Is there anything good about Parkinson's? - Chocolate!

Have you ever had a craving?  I don't mean, "gee I could go for a bowl of ice cream" craving.  I mean the 10 pm it's snowing outside and I'm headed to the store because I need a piece of chocolate kind of craving.
It's a strange feeling that overtakes you and it all goes away with a little chocolate.  I don't want the whole bar, just enough to satisfy the craving. I'm not sure if any of my Parkie friends have experienced this feeling with this or any other food, but I find it strange that the craving stops with with just a square or two and I'm not driven to eat the whole bar.

How did the Mayans or whoever actually invented chocolate think ' if I just do these 12 steps these inedible bitter beans become something delicious!"  This is what I think about staring at the ceiling at 2 am, but I digress.

Chocolate contains many compounds, (nearly 380!!) that stimulate dopamine and other 'feel good' chemicals or prevent their reabsorption. Here is a short list of some of them and their effects:

• Tryptophan and serotonin: They create feelings of relaxation and well-being.
• Caffeine: creates temporary alertness.
• Xanthines: like caffeine, increases wakefulness.
• Theobromine: A stimulant and vasodilator increases blood flow.
• Phenylethylamine: stimulates the brain to release dopamine,
• Anandamide: This neurotransmitter activates pleasure receptors in the brain.
• Flavonols: Found also in foods like red wine, blueberries and green tea, these compounds boost blood flow to key areas of the brain for two to three hours after being metabolized, creating effects similar to those of a mild analgesic (painkiller) like aspirin.  reference here

 Okay, I get the attraction, but other foods produce dopamine and you don't see me driving to the store in the cold night air to pick up fava beans!  Plus, the amount of these chemicals in chocolate is incredibly low.  One study suggested it would take 25 lbs of chocolate to get that 'high' feeling.  So how could a couple of small pieces satisfy a craving?  Reading what is out there all I can suggest is the brain senses an imbalance, triggers the craving and once the craving is satisfied turns the craving back off.  I've said it before, this disease is weird.  At least, though, it was kind enough to make me crave chocolate and not something gross like... raisins...ick, I get a shiver just thinking about it.

Oh, my chocolate of choice - Hershey's Symphony bar - best chocolate you can get for under $2.  I am open to suggestions, though.

Interestingly enough, there's about the same number of studies telling you how chocolate leads to Parkinson's as there are stating how chocolate helps Parkinson's patients.  I broke some down below and will let you decide.


Bad Chocolate
Over-consumption leads to Parkinson's here
Compound inside Chocolate causes Parkinson's here
Chocolate doesn't help Parkinson's sufferers here

Good Chocolate
Study to find if chocolate reduces symptoms here and here
Benefits of Cacao here  and here

Avoid chocolate? here


Up next:  Apathy......maybe