Chemical in Dark Chocolate May Slow Your Biological Age by Tweaking Gene Switches

Dark chocolate isn’t just an indulgent treat anymore. It may actually help slow down aging.

According to a new study published in Aging, one of the main chemicals found in dark chocolate — theobromine — has been shown to slow the rate of biological aging. Theobromine is the compound that makes chocolate poisonous to dogs, but it may have a major hidden health benefit for humans.

“Our study finds links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer,” said senior author Jordana Bell in a press release. “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.”

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How Does Theobromine Slow Biological Aging?

Theobromine is a plant compound found in cocoa. Plant compounds have been shown to affect aging through their ability to modulate gene expression.

Plant compounds like theobromine are also known as alkaloids, which interact with the cellular machinery in the body. This machinery controls gene activity associated with health and longevity. By altering gene function, theobromine may improve cardiovascular health and slow the rate of biological aging.

Biological aging is our age based on how our body is functioning, rather than how many years we have lived. Scientists can identify biological age thanks to “bookmarks” in our DNA that shift and change as we get older.

Determining Theobromine’s Impact on Biological Age

For this study, the research team examined blood-based biological age markers in nearly 2,000 individuals.

To determine biological age, scientists completed two separate tests on study participants. The first test was to estimate the rate of aging by looking at chemical changes in DNA. The second test focused on telomeres, which are the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. Telomeres get shorter as we age, so studying their length is often a popular scientific method for age-related research.

All of the different test results pointed to one thing: people with higher levels of theobromine in their blood also had a biological age younger than their actual age.

The Future of Theobromine Anti-Aging Research

This discovery has opened up many new avenues for anti-aging research in the future. The research team is already working on further analysis of their findings.

“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,” explained lead researcher Ramy Saad.

One of the major questions they hope to answer is whether theobromine in dark chocolate acts alone to slow biological age or is assisted by other compounds. Dark chocolate also contains polyphenols, which are compounds known to have many benefits for human health. Researchers are interested in discovering how these compounds may be working together.

Scientists also want to insist that their research isn’t suggesting we consume excessive amounts of dark chocolate to control our biological age. Dark chocolate also contains sugar, fat, and other compounds known to be detrimental to health, so further research is needed before we can use dark chocolate as an anti-aging agent.

This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.

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