![]() Pharmacological assays confirm that theobromine is less active than caffeine. (2011) found that 700 mg theobromine lowered blood pressure, decreased self-report calmness and increased subjects' ratings of how interesting they found performance of study tasks. (1994) study when all subjects were combined, the compound increased alertness, headache, and irritability in some individuals, suggesting the possibility of individual differences in sensitivity. While theobromine did not significantly increase any subjective or behavioral measures in the Mumford et al. 1973 Dorfman and Jarvik 1970), Mumford (1994) found that 5 of 7 participants were able to discriminate 560 mg theobromine from placebo or caffeine, suggesting that theobromine might be about one tenth as potent as caffeine. Although two early studies failed to detect psychopharmacological activity ( Brunk et al. The contributions of theobromine are less clear and its psychoactive effects appear subtle (reviewed in Smit 2011). Thus, it is plausible that the psychoactive effects of caffeine contribute to the appeal of chocolate. 1994), which is similar to the amount contained in 100 grams of dark chocolate (see above). Individuals can discriminate 56 mg caffeine from placebo ( Mumford et al. Almost 90% of adults in the United States regularly consume caffeine-containing beverages, with an average intake of 193 mg/day ( Frary et al. At higher doses, and in some individuals at moderate doses, caffeine also causes anxiety and other unpleasant effects ( Brice and Smith 2002 Childs et al. At moderate doses caffeine increases self-reported alertness and improves attention and psychomotor performance ( Ruxton 2008). The rewarding effects and human pharmacology of caffeine are well characterized. Dark chocolate contains about 25–35 mg of caffeine and 200–300 mg of theobromine per 40 g chocolate ( Bruinsma and Taren 1999 The Hershey Company 2012 UK Joint Food Safety and Standards Group 1998): both compounds are therefore present in sufficient concentrations to potentially produce psychoactive effects. Among other candidate psychoactive ingredients, chocolate contains two methylated xanthine derivatives, caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) and theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) that may contribute to its reinforcing effects. However, psychoactive ingredients have also been thought to play a role. The sensory pleasures of chocolate products can explain much of their appeal.
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