Yes, in moderation. B-type procyanidins in cocoa and apples boost metabolism only at a moderate dose. In lab mice, small amounts did nothing. Large amounts did nothing or caused harm. The moderate dose sets off a mild stress response, the hormetic effect, through the gut-brain axis (the link between gut and brain).
Humans evolved to live under mild stress. But too much food is doing harm. It raises the risk of obesity, metabolic disorders, Alzheimer’s, and more. A new study found that B-type procyanidins in foods like cocoa and apple may set off a mild stress response. It is called the hormetic effect, and it works through the gut-brain axis. That may boost metabolism and lower the risk of chronic health disorders, including chronic pain.
These days people are more likely to die of diseases that are not infections, like heart attack, stroke, dementia, and cancer. Most of these are caused by poor lifestyle choices, like a bad diet and too much sitting. But that also means many of them can be prevented, and life can be longer.
We live in a time of plenty. So obesity and metabolic disorders are the main culprits behind many health problems, including sciatica nerve pain. Metabolic disorders cause significant numbers of deaths. Even worse, they cause a lot of disability. Most people in the world have one metabolic or chronic health disorder or another. Studies show that even small lifestyle changes may significantly reduce the risk of chronic health disorders.
For example, eating more fruits like apples, and chocolate, may extend life and prevent chronic health disorders. This is because fruits are rich in polyphenols, which are strong antioxidants. Now researchers have found that these plant compounds help in more than one way.
It appears that some not-so-good compounds in fruits like grapes and apples, called B-type procyanidin, a kind of polyphenol, may help reduce the risk of chronic ailments and premature death. It appears that they work by setting off a so-called hormetic response. Hormesis, or the hormetic effect, is still poorly understood. Constant stress is bad for humans. But it seems that mild and intermittent stress is rather good for humans and is associated with healthy aging and longevity. This power of mild stress to extend life is called the hormetic effect.
Humans evolved as hunters and gatherers. In the old days, there was no sure supply of food. So for ages, humans often lived under stress and went without enough food. That caused mild stress. This mild stress acts on the nervous system and sets off certain brain responses. It is a kind of adaptive response, a way the body adjusts to survive. It extends life by boosting metabolism. It helps prevent metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other health disorders.
But modern humans live far more comfortably, and those stressors are gone. Of course, modern humans face more mental stress than stress from physical irritants, infections, or lack of food. But mental stress is not the kind of stress humans have grown used to. So mental stress is bad for humans, while certain other stressors are good. Now a new study shows that some active compounds in foods may also help by setting off a hormetic response. B-type procyanidins are among them. They are made of catechins, a class of polyphenols. These compounds may not do much at small doses. They may even harm at high doses. But at moderate doses, they set off a stress response and so help health.
These compounds are found in foods like cocoa, grape seeds, red wine, and many others. In the right amounts, they can rev up the sympathetic nervous system (the body’s fight-or-flight system) through a stress response. That raises thermogenesis, the body’s heat production. So at the right dose, these natural compounds may help lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia (unhealthy blood fats), and more.
Researchers found that small amounts of these compounds, B-type procyanidins, did not work. Large amounts either did not work in lab mice or may even cause harm. But at a moderate dose, they could significantly influence the gut-brain axis. They could rev up the sympathetic nervous system, raise thermogenesis, and boost metabolism. That could lower the risk of many metabolic health disorders.
Researchers have long known that some toxic compounds, at the right dose, may act as medicine instead. But they did not know how. The new study shows a key step. Mild stress switches on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the body’s main stress system. That plays a vital role in how these compounds work. It not only prevents metabolic disorders. It is also good for brain health and may boost memory and thinking.
So it is fair to say this. Mild stress from certain foods and habits, like intermittent fasting, may boost thinking and memory. It may also prevent brain-wasting (neurodegenerative) disorders and metabolic disorders.
Frequently asked questions
What foods contain procyanidins?
B-type procyanidins are a kind of polyphenol built from catechins. They are found in cocoa and chocolate, apples, grapes and grape seeds, and red wine. These are the compounds researchers tested for the moderate-dose effect on this page. Fruits rich in polyphenols have long been tied to longer life and fewer chronic health disorders. Procyanidins are one reason why.
Can you eat too many procyanidins?
Dose matters. In lab mice, small amounts of B-type procyanidins did nothing. Large amounts either did nothing or caused harm. Only the moderate dose worked. These findings come from mice and set no amount for people. So the lesson is moderation. More chocolate is not more benefit. The middle dose is the one that helped.
How do procyanidins boost metabolism?
At a moderate dose, procyanidins act as a mild stressor. They work through the gut-brain axis. They switch on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and rev up the sympathetic nervous system. That raises thermogenesis, the body’s heat production, and boosts metabolism. That may lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, glucose intolerance and abnormal blood fats.
What is the hormetic effect?
Hormesis is the finding that constant stress harms the body, while mild stress that comes and goes helps it. That mild stress is tied to healthy aging. Humans evolved as hunters and gatherers who often went without enough food. That repeated mild stress set off brain responses that boosted metabolism. Modern comfort removed those stressors. Moderate doses of procyanidins, and habits like intermittent fasting, may bring back a mild version of that response.
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
