Trial reportPsychopharmacology2013
Psychopharmacology of theobromine in healthy volunteers.
Trial report in Psychopharmacology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 101 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of Intolerance to Amines and Salicylates in Individuals with Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2025Pooled it
- A combined DHA-rich fish oil and cocoa flavanols intervention does not improve cognition or brain structure in older adults with memory complaints: results from the CANN randomized, controlled parallel-design study.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2023Trial
- The effect of varying water volumes on in vivo dissolution and gastric emptying of highly soluble caffeine and lesser soluble theobromine containing capsules.International journal of pharmaceutics: X · 2026Article
- Morphological and Chemical Characterization of a Novel Wild Tea Plant Resource with Naturally Low Caffeine and High Theobromine from Guangxi Province, China.Plants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Synergistic Actions of Natural Compounds for Enhancing Cognitive and Physical Performance: A Narrative Review.Cureus · 2026Review
- Article
- Association between dietary intake and urinary concentrations of caffeine and caffeine metabolites and elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) among men at risk for prostate cancer.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2025Article
- Association between dietary theobromine and age-related macular degeneration: results from NHANES 2005-2008 and in vitro experiments.European journal of medical research · 2025Article
- The Effect of Theobromine Supplementation on HDL-c Subclasses (HDL-c2, HDL-c3), HDL-c2/HDL-c3 Ratio, and Gene Expression of PPAR-α and Sirt1 in Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.Food science & nutrition · 2025Article
- The Therapeutic Potential of Theobromine in Obesity: A Comprehensive Review.Nutrition reviews · 2025Review
- Exploring the dominant interactions: unveiling the stable structure of theobromine-water complexes through DFT and ab initio investigations.Journal of molecular modeling · 2025Article
- Influence of Chronotype and Theobromine on the 24-h Variation in Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in Healthy Adults.Journal of circadian rhythms · 2025Article
- Longitudinal Exposomics in a Multiomic Wellness Cohort Reveals Distinctive and Dynamic Environmental Chemical Mixtures in Blood.Environmental science & technology · 2024Article
- Exploring the association between theobromine intake and hepatic steatosis in young people.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Effect of caffeine and other xanthines on liver sinusoidal endothelial cell ultrastructure.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Article
- Identification and Quantification of Anthocyanin and Catechin Compounds in Purple Tea Leaves and Flakes.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Thebromine Targets Adenosine Receptors to Control Hippocampal Neuronal Function and Damage.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- The biological feasibility and social context of gene-edited, caffeine-free coffee.Food science and biotechnology · 2022Review
- Chemical and Skincare Property Characterization of the Main Cocoa Byproducts: Extraction Optimization by RSM Approach for Development of Sustainable Ingredients.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundTheobromine, a methylxanthine related to caffeine and present in high levels in cocoa, may contribute to the appeal of chocolate. However, current evidence for this is limited.
objectivesWe conducted a within-subjects placebo-controlled study of a wide range of oral theobromine doses (250, 500, and 1,000 mg) using an active control dose of caffeine (200 mg) in 80 healthy participants.
resultsCaffeine had the expected effects on mood including feelings of alertness and cardiovascular parameters. Theobromine responses differed according to dose; it showed limited subjective effects at 250 mg and negative mood effects at higher doses. It also dose-dependently increased heart rate. In secondary analyses, we also examined individual differences in the drug's effects in relation to genes related to their target receptors, but few associations were detected.
conclusionsThis study represents the highest dose of theobromine studied in humans. We conclude that theobromine at normal intake ranges may contribute to the positive effects of chocolate, but at higher intakes, effects become negative.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.