By Stephen Beechd
Dark chocolate may slow down aging, suggests a new study.
A key chemical found in the sweet treat could reduce the rate of biological aging, say scientists.
Researchers from King’s College London made the “very exciting” discovery that the chemical theobromine – a common plant compound that comes from cocoa – may have anti-aging properties.
Their study compared levels of theobromine – an alkaloid most commonly known as being poisonous to dogs – in people’s blood, with blood-based markers of biological aging.
Biological age markers indicate how old your body seems based on its health and function, as opposed to the years you have lived.
The markers are based on patterns of small ‘bookmarks’ on our DNA, called methylation, that change over the course of our lives.
The study, published in the journal Aging and involving 1,669 participants, found that those who had higher levels of theobromine circulating in their blood had a biological age that was lower than their actual age.
Senior author Professor Jordana Bell, 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.”
The team also tested whether other metabolites in cocoa and coffee showed a similar link, but they found that the effect seemed to be specific to theobromine.
The research team used two tests to assess the biological age of the participants.
One looked at chemical changes in DNA to estimate how quickly someone is aging.
Another estimated the length of telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes.
Shorter telomeres are associated with aging and age-related diseases.
The research team explained that plant compounds in our diet may affect how our bodies age by changing the way our genes are switched on or off.
Some of those compounds, called alkaloids, can interact with the cellular machinery that controls gene activity and helps shape health and lifespan.
Theobromine has been linked to health benefits in humans, such as a lower risk of heart disease.
However, until now, it had not been intensely investigated.
Lead researcher Dr. Ramy Saad said: “This is a very exciting finding, and the next important questions are what is behind this association and how can we explore the interactions between dietary metabolites and our epigenome further?
“This approach could lead us to important discoveries towards aging, and beyond, in common and rare diseases.”
The research team is exploring avenues for future work to dissect the results.
One question is whether the effect is unique to theobromine, or whether theobromine may interact with other compounds in dark chocolate, such as polyphenols, which are known to have beneficial effects for human well-being.
Dr Ricardo Costeira, a King’s College London research associate, said: “This study identifies another molecular mechanism through which naturally occurring compounds in cocoa may support health.”
He added: “While more research is needed, the findings from this study highlight the value of population-level analyses in aging and genetics.”
However, despite the promising findings, the research team stressed that eating more dark chocolate isn’t automatically beneficial as it also contains sugar, fat and other compounds.
The team emphasised that further research is needed to understand this association in more detail.
