A recent study has found that inhaling the scent of dark chocolate before and during resistance training may enhance athletic performance and reduce the desire to eat.
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The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, showed that the scent of cocoa-rich dark chocolate does not only boost feelings of fullness and curb food cravings, but it may also help increase the number of repetitions a trainee completes during resistance exercises.
Lead researcher Dr. Mohamed Nashrudin Bin Naharudin, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science at the Universiti Malaya, stated that participants exposed to the scent of dark chocolate before and during their workout managed to significantly increase their training volume, even though they did not feel like they were exerting more effort.
He added that the participants were able to perform a higher number of repetitions without an increase in their rated perceived exertion, which is a remarkable result from both a psychological and physiological standpoint.
The study involved 23 healthy men with a moderate fitness level, with ages ranging from their early to mid-twenties. The researchers divided the participants into three groups, each exposed to a different scent: dark chocolate containing 90% cocoa, milk chocolate containing 60% cocoa, or water as a control sample.
Participants were asked to fast for at least ten hours before performing the leg extension exercise, a resistance exercise that targets the quadriceps muscles. The researchers measured the participants' performance, along with their levels of hunger, fullness, and desire to eat before and during the exercise.
The results showed that the scent of dark chocolate reduced hunger and the desire to eat, and increased the sensation of fullness before exercise, compared to the scent of milk chocolate or water.
As for the participants exposed to the milk chocolate scent, they described the aroma as more pleasant, but it did not cause any distinct change in hunger or appetite levels.
The effect of the scent was not limited to appetite, as it also reflected on physical performance. Participants who inhaled the dark chocolate scent were able to perform about 18 additional repetitions in the leg extension exercise compared to the control group, while the milk chocolate group achieved an increase of about nine repetitions.
The researchers believe these results are due to the connection between food odors and past memories and experiences in the brain, as a scent can give the body a preemptive sense of fullness even without eating. It may also stimulate psychological and physiological responses similar to those that occur when eating, which explains the improved performance in some participants.
The researchers noted that the study is still preliminary, as it did not include measurements of the hormones or neural activity responsible for these effects. Additionally, the number of participants was limited, warranting broader studies involving different demographics to verify the results.
The researchers concluded by pointing out that chocolate might not be the only food that achieves this effect; it is possible that the scents of other foods associated with satiety or pleasure could yield similar results, provided they are familiar and desirable.
Medical Xpress
