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Does anyone find Cocoa helps their asthma?


I've just discovered largely accidentally that Cocoa helps me breath better. I thought this was a coincidence or wishful thinking, until I looked it up, and now I gather theobromine relaxes the bronchi.

I hate having bricanyl within four hours of going to sleep, because I can't get to sleep. I find it too much of a stimulant. I can't tolerate albuterol well - it gives me a tremor and is too much of a stimulant for me.

A couple of nights ago, I was having real troubles breathing at around 9 pm and thought I had no choice but to have some bricanyl. At the time I had just eaten some dark chocolate, which is unusual for me. Over the next little while, I started to breath easier. I tried it again, thinking it was surely a coincidence, and again found I was breathing better. Now I've looke it up, I see plenty of claims that theobromine relaxes the bronchi. It doesn't have the stimulatig effect on me, so it seems an ideal solution (not that it would be enough on its own, but I am on seretide also).

Has anyone else found Cocoa helpful?
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Avatar universal
I have found a cup of hot cocoa  with rice milk (which is naturally sweet) morning and night keeps my chronic asthma at bay. I do eat a whole food plant based diet too, which also helps, but cocoa has been like a miracle cure for me. I'm now experimenting with probiotics (lactobacillus reuteri) hoping for a permanent fix. We'll see how it goes. Also, I've just switched to cacao powder (instead of cocoa), which is supposed to be super healthy and packed with nutrients! Watch this space!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
its not the caffeine, this is the situation atleast for me. I have been exting dark chocolate (90%) & 2-4 teaspoons a day of pure cocoa in my protein shakes for 3 months now. and my asthma is so much better. I used to take my asthma attack inhaler 1-2 times a day, and now i use it maybe once a week if even that. Im sure there is a special antioxidant that is in there that helps relax your lungs. Caffeine has nothing to do with it, becasue drinking coffee never helped my asthma. Hope this info helps confirm that your theory is founded.
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Avatar universal
g45
I've looked into this further now.  The OP definitely nailed it.  It's the theobromine in the cocoa that is helping with the asthma.  Thanks to 987931 for a very smart post.  That theobromine is powerful and effective stuff.

Theobromine is apparently also the substance that gives me mild digestive complications (diarrhea).  The latter is a symptom of theobromine poisoning.  Need to moderate my cocoa intake a bit.  Eat enough to help on the asthma, not enough to irritate my digestion.  Hope I can find the right dose.

But anyway, when I yesterday ate all that cocoa and my asthma symptoms simply disappeared . . well . . that was no accident!  
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
thanks for the info above .. and, I agree about the milk.  Many with asthma also have reactive asthma and their asthma is triggered by foods such as milk, etc.

Keep us posted ...

C~
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Avatar universal
g45
Just a minor addition to the above:

Researching this further here on the net, I'm finding other references to the positive impact of cocoa on asthma.  There was one warning not to consume the cocoa with milk.  I almost never do this, instead eating the powder with just enough sugar to overcome the bitterness.  But apparently milk is not all that great an idea for asthma sufferers.  Cocoa powder eaten with a bit of sugar does not taste all that bad, BTW.  It tastes like chocolate.
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Avatar universal
g45
This might be working for me.  I usually have only very light asthma, but these last few days it had been quite a problem . . worst in my life, really.  I was wheezing so loudly at night I could not get to sleep.

I customarily consume cocoa by just eating the powder with a little sugar (cocoa is very bitter without some sugar).  I do this for my heart.  But because of the laxative impact I had been shying away for the better part of a week and all the cocoa was out of my system when the asthma hit.  Anyway, last evening for "dessert" I once again consumed a lot of cocoa powder and . . as if by magic . . my asthma virtually disappeared!  This despite a very cold turn in the weather which most often is a trigger.

Could this be a coincidence?  Of course it could.  I know and acknowledge that.  Asthma comes and goes of its own accord.  But the change was so striking.  It also might have been the cocoa that helped me (I ate a lot of powder).

Anyway, I don't have negative impact from cocoa powder except for the digestive side.  And I can live with that if the cocoa is helping my asthma.  So if the asthma reasserts itself, I will for sure be trying cocoa powder again, I can tell you that.

BTW, the brand I use is Hershey's.  It's just everyday cocoa powder, as found in the baking isle of any supermarket.  It is NOT, however, dutch cocoa.  That stuff does not have the same benefits.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Your asthma disappeared not by magic or coincidence, but by a rather well-known drug action: Cocoa powder contains
considerable amounts of Theophylline and Theobromine, which are phytochemicals known as methylxanthines.
Theophylline (as a prescription drug) has been used in asthma and COPD/Emphysema therapy for many years ... not
without side effects. Using naturally occuring Theophylline by eating pure cocoa powder seems to be a much better and
safer alternative for ameliorating breathing problems from asthma and COPD ... partly, perhaps, because it comes in
a rich mixture of other phytochemicals such as Theobromine, Caffeic Acid, Epicatechin etc. which may act synergistically in the body.

Cocoa powder can be used in many different fruit smoothies; I like to combine bananas, blueberries, "lots of pulp"
orange juice, and a mixture of nuts to make a rich and deliciously tasting smoothie, no added sugar needed (except
perhaps a few dates or some honey).
Eating dark chocolate bars or ice cream will not help, because all that cocoa is "dutched" and contains no or very little
theophylline and the milk protein in chocolate binds to and inactivates the polyphenols /phytochemicals such as
Theophylline.
168348 tn?1379357075
My kids have asthma - one of them is VERY sensitive to the chemical tyramine in chocolate (caused joint pain and migraine headaches) -- but my other two should try this new "find".

THANKS so much for coming back to update us and pls keep posting - it's great to have info like this, as well as your input on so many other posts, too!

C~
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well yeah, the caffeine may help but there's relatively small amounts of caffeine in a cup of cocoa and much more theobromine. For example, see http://pol.spurious.biz/dev_zero/caffeine.html

I have relatively little caffeine and I know that it can help my breathing. However, caffeine really disrupts my sleep, and that is the good thing about Cocoa.

Interesting one to me anyway. Had two cups today. Thanks for the tip on reflux -- I need to watch out for that because I have suffered, albeit a long time ago now.



Helpful - 0
1563533 tn?1345366296
YES! It is the Caffine in it, this might be just enough for you. Not too much of a stimulant.  It mimics theophylline. Any Caffine does. Long ago people gave their children coffee for asthma. IT WORKED for the same reasons. Glad to hear you found something to ease your breathing troubles.
Helpful - 0
1563533 tn?1345366296
YES! It is the Caffine in it, this might be just enough for you. Not too much of a stimulant.  It mimics theophylline. Any Caffine does. Long ago people gave their children coffee for asthma. IT WORKED for the same reasons. Glad to hear you found something to ease your breathing troubles.
Helpful - 0
1563533 tn?1345366296
YES! It is the Caffine in it, this might be just enough for you. Not too much of a stimulant.  It mimics theophylline. Any Caffine does. Long ago people gave their children coffee for asthma. IT WORKED for the same reasons. Glad to hear you found something to ease your breathing troubles.
Helpful - 0
1563533 tn?1345366296
YES! It is the Caffine in it, this might be just enough for you. Not too much of a stimulant.  It mimics theophylline. Any Caffine does. Long ago people gave their children coffee for asthma. IT WORKED for the same reasons. Glad to hear you found something to ease your breathing troubles.
Helpful - 0
1563533 tn?1345366296
YES! It is the Caffine in it, this might be just enough for you. Not too much of a stimulant.  It mimics theophylline. Any Caffine does. Long ago people gave their children coffee for asthma. IT WORKED for the same reasons. Glad to hear you found something to ease your breathing troubles.
Helpful - 0
1563533 tn?1345366296
YES! It is the Caffine in it, this might be just enough for you. Not too much of a stimulant.  It mimics theophylline. Any Caffine does. Long ago people gave their children coffee for asthma. IT WORKED for the same reasons. Glad to hear you found something to ease your breathing troubles.
Helpful - 0
1563533 tn?1345366296
YES! It is the Caffine in it, this might be just enough for you. Not too much of a stimulant.  It mimics theophylline. Any Caffine does. Long ago people gave their children coffee for asthma. IT WORKED for the same reasons. Glad to hear you found something to ease your breathing troubles.
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
Hi -- that's interesting-- theobromine

If you start to develop any reflux/GERD symptoms, keep in mind that chocolate can do that easily and late at night, lying down sounds like it could happen .. I hope not, though, and that this continues to work for youi!
Helpful - 0
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