Chocolate 'aids fatigue syndrome'
RESEARCH carried out by Professor Steve
Atkin, pictured, HYMS's Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism, suggests that a daily
dose of specially-formulated dark chocolate may help to cut chronic fatigue syndrome
symptoms.
Patients in a pilot study found they had
less fatigue if they eat dark chocolate with a high cocoa content than with white
chocolate dyed brown.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis (ME) are both terms used to describe an important but poorly understood
condition that affects approximately 0.5% of the population.
It is characterised by more than six months
of disabling fatigue, not relieved by rest, made worse by activity, and a range of other
symptoms - including pain, which cannot be explained by another medical diagnosis, and
which significantly impairs a person's ability to do normal activities.
Professor Atkin said the idea for the study
came after a patient reported feeling much better after swapping her normal milk chocolate
for dark chocolate with a high cocoa solid content.
He decided to see if other patients would
benefit and carried out a trial of 10 patients who received a daily dose - 45g - of dark
chocolate or white chocolate dyed to look like dark chocolate for two months.
The patients then had a month off before
taking the other type of chocolate for two months.
Those taking dark chocolate reported
significantly less fatigue and reported feeling more fatigue when they stopped eating it.
Professor Atkins said he was surprised at
the strength of the results but dark chocolate may be having an effect on the brain
chemical serotonin.
"Although it was a small study, two
patients went back to work after being off for six months."
He explained: "Dark chocolate is high
in polyphenols, which have been associated with health benefits such as a reduction in
blood pressure.
"Also high polyphenols appear to
improve levels of serotonin in the brain, which has been linked with chronic fatigue
syndrome and that may be a mechanism."
He added that although more research was
needed to confirm the finding, patients would not do themselves any harm by eating small
amounts of dark chocolate and no-one in the study put on any weight.
