A Delicious Cure

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A Delicious Cure There are some people who place foods such as ice cream and chocolate in a category all by themselves because, in spite of their nutritional challenges, they just make you feel so good. Now researchers in the UK have identified an ingredient in cocoa, theobromine, that proves it really is “medicine.” In their study, theobromine was found to help stop persistent coughs. While a cough is a common and protective reflex, persistent coughing is detrimental and can even prevent people from leading a normal life, says study coauthor Peter J. Barnes, MD, of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College School of Medicine in London. Remedies that contain codeine are generally recognized as the most effective cough stoppers, but they have unpleasant side effects (e.g., drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness) and long-term use may cause addiction. This means there is a great need for safe and effective cough treatments. More Effective than Codeine In the small UK study, 10 healthy volunteers were first given theobromine, codeine or a placebo pill. Next, they were asked to inhale extract of hot chili pepper (capsaicin). Dr. Barnes explains that capsaicin is commonly used in research to produce coughing and measure the effectiveness of cough medicines. Researchers compared the levels of capsaicin it took to provoke coughing with each of the three pills. They discovered that theobromine was more effective than either the placebo or codeine in suppressing coughs... * When participants took theobromine, the concentration of capsaicin required to provoke coughing was approximately one-third higher than in the placebo group. * Those given codeine required only slightly higher amounts of capsaicin to produce a cough compared with placebo. Safer than Codeine A major plus is that unlike standard cough remedies, theobromine does not cause side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness and lightheadedness. In contrast to codeine, which acts on specific areas of the brain and spinal cord, Dr. Barnes explains that theobromine appears to act outside the brain. Researchers believe that it works by calming down the nerves in the lungs that become activated by irritants, leading to coughing. Although further research is necessary, Dr. Barnes and his colleagues see theobromine as a novel and promising treatment that may someday lead to a new class of antitussive drugs, which suppress or relieve coughing. When you’re home nursing a cough and cold, a steaming cup of hot chocolate may be more comforting than you realized. Just be sure you use quality chocolate made from real cocoa. A semisweet or bittersweet chocolate contains at least 35% cocoa solids. Super dark chocolates are 60% to 90% cocoa solids. As for how much chocolate to eat, moderation in all things is best, so keep calories and sugar content in mind when consuming chocolate. Be well,

 

Carole Jackson Bottom Line's Daily Health News Peter J. Barnes, MD, department of thoracic medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London.

 

 

 

 

 

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