Theobromine News and Research

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Natural obesity fighters: How coffee, tea, and cocoa combat weight gain

A review in Current Research in Food Science explores how bioactive compounds in coffee, tea, and cocoa combat obesity by inhibiting white adipogenesis and promoting brown adipogenesis and lipolysis.

22 Apr 2024

A computational model identifies metabolites associated with Parkinson's disease

Researchers identify significant metabolites involved in the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease.

15 Aug 2023

Espresso compounds inhibit tau protein aggregation in preliminary in vitro tests

Whether enjoyed on its own or mixed into a latte, Americano or even a martini, espresso provides an ultra-concentrated jolt of caffeine to coffee lovers.

19 Jul 2023

Green tea holds potential as treatment for uterine fibroids, PCOS, and menopausal symptoms

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine reviewed the beneficial properties of green tea in alleviating symptoms of benign gynecological disorders.

21 Mar 2023

Quinoa-based diet stabilizes blood sugar in older adults

A new study reports the ability of quinoa to normalize glucose metabolism in the body, particularly among the elderly with impaired glucose tolerance.

22 Sep 2022

Daily multivitamin improves cognitive function in seniors

In a recent study published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, researchers in the United States investigated whether daily administration of a cocoa extract (CE, comprising 500 mg flavanols, including 80 mg epicatechins, 50 mg/day theobromine (50 mg/day), and 15mg/day caffeine) and/or an MVM (multivitamin-mineral) for three years protected cognitive functions among older men and women.

18 Sep 2022

Polyphenol-rich diet improves the intestinal permeability in older adults

The increase of intestinal permeability is associated with factors such as ageing, food allergies and intolerances and unhealthy diets.

26 Oct 2021

Eating 2.5 grams of pure natural cocoa powder improves daytime visual acuity

Eating 2.5 grams of pure natural cocoa powder serves to improve visual acuity in healthy young adults and in daylight conditions, according to research by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and the ICTAN (Institute of Food and Nutrition Science and Technology) of the CSIC.

23 Jun 2021

Alkaloids show potential as treatments for COVID-19

To further study these organic compounds, researchers from Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Chile, reviewed the role of alkaloids as a potential antiviral, specifically against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). They presented the chemistry, plant sources, and antiviral effects of alkaloids and their anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect.

15 Jun 2021

Cocoa consumption may improve walking performance in peripheral artery disease patients

Consumption of cocoa may improve walking performance for patients with peripheral artery disease, according to the results of a small, preliminary, phase II research trial published today in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation Research.

14 Feb 2020

New approach could provide objective and easy-to-obtain measure of dietary adherence

An analysis of small molecules called "metabolites" in a blood sample may be used to determine whether a person is following a prescribed diet, scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have shown.

20 Jun 2018

Traces of caffeine and its byproducts in the blood can be indicative of Parkinson’s disease

Researchers at Juntendo University report in Neurology the potential use of blood levels of caffeine and its byproducts as biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease. The finding is promising for the development of a method enabling early identification of the disease.

16 Feb 2018

Cocoa and chocolate consumption could provide beneficial effects on cognitive function

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands - a phrase commonly used to justify ones chocolate snacking behavior. A phrase now shown to actually harbor some truth, as the cocoa bean is a rich source of flavanols: a class of natural compounds that has neuroprotective effects.

29 Jun 2017

Short-term sleep loss affects cardiac function

Too little sleep takes a toll on your heart, according to a new study to be presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

2 Dec 2016

Nicotine reinforcement demonstrated in study with ‘never-smokers’

In a study with 18 adults who had never smoked, scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have demonstrated one of the earliest steps — nicotine “reinforcement” — in the process of addiction, and shown that some people are far more vulnerable to nicotine addiction than others.

10 Sep 2015

Study points to genetic/metabolic factors that make people vulnerable to nicotine addiction

In a study with 18 adults who had never smoked, scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have demonstrated one of the earliest steps — nicotine "reinforcement" — in the process of addiction, and shown that some people are far more vulnerable to nicotine addiction than others.

10 Sep 2015

New video features 5 chemistry facts that highlight chocolate’s beneficial properties

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, released a new Bytesize Science video today featuring five chemistry facts that highlight why chocolate, in moderation, may be good for you.

12 Feb 2013

Certain nutrients may play an underlying role in short and long sleep duration

"You are what you eat," the saying goes, but is what you eat playing a role in how much you sleep? Sleep, like nutrition and physical activity, is a critical determinant of health and well-being. With the increasing prevalence of obesity and its consequences, sleep researchers have begun to explore the factors that predispose individuals to weight gain and ultimately obesity.

9 Feb 2013

Carob extract could fight the microbe responsible for listeriosis

The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series reports that an antibacterial extract from the leaves of the carob tree (the source of a popular chocolate substitute) could fight the microbe responsible for the serious form of food poisoning called listeriosis.

17 Jan 2013

Carob extracts may combat listeriosis

Leaves of the plant that yields carob - the substitute for chocolate that some consider healthier than chocolate - are a rich source of antibacterial substances ideal for fighting the microbe responsible for listeriosis, a serious form of food poisoning, according to a report in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

19 Oct 2012