Saturday 13/December/2025 – 12:35 AM
A team of researchers at King’s College London has made a discovery that they describe as very exciting: that theobromine, a plant compound found in cocoa, may have properties that help slow down aging.
The team said plant compounds in our diet could affect the way the body ages.
A study reveals a compound in dark chocolate that may slow aging
The researchers compared theobromine levels in the blood of a group of 1,669 participants with indicators of biological aging, which are indicators that rely on subtle changes that occur in DNA known as methylation, and reveal the biological age of the body based on its health and functions, and not its true age.
According to Syrian Life, the study found that people with higher levels of theobromine in their blood have a shorter biological age than their actual age, indicating a slowdown in their rate of aging.
Dr. Jordana Bell, lead author of the study, said the results indicate a link between one of the basic components of dark chocolate and maintaining youthfulness for longer. She added that the aim of the study is not to encourage increased consumption of dark chocolate, but rather to understand how common food compounds affect health and longevity.
The scientific team also tested other compounds found in cocoa and coffee to see if they had a similar effect, but the results showed that the effect seemed to be related to theobromine in particular.
The researchers explained that some plant compounds, including alkaloids, can control the activity of genes inside cells, which affects health and longevity. These findings open the door for further studies to understand the role that everyday foods can play in supporting healthy aging.
