ArticleFrontiers in pharmacology2015
The relevance of theobromine for the beneficial effects of cocoa consumption.
Article in Frontiers in pharmacology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 68 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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
68 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 174 citations in OpenAlex.
- Relationship between chocolate consumption and overall and cause-specific mortality, systematic review and updated meta-analysis.European journal of epidemiology · 2022Pooled it
- Activation of Brown Adipose Tissue and Promotion of White Adipose Tissue Browning by Plant-based Dietary Components in Rodents: A Systematic Review.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2021Pooled it
- Metabolomic Profiling and Diet Quality Scoring in a Randomized Crossover Trial of Healthy and Typical Dietary Patterns.Molecular nutrition & food research · 2025Trial
- Sub-Chronic Consumption of Dark Chocolate Enhances Cognitive Function and Releases Nerve Growth Factors: A Parallel-Group Randomized Trial.Nutrients · 2019Trial
- Development and Validation of a Rapid High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method for Simultaneous Determination of Methylxanthines and Flavanols in Cocoa Husk Tea.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Liberica Coffee (Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Efficient aqueous solubilization of methylxanthinesRSC advances · 2026Article
- Elevated Salivary Theobromine and Long-Term Improvement of Periodontal Health in Two Cohort Studies.Journal of clinical periodontology · 2026Article
- The impact of nutritional, environmental, and lifestyle factors on neurological disorders: therapeutic implications and mechanistic insights.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- Polyphenol metabolites in fermented foods: biotransformation, bioavailability, and functional roles.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Effect of a Home Bleaching Gel Containing Chitosan and Theobromine on Tooth Surface Roughness, Microhardness, and Colour Change.Gels (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Article
- Theobromine prevents affective symptoms of nicotine withdrawal by modulating the neuroendocrine and immune systems, as well as the glutathione mechanism in the hippocampus.IBRO neuroscience reports · 2025Article
- 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
- Unlocking the Alkaloid Biological Potential of Chili Pepper (Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Theobromine synergizes with nicotine to enhance animal motor abilities and cognitive function.Behavioural pharmacology · 2025Article
- Modulation of microbiota, inflammation, iron status and gene expression of affected receptors in Parkinson's disease rat model by synbiotic and dark chocolate.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Deep Supramolecular Language Processing for Co-Crystal Prediction.Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 2025Article
- The Therapeutic Potential of Theobromine in Obesity: A Comprehensive Review.Nutrition reviews · 2025Review
- Can Different Fermentation Boxes Improve the Nutritional Composition and the Antioxidant Activity of Fermented and Dried Floodplain Cocoa Beans in the Brazilian Amazon?Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
8 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Cocoa consumption began in America and in the mid sixteenth Century it quickly spread to Europe. Beyond being considered a pleasant habit due to its rich sweet lingering taste, chocolate was considered a good nutrient and even a medicine. Traditionally, health benefits of cocoa have been related with the high content of antioxidants of Theobroma cocoa beans. However, the direct psychoactive effect due to methylxanthines in cocoa is notable. Theobromine and caffeine, in the proportions found in cocoa, are responsible for the liking of the food/beverage. These compounds influence in a positive way our moods and our state of alertness. Theobromine, which is found in higher amounts than caffeine, seems to be behind several effects attributed to cocoa intake. The main mechanisms of action are inhibition of phosphodiesterases and blockade of adenosine receptors. Further mechanisms are being explored to better understand the health benefits associated to theobromine consumption. Unlike what happens in other mammals -pets- included, theobromine is safe for humans and has fewer unwanted effects than caffeine. Therefore, theobromine deserves attention as one of the most attractive molecules in cocoa.
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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.