LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — It's cold and flu season and coughing is a common symptom.
But if you've heard that chocolate can help we can verify it may not be the best cure.
Our source includes UAMS internal medicine Doctor Robert Hopkins and two scientific studies, one called Rococo and another in the Journal of Thoracic Disease both by a British professor who is a worldwide cough expert.
The two studies he did are available on the internet.
In the Rococo Study, researchers followed 163 people. Those who ate chocolate saw greater reductions in cough frequency, but not enough Dr. Hopkins said to make a difference. And they tested theobromine which is one of the substances in cacao or chocolate and found that in their studies theobromine may reduce some of the symptoms of a cough but not in enough of a way that it showed a difference between theobromine and placebo. In the second study of 289 people, again, some reduction in cough but not statistically significant.
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"I don't recommend chocolate because there's no evidence that it's effective," said Dr. Hopkins.
So, why are so many articles circulating that claim chocolate cures cough?
"This has been blown out of proportion that the studies show some improvement in symptoms, but it really doesn't seem to make a difference in cough over the long term," said Dr. Hopkins.
So, next time you come down with cough, chocolate may not do the trick. "I cannot verify that chocolate will calm a cough," he added.
Dr. Hopkins recommends rest and liquids if you have a cough and says if it lasts longer than a month, it's probably a good idea to go see your doctor.