The Scent of Dark Chocolate Boosts Workout Performance
If you're curious: you should sniff dark chocolate.
The scent of chocolate can influence strength training results even without consuming the sweet treat. In a small experiment at the University of Malaya, men performed more leg extensions after inhaling the aroma of dark and milk chocolate compared to a control solution based on water.
The study involved 23 men with at least 2 years of regular strength training experience. Before workouts and between sets, participants inhaled the scent of dark chocolate with 90% cocoa content, a milk chocolate mixture, or a control solution for 30 seconds.
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The most noticeable effect was observed with the scent of dark chocolate: on average, men completed 18 more repetitions than in control conditions. The aroma of milk chocolate increased results by an average of 9 repetitions.
With dark chocolate, participants managed to complete about one more set, although the load did not feel lighter. The perceived effort rating increased as the exercise progressed, but researchers found no significant differences between all scents.
Researchers also noted changes in appetite: the scent of dark chocolate before workouts was associated with less hunger and a greater feeling of fullness. In the case of milk chocolate, no sustained appetite suppression was observed.
Unfortunately, researchers still do not understand why the scent of dark chocolate led to such effects—further studies and observations are needed.
