D. JonesDark Chocolate On Double Duty?
April 16th 2010 08:00
Dark chocolate may be the latest weapon in the fight against some liver conditions, according to new European research. (Oh boy, yummy medicine for a change!) According to research that was presented Thursday at the International Liver Congress in Austria, consumption of dark chocolate could be used to aid patients suffering from conditions such as liver cirrhosis and those who have high blood pressure in the abdomen.
The Spanish research suggests dark chocolate is helpful in lowering blood pressure in the liver and also limits blood vessel damage in the area for patients with cirrhosis. "This study shows a clear association between eating dark chocolate and portal hypertension and demonstrates the potential importance of improvements in the management of cirrhotic patients, to minimize the onset and impact of end stage liver disease and its associated mortality risks," Mark Thursz, vice-secretary of the European Association for the Study of Liver, said in a news release (Who would have ever thought chocolate could be so powerful?)
Liver cirrhosis develops through steady damage to the liver over a long period of time. Circulation to the liver is often affected, which can cause blood pressure in the abdomen to increase after eating. In the study, 10 of 21 patients received a liquid meal containing a high percentage of cocoa, while the remaining patients received no chocolate. In the 30 minutes following the meal, both test groups experienced increased blood pressure in the abdomen. The group which was administered chocolate, however, saw an average blood-pressure increase of 24 per cent, while those without chocolate saw their blood pressure spike by 34 per cent (That is SO cool!)
This is a great medical discovery! I am glad that researchers have found something so beneficial, naturally, rather than creating a "man-made" chemical that may treat one disease, but causes the breakdown of other body systems in the process! (and only requiring MORE chemicals i.e. drugs to fix the new problem!) Good for them!
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