in dark chocolate, may have anti-ageing properties, a new study has found.
The study, published on Wednesday in the journal Aging, found that theobromine, a common plant compound that comes from cocoa beans, could slow biological ageing.
Jordana Bell, the study’s senior author and head of the epigenomics research group at King's College London said, “Our study finds links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer.”
Researchers looked at 509 participants in the United Kingdom and 1,160 in Germany, and found that those with higher levels of theobromine in their blood had a biological age lower than their actual age.
The researchers determined the participants’ biological age by looking at the chemical changes in their DNA to see how fast they were ageing, and by estimating the length of their telomeres, which are the protective caps on the ends of the chromosomes. Shorter telomeres are associated with older age and age-related diseases.
“Although the study explores an interesting association, it does not tell us what happens when theobromine levels change due to eating more or less chocolate and how this changes our health,” said Dimitrios Koutoukidis, an associate professor of diet, obesity, and behavioural Sciences at the University of Oxford.
Dark chocolate has previously been associated with other possible health benefits, including for heart health. However, scientists note that more research is needed to fully understand the association between theobromine and ageing.
