Product capable of stopping the aging process revealed

Sensation from scientists: dark chocolate can slow down biological aging. The latest research by British experts points to theobromine from cocoa beans as a key component affecting the body's youth. The results were published in the authoritative scientific journal Aging.

Researchers analyzed blood samples from 1669 people from two independent registers. They assessed the concentrations of caffeine and theobromine metabolites, as well as two markers of biological age based on changes in DNA methylation. One of them reflected the general "epigenetic age", the other - the state of telomeres, protective sections at the ends of chromosomes.

The results showed: people with higher levels of theobromine in the blood had a biological age that was on average lower than their chronological age. Meanwhile, neither caffeine nor other compounds present in cocoa and coffee demonstrated such a connection.

"Our research revealed a connection between a key component of dark chocolate and slower biological aging," said Jordana Bell, an epigenomic researcher at King's College London. According to her, this is not a recommendation to eat more chocolate, especially sweet chocolate.

"However, these data help understand how common foods may be associated with healthier and longer aging," she emphasized.

The authors noted that biological age is not a formal indicator, but a reflection of the body's condition: the lower it is, the longer the functions of tissues and organs are preserved. At the same time, chocolate cannot be considered as an "anti-aging remedy": in large quantities, it remains a caloric product with high sugar and fat content.

"This is a very encouraging observation, and the next step is to understand what mechanisms are behind this connection and how dietary metabolites interact with the epigenome," said clinical geneticist Rami Saad, co-author of the work.

Scientists suggest that theobromine, like other alkaloids, can affect the regulation of gene activity, and through it - inflammation, metabolism, and aging processes. In the future, researchers plan to study whether theobromine acts on its own or in combination with other components of cocoa, such as polyphenols.

"Although additional research is needed, these results emphasize the value of population data for studying aging and genetics," concluded molecular biologist Ricardo Costeira.