Chocolate Chemistry: Theobromine in Chocolate

When we eat chocolate we consume thousands of molecules called theobromine. The theobromine molecule is made up of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen and its formal name is the very impressing but not very catchy “3,7 – dihydro – 3,7 dimethyl – 1H – purine –

2,6 – dione”. It's called theobromine since cocoa beans grow on a tree called theobroma cacao , which actually means food of the gods. Several Native American cultures in Mesoamerica , including the Aztecs and the Maya, considered the cocoa bean holy and the tree a gift from the gods.

Theobromine belongs to a class of alkaloid molecules called methylxanthines. Methylxanhthines has been found in more than sixty different plants world wide. Other famous methylxanthines besides theobromine is caffeine, which is found in coffee beans, and theophylline, found in tea plants. Since they are related chemically; caffeine, theophylline and theobromine affects us in a similar way. They are mild stimulants that increase our alertness and makes the smooth muscles of the bronchi in the lungs relax. They also increase urine production. Theobromine is however much milder than caffeine and the effects less obvious. Since the theobromine increases the urine production, it has been combined with the digitalis plant to treat persons suffering from accumulation of body fluid due to cardiac failure. Theobromine dilates the blood vessels and has therefore also been used to treat high blood pressure.

The theobromine levels are reduced to 50 percent of the consumed amount after just 6-10 hours in our bodies. Dogs are however not as fortunate as their metabolism break down theobromine much slower. Chocolate and other products made from cocoa beans can therefore be toxic for them, affecting the central nervous system, the heart and the kidneys. If your dog has consumed a significant amount of chocolate you should contact a veterinarian. It's important to know which kind of chocolate your pet has been eating since the theobromine levels varies a lot. Dark chocolate usually has about 10 g/kg while milk chocolate has just 1-5g/kg. Cocoa beans are the most dangerous, since their theobromine levels vary between 300 and 1200 mg/ounce. It is however more likely that your dog likes the fat and sugary taste of a chocolate bar than the bitter cocoa beans. Watch out for signs of poisoning: vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, muscle tremors, restlessness, increased urination and incontinence. The vet will most probably induce vomiting to get as much theobromine as possible out of your dog's stomach. There are reported cases where dogs have died from theobromine poisoning due to cardiac arrhythmias and seizures. What is true for dogs is true for most other pets too, including cats. Never feed you pets chocolate and don't leave boxes of chocolate on the coffee table when you leave the pets unsupervised.

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