Theobromine in Coffee & Dark Chocolates May Help You Age More Slowly

Theobromine, a plant compound possesses antioxidant properties, which is commonly present in everyday food like coffee, cocoa, and dark chocolates may contribute to anti-aging potential. The revelation comes from research led by King’s College London and published in Aging.(1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Key chemical in dark chocolate may slow down ageing

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The study found that free radical scavenger, theobromine, found in blood at higher levels can be correlated with a reduced rate of biological aging.

Analyzing methylation patterns on DNA by genetic biomarkers could help assess body's functional age.

Theobromine's Age-Slowing Link Confirmed in Over 1,600 Individuals

Across two European cohorts, which included 509 individuals from TwinsUK and 1,160 from KORA, the research found that those who had higher levels of theobromine circulating in their blood had a biological age that was lower than their actual age.

Professor Jordana Bell, senior author of the paper and a 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.”

The team also tested whether other metabolites in cocoa and coffee showed a similar link. However, they found that the effect seemed to be specific to theobromine.

Biological Age Assessed from DNA Methylation and Telomeres

The researchers used two tests to assess the biological age of people in the study. One looked at chemical changes in DNA to estimate how quickly someone is ageing.

Another estimated the length of telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of your chromosomes. Shorter telomeres are associated with ageing and age-related diseases.

Plant compounds in our diet may affect how our bodies age by changing the way our genes are switched on or off. Some of these compounds, called alkaloids, can interact with the cellular machinery that controls gene activity and helps shape health and longevity.

Theobromine, an alkaloid most commonly known as being poisonous to dogs, has been linked to health benefits in humans, such as a lower risk of heart disease. However, it has otherwise not been intensely investigated.

Link Between Diet and Longevity Dissected by Theobromine

Dr. Ramy Saad, lead researcher at King’s College London, who is also a researcher at University College London and a doctor in Clinical Genetics 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 ageing, and beyond, in common and rare diseases.”

The research team, including Professor Ana Rodriguez-Mateos who is a Professor of Human Nutrition at King’s College London, are exploring avenues for future work to dissect these results.

One open question is whether the effect is unique to theobromine alone, or whether theobromine may interact with other compounds in dark chocolate, such as polyphenols, which are known to have beneficial effects on human health.

Dark Chocolate's Fat and Sugar aren't Beneficial

Dr. Ricardo Costeira, a Postdoctoral Research Associate from King’s College London, said: “This study identifies another molecular mechanism through which naturally occurring compounds in cocoa may support health.

While more research is needed, the findings from this study highlight the value of population-level analyses in aging and genetics.”

However, despite these promising findings the researchers are keen to stress that eating more dark chocolate isn’t automatically beneficial as it also contains sugar, fat and other compounds, and further research is needed to understand this association in more detail.

Reference:

1. Key chemical in dark chocolate may slow down ageing - (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/key-chemical-in-dark-chocolate-may-slow-down-ageing#:~:text=A%20chemical%20found%20in%20dark,could%20have%20anti%2Dageing%20properties.)

Source-Eurekalert