Researchers have found that higher levels of a natural dark chocolate compound are linked to signs of slower ageing
Researchers at King’s College London have identified theobromine, a plant compound found in cocoa, may play a role in slowing certain signs of biological ageing.
The study analysed how much theobromine was present in participants’ blood and compared those levels with biological aging markers measured in blood samples.
Biological age reflects how well a person’s body is functioning, rather than the number of years they have lived. This measure is based on DNA methylation, a collection of tiny chemical tags on DNA that shift as we grow older.
The research team examined data from two European groups, including 509 people from TwinsUK and 1,160 from KORA. Individuals with higher amounts of theobromine in their bloodstream tended to have a biological age that appeared younger than their chronological age.
Professor Jordana Bell, senior author and Professor in Epigenomics at King’s College London, said: “Our study finds links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer.
“While we’re not saying that people should eat more dark chocolate, this research can help us understand how everyday foods may hold clues to healthier, longer lives.”
Indeed, although the findings are encouraging, the researchers caution that increasing dark chocolate consumption is not automatically beneficial. Chocolate also contains sugar, fat and other ingredients, and more work is needed to fully understand how theobromine interacts with the body and how it may influence ageing.
