Scientists at the Dresden University of Technology in Germany are doing a series of tests to find links that would indicate chocolate supplements could help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease is a brain condition that is caused by loss of nerve cells. The symptoms, such as involuntary shaking, are said to be triggered by low levels of dopamine in the brain, according to Yahoo UK. Chocolate supplements contain at least 85 percent cocoa, an ingredient that produces phenylethylamine, which has been known to increase dopamine levels.
In proving their hypothesis, researchers will study 30 volunteers by giving them 50 grams of either white chocolate, which has no cocoa, or dark chocolate. The trial will be done two times daily for a week. On the second week, volunteers will then be given other types of chocolates. This will give scientists more data to compare the differences of the symptoms between the two tests and see if their assumptions are correct, according to Mail Online.
The study follows after scientists from Assam University in India have also come out with their own research earlier saying that phenylethylamine in chocolate may have actually caused Parkinson's. "As consumption of phenylethylamine enriched food items has become an addiction in modern life, our proposed mechanism is of enormous significance and impact," the researchers outlined in their study.
The experts in India have, in fact, recommended easing up on eating chocolates.
There are over one million Americans afflicted with Parkinson's disease, while 10 million suffer from the condition worldwide, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation.
