Chocolate may ease Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Research

Dark chocolate is rich in chemicals known to increase signals carried around the brain but this is found to be the first time the confection has been found to ease symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by extreme, persistent fatigue for six months or more with other problems with as muscle pain, headaches and poor memory.

Study Details:
Experts from the University of Hull and the Hull York Medical School tested ten patients with the disease.

The researchers had the volunteers eat 15g of dark chocolate three times a day, for eight weeks and then, later, a type of chocolate with significant less cocoa but which tasted the same.

The study found the symptoms of severe fatigue improved significantly after the volunteers ate the chocolate high in cocoa polyphenols.

Commenting on the results, Professor Steve Atkin said: ‘The significance of the results is particularly surprising because of the small number of subjects in the study. ‘A further study is needed to see what the effects would be on a larger group of people, but this is potentially very encouraging news for those who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome.’