From Dexerto · Dylan Horetski · · 40s
Smelling chocolate boosts gym reps
Dark chocolate scent helps lift more weights without feeling harder.
In brief
Dark chocolate scent helps lift more weights without feeling harder. Smelling dark chocolate before workouts increases leg extensions by 18 reps without increased effort. Originally reported by Dexerto.
Study finds chocolate scent boosts reps
A University of Malaya study shows smelling chocolate before workouts increases leg extensions by 18 reps.
“Seeing a substantial increase in repetitions without the athletes feeling like they were exerting themselves any harder is a fascinating psychobiological outcome”
Dark chocolate outperforms milk chocolate
Participants exposed to dark chocolate completed 18 more reps than water control, while milk chocolate added nine.
No increased effort reported
Despite more reps, participants did not feel like they were working harder during exercise.
Hunger reduced with dark chocolate
Dark chocolate reduced hunger and increased fullness before workouts, while milk chocolate was more pleasant.
The big picture
Smelling dark chocolate before workouts increases leg extensions by 18 reps without increased effort.
