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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 General Board Posts >> chocolate
        
(Message started by: freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 9:24am)

Title: chocolate
Post by freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 9:24am

I had a hit last night while watching the amazing race around 9:35. I had 3 chocolate hearts about 9:00. Im not 100% but I thought I read chocolate triggers.I also was woken up at 5:45 this morning with a hit. SUCKS!

Does chocolate trigger?

Why?

I thought chocolate had caffiene which is in ercaf
ergotamine/caffiene

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 19^th, 2005, 9:39am

Every body has their own triggers.

Some people can't even look at a smoke or a beer while in cycle with out getting hit.

Neither one has ever bothered me.

Your body chemistry is unique and it is very possible that chocolate is a trigger. I've heard stranger things.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by floridian on Jan 19^th, 2005, 10:40am

Chocolate is a trigger for some migraneurs and probably some clusterheads. It does a lot of different things - it is a vasodilator, for one thing, and it triggers nitric oxide production, which is overactive in CH. Chocolate does have some caffeine-like compounds (theobromine), which might offset the dilation somewhat, like EyeBall said, it varies with individual response. Or it could be coincidence - you might want to keep a food diary and see if there are patterns related to your diet.

Quote:

J Hypertens. 2003 Dec;21(12):2281-6.

Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy humans.

Fisher ND, Hughes M, Gerhard-Herman M, Hollenberg NK. Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. nfisher@partners.org

BACKGROUND:Consumption of flavonoid-rich beverages, including tea and red wine, has been associated with a reduction in coronary events, but the physiological mechanism remains obscure. Cocoa can contain extraordinary concentrations of flavanols, a flavonoid subclass shown to activate nitric oxide synthase in vitro. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation in humans. DESIGN: The study prospectively assessed the effects of Flavanol-rich cocoa, using both time and beverage controls. Participants were blinded to intervention; the endpoint was objective and blinded. METHODS: Pulse wave amplitude was measured on the finger in 27 healthy people with a volume-sensitive validated calibrated plethysmograph, before and after 5 days of consumption of Flavanol-rich cocoa [821 mg of flavanols/day, quantitated as (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, and related procyanidin oligomers]. The specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) was infused intravenously on day 1, before cocoa, and on day 5, after an acute ingestion of cocoa. RESULTS: Four days of flavanol-rich cocoa induced consistent and striking peripheral vasodilation (P = 0.009). On day 5, pulse wave amplitude exhibited a large additional acute response to cocoa (P = 0.01). L-NAME completely reversed this vasodilation (P = 0.004). In addition, intake of flavanol-rich cocoa augmented the vasodilator response to ischemia. Flavanol-poor cocoa induced much smaller responses (P = 0.005), and none was induced in the time-control study. Flavanol-rich cocoa also amplified the systemic pressor effects of L-NAME (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: In healthy humans, flavanol-rich cocoa induced vasodilation via activation of the nitric oxide system, providing a plausible mechanism for the protection that flavanol-rich foods induce against coronary events.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 10:53am

WOW!

MEGA info!
Thank you floridian,
if chocolate is a vasodilator it most likely was the trigger. From what I understand we are trying to constrict our vascular in our heads.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by Langa on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:10am

I avoid chocolate in cycle like the plague... :P

Langa

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by Gena on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:29am

on 01/19/05 at 11:10:44, Langa wrote:

I avoid chocolate in cycle like the plague... :P

Langa

While it is a must have for me :P

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by Langa on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:32am

on 01/19/05 at 11:29:19, Gena wrote:

While it is a must have for me :P

I might reconsider if it's a small piece of Godiva Chocolate... :-/ Some things in life you just can't refuse... ;)

Langa

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by nani on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:36am

Sheesh...if chocolate was a trigger for me I would've banged my head into mush by now. Like Gena...definitely a MUST have. (as some of you already have gathered from my pic ;) )

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:39am

What is this quote under my name.

I Love YaBB 1G-Sp1

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by floridian on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:45am

After browsing the literature on chocolate, I think it is just what the doctor ordered for my borderline high blood pressure - daily doses of dark chocolate lead to sustained improvement of peripheral vascular tissues. If I go into cycle and it is a trigger, I'll switch to verapamil.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=15604180

on 01/19/05 at 11:39:36, freddy wrote:

What is this quote under my name.

I Love YaBB 1G-Sp1

That is the default quote - it praises the software used to run this board (not that the programmers aren't entitled to some praise or pseudo-praise). You can change it by going to your profile and putting in some other line.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by nani on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:52am

Quote:

MEGA info!
Thank you floridian,

Flo is da man when it comes to info. I hear he even has good taste in music. ;)

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 11:58am

My favorite band in the whole world is AC/DC .

How do you guys box part of other peoples posts and apply to your own.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by sandie99 on Jan 19^th, 2005, 12:13pm

Luckily I don't eat chocolate anymore.... ;;D

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by john_d on Jan 19^th, 2005, 12:41pm

So is this hypnotic freddy?

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 12:44pm

Do you mean posting?

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by john_d on Jan 19^th, 2005, 12:47pm

no, there was a guy named 'hypnotic freddy' who posted here a some months back.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 1:00pm

No I just posted for the first time at the

Getting to know ya, (section)

how do you box others words and use them in your
own posts instead of typing it all out.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by john_d on Jan 19^th, 2005, 1:01pm

click the quote button on the upper right of the message you want to quote from

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by freddy on Jan 19^th, 2005, 1:02pm

Thank you.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by BobG on Jan 19^th, 2005, 1:13pm

EthelM chocolate is a trigger for me.

One piece of that and it triggers a big time

urge to eat the whole damn box.

;)

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by Charlie on Jan 19^th, 2005, 1:13pm

I was never able to find a trigger. Like Jonny, alcohol didn't bother me. I like Ueli's suggestion that MSG is a trigger. He's not alone I think.

I eat more chocolate now than ever.

Nice information though.

Charlie

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by BlueMeanie on Jan 19^th, 2005, 5:59pm

Welcome Freddy,

I've thought chocolate was a trigger for me through several cycles. It seams sometimes it is, sometimes it's not. I really think it was just coincidence, but really never sure to this date if it is or not. I still eat it in cycle but not as much as normal. Gotta love that chocolate. ;)

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by Kirk on Jan 19^th, 2005, 6:46pm

I've never met a chocolate bar I did'nt get along with.
YMMV [smiley=sayyes.gif]

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by floridian on Jan 21^st, 2005, 1:45pm

More on how chocolate might trigger ... it can increase production of the cytokine IL-1b, which is elevated in CH and probably ties into the disease process. The amount of stimulation depends on the exact form of the chemicals in chocolate, which could vary from cocoa variety to variety. These compounds are chains or mini-polymers, with 1 or 2 up to maybe 15 units strung together, and the length of the chain affects how active the compound is.

Oh, well, I'm not in cycle, so there's no reason not to eat that last piece in my desk drawer. To further rationalize, I came across one article where cocoa stimulated cells that secreted low levels of cytokines, but it inhibited cells that secreted lots of it. I think chocolate is smart and generally knows what to do!

Quote:

J Nutr. 2000 Aug;130(8S Suppl):2093S-9S.

Cocoa procyanidins and human cytokine transcription and secretion.

Mao T, Van De Water J, Keen CL, Schmitz HH, Gershwin ME. Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.

We examined whether cocoa, in its isolated procyanidin fractions (monomer through decamer), would modulate cytokine production at the levels of transcription and protein secretion in both resting and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In resting cells, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-4 gene expression from cocoa-treated cells varied markedly among the subjects tested. However, at the protein level, the larger fractions (pentamer through decamer) stimulated a dramatic increase in IL-1beta concentration (up to ninefold) with increasing degree of polymerization. Similarly, these larger fractions augmented IL-4 concentration by as much as 2 pg/ml, whereas the control displayed levels nearly undetectable. In the presence of PHA, gene expression also seemed to be most affected by the larger procyanidin fractions. The pentameric through decameric fractions increased IL-1 beta expression by 7-19% compared with PHA control, whereas the hexameric through decameric fractions significantly inhibited PHA-induced IL-4 transcription in the range of 71-86%. This observation at the transcription level for IL-1 beta was reflected at the protein level in PHA-stimulated PBMC. Significant reductions in mitogen-induced IL-4 production were also seen at the protein level with the hexamer, heptamer and octamer. Individual oligomeric cocoa fractions were unstimulatory for IL-2 in resting PBMC. However, when induced with PHA, the pentamer, hexamer and heptamer fractions caused a 61-73% inhibition in IL-2 gene expression. This study offers additional data for the consideration of the health benefits of dietary polyphenols from a wide variety of foods, including those benefits associated specifically with cocoa and chocolate consumption.

Quote:

Cephalalgia. 1993 Oct;13(5):343-5; discussion 307-8.

Serum interleukin-1 beta is increased in cluster headache.

Martelletti P, Granata M, Giacovazzo M. Headache Centre, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.

We measured serum interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in 24 episodic cluster headache (CH) patients and 45 normal controls using a specific ELISA method. There was an increase in IL-1 beta in all CH patients compared to controls. IL-1 beta was further increased during the ictal phase of CH compared to patients between attacks and normal individuals. Between attacks, IL-1 beta was also significantly increased compared to controls. We suggest that these results represent an activation of the immune system in CH.

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by cat14 on Jan 21^st, 2005, 6:00pm

on 01/19/05 at 11:52:45, nani wrote:

Flo is da man when it comes to info. I hear he even has good taste in music. ;)

I'm with you on this one, Nani!!

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by maureen on Jan 22^nd, 2005, 1:56am

Chocolate is and always has been a big trigger for me.

And I love choc >:(

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by Mr. Happy on Jan 22^nd, 2005, 2:06am

Major lactose intolerant. Major. Can't vote for it as a trigger. Not chocolate, cocoa, or fudge..

http://mushys.com/pix/anti1.gif

RJ

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by Gator on Jan 22^nd, 2005, 5:30am

[with a dazed look on my face] Mmmmm. Chocolate. [drools]

Doh!

When I was stationed in Greenland in 1983 - 84, I tasted the bittersweet dark chocolates from Denmark and other European countries and now I don't care for most of the way too sweet American cholcolate anymore. Love me some Special Dark, though! About the only American chocolate I really care to eat anymore.

Damn! Now I am hungry for chocolate and it's 4:30 in the damned morning. No dark chocolate in the house and I ain't driving 15 miles to get some. Oh BTW, you see how well the new sleeping pills are working! Were supposed to be "a treat for me" according to my doc. He was gonna fix this insomnia. Yeah, right. Sonata = notta for me.

Now I got a dark chocolate jones and I'm pissed. Can't win for losing.

Gator

Title: Re: chocolate
Post by docdog on Jan 22^nd, 2005, 5:51am

It's 5:45 am Saturday and I'm just getting over a hit.

Chocolate wasn't the cause of this but is something along with any form of alcohol, MSG,smoke filled environments, sometimes spicy foods, etc. etc that I avoid as one of my individual triggers.

The bottom line is the devil is inside each of us, and he has individual needs. Keep fighting.