Dark Chocolate to Slow Ageing

A study published in Aging by researchers at King’s College London has identified a link between the cocoa compound theobromine and slower biological ageing.

The researchers measured theobromine levels in the blood of more than 1600 participants from two European cohorts, including Twin Suk and KORA, and compared these with biological age markers based on DNA methylation and telomere length. Individuals with higher theobromine levels tended to appear biologically younger than their chronological age.

“Our study finds links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer,” says Professor Jordana Bell, senior author. Theobromine was the only cocoa compound showing this association, highlighting its potential role in influencing gene activity and cellular systems linked to ageing.

While the findings are promising, researchers caution that eating more dark chocolate is not a guaranteed anti-ageing strategy, as chocolate also contains sugar and fat.

Source: King’s College London

This article can be found in Wellbeing Magazine 222