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Abstract

Background: Although the focus of scientific studies on the bene-

ficial properties of chocolate with a high cocoa content has increased

in recent years, studies determining its importance for weight regula-

tion, in particular within the context of a controlled dietary measure,

have rarely been conducted.

Methodology: In a study consisting of several weeks, we divided

men and women between the ages of 19-67 into three groups. One

group was instructed to keep a low-carb diet and to consume an

additional daily serving of 42 grams of chocolate with 81% cocoa

content (chocolate group). Another group was instructed to follow

the same low-carb diet as the chocolate group, but without the

chocolate intervention (low-carb group). In addition, we asked a

third group to eat at their own discretion, with unrestricted choice of

food. At the beginning of the study, all participants received exten-

sive medical advice and were thoroughly briefed on their respective

diet. At the beginning and the end of the study, each participant

gave a blood sample. Their weight, BMI, and waist-to-hip ratio were

determined and noted. In addition to that, we evaluated the Giessen

Subjective Complaints List. During the study, participants were en-

couraged to weigh themselves on a daily basis, assess the quality of

their sleep as well as their mental state, and to use urine test strips.

Result: Subjects of the chocolate intervention group experienced

the easiest and most successful weight loss. Even though the measu-

rable effect of this diet occurred with a delay, the weight reduction

of this group exceeded the results of the low-carb group by 10%

after only three weeks (p = 0.04). While the weight cycling effect

already occurred after a few weeks in the low-carb group, with

resulting weight gain in the last fifth of the observation period, the

chocolate group experienced a steady increase in weight loss. This

is confirmed by the evaluation of the ketone reduction. Initially, ke-

chocolate with high cocoa content

as a weight-loss accelerator

ORIGINAL

Johannes Bohannon1,

Diana Koch1,

Peter Homm1,

Alexander Driehaus1

1 Institute of Diet and Health, Poststr. 37.

55126 Mainz, GERMANY

Contact information:

 johannes@instituteofdiet.com.

INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MEDICINE

SECTION: ENDOCRINOLOGY

ISSN: 1755-7682

2015

Vol. 8 No. 55

doi: 10.3823/1654

This article is available at: www.intarchmed.com and www.medbrary.com

2

Introduction

Although there has been an increased focus on the

beneficial properties of high cocoa content choco-

late in recent years, there are still very few studies

concerning its use in weight-loss diets.

A large number of studies have proven the positi-

ve health effects of chocolate on the coronary vas-

culature [1], insulin secretion [2, 3, 4] and endothelial

function [5, 6]. Additionally, the lowering effects

of dark chocolate on high blood pressure have al-

ready been well documented. [7, 8] Moreover, in a

systematic review, Ried et al. were able to prove its

health benefits and antihypertensive effect. [9]

In terms of nutritional interventions, there have

been interesting first attempts with the use of cho-

colate. In 2012, Golomb et al. showed a connec-

tion between regular chocolate consumption and

a lower body mass index. [10] However, this study

was limited to the mere collection and analysis of

chocolate consumption and a possible connection

to the BMI.

Moreover, recent research approaches suggest

that the selective use of high cocoa content choco-

late can also support active weight loss. A long-term

study with mice shows that even with a high-fat

diet combined with high cocoa content chocolate,

the weight of laboratory mice remains low. [11] A

similar study with humans has not been published

yet.

Methodology

Study Design

The study is based on the evaluated results of three

parallel groups that underwent various dietary inter-

ventions in January 2015. They were under medical

supervision and were examined at the beginning,

tone reduction was much lower in the chocolate group than in the

low-carb peer group, but after a few weeks, the situation changed.

The low-carb group had a lower ketone reduction than in the pre-

vious period, they reduced 145 mg/dl less ketones, whereas the cho-

colate group had an average reduction of an additional 145mg/dl.

Effects were similarly favorable concerning cholesterol levels, trigly-

ceride levels, and LDL cholesterol levels of the chocolate group.

Moreover, the subjects of the chocolate group found a significant

improvement in their well-being (physically and mentally). The con-

trolled improvement compared to the results of the low-carb group

was highly significant (p <0.001).

Conclusion: Consumption of chocolate with a high cocoa content

can significantly increase the success of weight-loss diets. The weight-

loss effect of this diet occurs with a certain delay. Long-term weight

loss, however, seems to occur easier and more successfully by adding

chocolate. The effect of the chocolate, the so-called "weight loss

turbo," seems to go hand in hand with personal well-being, which

was significantly higher than in the control groups.

INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MEDICINE

SECTION: ENDOCRINOLOGY

ISSN: 1755-7682

2015

Vol. 8 No. 55

doi: 10.3823/1654

© Under License of Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License

3

divided into groups, instructed, and measured. Du-

ring the collection period, the participants' data was

retrieved in two-day intervals to ensure the regulari-

ty of measurement results. In addition to the mere

weight loss, there was an emphasis on the docu-

mentation of the well-being of the subjects, as this

is considered key to long-term weight loss. [12]

Study Participants

To obtain a genuine, non-preselected representation

of the general public, the study participants were

recruited without further requirements. On average,

participants were 29.6 years old and weighed 81.5

kg. Their average BMI was 26.16; the lowest BMI

was 19.15, the highest at 39.95.

To represent the disproportionate number of fe-

male dieters in the general public, two-thirds of the

participants were female, and one-third male.

The participants were healthy or had medical con-

ditions for which a nutrition intervention represents

a generally medically accepted form of therapy.

Randomization

After a detailed preliminary, the participants were

randomly assigned one medical group from three

different batches of diet instructions. For both the

study participants and for the authors of this study,

the grouping of the participants was unforeseeable.

Interventions / Measures

Participants were assigned to the following groups:

low-carb diet plus high cocoa content chocolate

(chocolate group), low-carb diet (low-carb group),

and the control group.

The participants of the chocolate group were told

to eat as many low-carbohydrate foods as possible,

and to increase the protein and fat content of their

diet. Additionally, they were given 875 grams of

chocolate with a cocoa content of 81 percent. They

were asked to consume a daily dose of 42 grams of

chocolate in addition to the low-carb diet. Over a

period of three weeks, 100 percent of the subjects

adhered to this requirement.

The participants of the low-carb group were ins-

tructed to change their diet to a low-carbohydrate

diet. Concerning the diet, their instructions were ab-

solutely identical with those of the chocolate group.

Nutrition interventions that apply a low-carbohy-

drate diet are currently the most applied approach

to a weight-loss diet, which is particularly recom-

mended in the S3-guidelines on "Prevention and

Treatment of Obesity." [13]

Participants in the control group were encouraged

to continue their previous eating habits. It should be

noted that the study was conducted in early January,

after the Christmas / New Year celebrations.

Testing Methods

In addition to the continuous measurement of

weight development, participants were asked to

do routine testing of the urine with multiparameter

strips on a daily basis by using test strips, and to do-

cument their mental state and their sleep behavior.

At the beginning and end of the study, a blood

test was conducted; weight, BMI, and waist-to-hip

ratio were documented; and the Giessen Subjec-

tive Complaints List, which measures the change

in well-being on a scientifically sound basis, was

evaluated. [14]

The main focus within the blood parameters was

on the changes in lipid levels and liver values, as well

as the possible increased amount of protein in the

blood. Previous studies have shown that a unilateral

low-carb diet can lead to some dramatic changes in

the albumin value. [15] Concerning the evaluations,

we took into consideration changes of cholesterol,

triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, ALT, GGT/GGTP, and

the albumin.

Additionally, we observed the changes of ketone

reduction in urine.

Statistics

A t-test for independent samples was used to as-

sess differences in baseline variables between the

groups. The analysis was a repeated-measures

analysis of variance in which the baseline value

INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MEDICINE

SECTION: ENDOCRINOLOGY

ISSN: 1755-7682

2015

Vol. 8 No. 55

doi: 10.3823/1654

This article is available at: www.intarchmed.com and www.medbrary.com

4

was carried forward in the case of missing data.

One subject (low-carbohydrate) had to be excluded

from the analysis, because of a weight measure is-

sue within the trial

Results

Weight Development

Both the participants of the chocolate group and

the low-carb group lost weight, whereas the con-

trol group gained weight during the study period.

The subjects of the low-carb group lost 3.1 percent

of their body weight in 21 days and the chocolate

group lost 3.2 percent. The participants of the con-

trol group were on average 0.7 percent heavier. The

body mass index decreased in the chocolate group

to 0.93, in the low-carb intervention group by 0.95

points, whereas the control group gained 0.7 points.

Figure 1: Daily weight development by group.

Remarkably, participants in the chocolate group

lost more weight than those of the low-carb group.

The temporal course of the weight-loss success is

also worth noting: the course of the intervention

period shows that there were marked differences in

both groups. While the low-carb group lost weight

from the beginning and continued this weight loss

during the first thee quarters of the testing period,

the chocolate group gained weight in the first quar-

ter before they started to lose considerably more

weight than the low-carb group.

In the third quarter, the weight-loss ratio of the

low-carb group came to its minimum, while the

chocolate group lost considerably more weight du-

ring the third consecutive quarter than prior, and

significantly more than both of the control groups

combined.

Figure 2: Culumated change of weight by test

group.

Ketones

A higher amount of ketones could be detected in

the participants of the chocolate group than in the

low-carb group. The measured results were found

to be highly significant (p <0.01).

Figure 3: Chocolate vs. Low-Carbohydrate - Va-

riance in Ketone levels Data was collec-

ted from an urine test strip and con-

verted into a nominal scale before the

analysis..

INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MEDICINE

SECTION: ENDOCRINOLOGY

ISSN: 1755-7682

2015

Vol. 8 No. 55

doi: 10.3823/1654

© Under License of Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License

5

Lipid Levels

Cholesterol levels as well as triglycerides and LDL

cholesterol concentrations improved significantly in

participants of the chocolate group in comparison

to the low-carb group.

Liver Values

Participants of the chocolate group also showed the

most significant changes in ALT and GGT/GGTP va-

lues.

Albumin

While the measured urinary protein breakdown

increased significantly in the low-carb group, the

proportion in the chocolate group increased by only

one-sixth. At the end of the testing period, the pro-

tein detected in the control group's urine was lower

than the initially measured values.

Giessen Subjective Complaints List

We also found highly significant differences with re-

gard to physical and psychological ailments, which

we obtained with the help of the Giessen Subjecti-

ve Complaints List. Although the perception in the

low-carb group and control group did not change

by much, the participants of the chocolate group

felt much better on average. Exhaustion symptoms

in particular, such as fatigue or the sensation of

heavy legs, significantly decreased in the chocolate

group. The significance of this survey was p <0.001.

Table 3. Absolute changes in lipid levels, liver values, and albumin values in an analysis that include data

on all subjects in the relevant groups.

Variable

Chocolate Diet

Low-Carbohydrate

P-Value

Cholesterol (mg/dl).

Day 21

-12,2

± 26,7

2,3

± 15,9

0,19

DTriglycerides (mg/dl)

Day 21

-22,6

± 85,7

3,0

± 41,3

0,55

LDL cholesterol (mg/dl)

Day 21

-17,4

± 22,8

-5,0

± 22,4

0,00

ALT (U/l)

Day 21

-6,4

± 6,7

-11,5

± 3,6

0,11

GGT/GGTP (U/l)

Day 21

-8,8

± 5,5

-2,0

± 0,0

0.23

Albumin (g/dl)

Day 21

0,0

± 0,4

0,1

± 0,3

0.23

Plus-minus values are means ±. The chocolate group had 5 subjects, in the low-carbohydrate group only 4 subjects

could be considered.

P values are for the differences between the two groups.

INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MEDICINE

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2015

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6

Conclusion

The results of this study show that the addition of

high cocoa content chocolate can actually be used

as a supportive measure in nutritional interven-

tions. However, the focus should not remain on the

slightly greater weight loss of the chocolate group

compared to the low-carb group, but on the weight

development.

High cocoa content chocolate could be the key

to solving the biggest problem of all nutritional in-

terventions. "Weight cycling"' is, for example, asso-

ciated with increased bone loss ratio in the hip and

the lumbar area, and with an increased risk for loss

of bone density. [16]

Moreover, several studies have shown additional

risks of significant weight gain (increased risk of car-

diovascular and all-cause mortality, of hypertension

in obese women, and symptomatic gallstones in

men). [17, 18, 19, 20]

Many weight-loss diets share the common factor

of weight gain within several months after a short

and often significant weight reduction. This applies

to almost all of the weight-loss programs recom-

mended by the Deutsche Adipositasgesellschaft. In

studies focusing on the Weight Watchers program,

participants in the commercial program gained back

weight after the 26th week. [21] In a study of the

medical outpatient intervention program Bodymed,

Walle et al. found that the continuous slimming

effect of the mean body weight also stopped after

26 weeks. [22] The same applies to the OPTI FAST

program. [23]

Figure 4: Analysis of Giessen Subjective Complaints List - Development during the trial period.

INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MEDICINE

SECTION: ENDOCRINOLOGY

ISSN: 1755-7682

2015

Vol. 8 No. 55

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7

In 2003, Foster et al. proved in their groundbrea-

king, randomized study on a low-carb diet that the

effect of weight reduction or greater weight loss

compared to a low-fat intervention is not signifi-

cantly detectable after one year. [24]

Consequently, the weight gain of the low-carb

group in this study is in line with previous research.

The different weight development course of the

chocolate group is therefore all the more impressi-

ve. Remarkably, "weight cycling" is not detectable

in this group. The initial slight weight gain is cu-

rrently inexplicable to us. It may be related to the

body's response to the flavanols or to other factors

that were not the focus of this study. However,

it is more important to consider the blood and

fat levels. Thus, the values of the chocolate group

on average improved not only considerably more

than those of the low-carb group, but they even

resulted in better LDL levels after just three weeks

compared to levels participants reached after three

months in diet groups graded by the professional

associations with the quality level S3 (highest sta-

ge) and the recommendation grade A (the highest

level).

The albumin values of the study participants are

also worth mentioning. Criticism of low-carb diets

always broaches the issue of excessive protein in-

take. One suspects that this may lead to an increa-

sed risk of coronary artery disease. [25]

Unlike the participants in the low-carb group,

however, the chocolate group showed hardly any

increase of albumin degradation. It was lower by

a factor of 6. The risk for coronary heart disease

should therefore be much lower.

Considering all of these results, it is not sur-

prising that the chocolate group participants felt

significantly better than those in the other two

groups. Therefore, we recommend the consump-

tion of high cocoa content chocolate during nutri-

tional interventions. The positive effects that have

been proven in laboratory mice seem to be rele-

vant to humans.

The authors of this study believe that high cocoa

content chocolate is therefore an ideal "weight-loss

turbo" if used in combination with a low-carb in-

tervention for weight loss.

Further studies should examine the suitability of

this highly efficient weight-loss accelerator for other

intervention programs.

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SECTION: ENDOCRINOLOGY

ISSN: 1755-7682

2015

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doi: 10.3823/1654

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8

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