Chocolate craving and the menstrual cycle

Zellner, Debra A.; Garriga-Trillo, Ana; Centeno, Soraya; Wadsworth, Elizabeth

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2003.11.004

Cited by 54 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In one study, chocolate accounted for 49% of all food cravings reported by a sample of 25 healthy women (101). Greater chocolate craving has been reported among women than among men (193,212,289) particularly during the perimenstrual period (27,212,288), and a significant but small decline in cravings may occur after menopause (108). However, this association may be at least partially explained by cultural factors, as suggested by the work of Zellner et al (288).…”

Section: A Chocolate Cravingmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Greater chocolate craving has been reported among women than among men (193,212,289) particularly during the perimenstrual period (27,212,288), and a significant but small decline in cravings may occur after menopause (108). However, this association may be at least partially explained by cultural factors, as suggested by the work of Zellner et al (288). They found a large and significant difference between the proportions of American and Spanish women reporting perimenstrual chocolate cravings when asked an open-ended question about timing of cravings (40% vs. 4%) or when asked directly if they experienced perimenstrual cravings (60% vs. 24%).…”

Section: A Chocolate Cravingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease

Katz

Doughty

Ali

2011

Antioxidants & Redox Signaling

346

256

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Cocoa contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods. Flavonoids, including catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins predominate in antioxidant activity. The tricyclic structure of the flavonoids determines antioxidant effects that scavenge reactive oxygen species, chelate Fe2+ and Cu+, inhibit enzymes, and upregulate antioxidant defenses. The epicatechin content of cocoa is primarily responsible for its favorable impact on vascular endothelium via its effect on both acute and chronic upregulation of nitric oxide production. Other cardiovascular effects are mediated through anti-inflammatory effects of cocoa polyphenols, and modulated through the activity of NF-jB. Antioxidant effects of cocoa may directly influence insulin resistance and, in turn, reduce risk for diabetes. Further, cocoa consumption may stimulate changes in redox-sensitive signaling pathways involved in gene expression and the immune response. Cocoa can protect nerves from injury and inflammation, protect the skin from oxidative damage from UV radiation in topical preparations, and have beneficial effects on satiety, cognitive function, and mood. As cocoa is predominantly consumed as energy-dense chocolate, potential detrimental effects of overconsumption exist, including increased risk of weight gain. Overall, research to date suggests that the benefits of moderate cocoa or dark chocolate consumption likely outweigh the risks. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 15, 2779-2811.

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Section: A Chocolate Cravingmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: A Chocolate Cravingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease

Katz

Doughty

Ali

2011

Antioxidants & Redox Signaling

346

256

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“…One report that macronutrient selection varied during the estrous cycle in rats (Bartness & Waldbillig 1984) has not been confirmed in other studies (Geiselman et al 1981;Liebowitz et al 1998;Heisler et al 1999). In women, there is little evidence for physiologically-based cyclic variations in consumption of particular foods or in macronutrient selection (Buffenstein et al 1995;Drewnowski 1997;Dye & Blundell 1997;Rogers & Smit 2000;Bowen et al 2003;Geary 2004a,b;Zellner et al 2004). …”

Section: The Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal Axis and Eating (A) Hypotmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modulation of appetite by gonadal steroid hormones

Asarian

Geary

2006

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

435

383

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Several sex differences in eating, their control by gonadal steroid hormones and their peripheral and central mediating mechanisms are reviewed. Adult female rats and mice as well as women eat less during the peri-ovulatory phase of the ovarian cycle (estrus in rats and mice) than other phases, an effect under the control of cyclic changes in estradiol secretion. Women also appear to eat more sweets during the luteal phase of the cycle than other phases, possibly due to simultaneous increases in estradiol and progesterone. In rats and mice, gonadectomy reveals further sex differences: orchiectomy decreases food intake by decreasing meal frequency and ovariectomy increases food intake by increasing meal size. These changes are reversed by testosterone and estradiol treatment, respectively. A variety of peripheral feedback controls of eating, including ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon, hepatic fatty acid oxidation, insulin and leptin, has been shown to be estradiolsensitive under at least some conditions and may mediate the estrogenic inhibition of eating. Of these, most progress has been made in the case of CCK. Neurons expressing estrogen receptor-a in the nucleus tractus solitarius of the brainstem appear to increase their sensitivity to CCK-induced vagal afferent input so as to lead to an increase in the satiating potency of CCK, and consequently decreased food intake, during the peri-ovulatory period in rats. Central serotonergic mechanisms also appear to be part of the effect of estradiol on eating. The physiological roles of other peripheral feedback controls of eating and their central mediators remain to be established.

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“…His review of the literature supported his theory. Independent research also found that women ate more (Bryant et al, 2006) and reported more food cravings, especially for chocolate (Michener et al, 1999) and carbohydrates (Cohen et al, 1987) during the luteal phase of their cycles, although the chocolate craving may have a cultural origin (Zellner et al, 2004). Sternfeld et al (2002) found that moderate levels of physical activity were positively correlated with cycle length.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Menstrual Cycle and Sexual Behavior: Relationship to Eating, Exercise, Sleep, and Health Patterns

Brown¹,

Morrison²,

Calibuso³

et al. 2008

Women & Hlth.

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Patterns of eating, exercise, sleep and health were investigated across 180 menstrual cycles of 89 women who engaged in sex with a male (n = 45; cycles = 85), a female (n = 21; cycles = 37) or abstained from sex (n = 33; cycles = 58) from January 2005 to December 2007 (10 contributed to 2 groups). Cycles were divided into 5 phases based on their luteinizing hormone surges. Daily questionnaires and saliva for IgA and cortisol analyses were obtained. Women indicated that they ate more (p < .008) and did not sleep as well (p = .02) during their luteal and premenstrual phases. Participants were less likely to experience food cravings and did not satisfy their cravings when they were ovulatory (p < .001). Additionally, a greater proportion of lesbians skipped breakfast (p = .01) and exercised less than heterosexuals (p = .05). Sexually active women had lower cortisol and IgA levels than abstinent women (p = .02). Our study discovered, and confirmed, systematic differences in eating, sleeping and health patterns across women's menstrual cycles. Keywordslesbian; IgA; cortisol; alcohol; food cravings and abstinence Substantial research has been conducted on changes in women's sexuality across their menstrual cycles (Bullivant et al., 2004), but considerably fewer studies have been conducted on how other behaviors such as eating, exercise, sleep and health vary across the cycle. Additionally, little is known about how women who engage in sex with other women across a menstrual cycle might differ in their health patterns from women who abstain from or engage in sex with men.Fessler (2003) theorized that women ate less and exercised more at ovulation because their behavior was directed towards mating at this time. In contrast, he argued that women increased their feeding behavior during their luteal phases when implantation was likely. His review of the literature supported his theory. Independent research also found that women ate more (Bryant et al., 2006) and reported more food cravings, especially for chocolate (Michener et al., 1999) and carbohydrates (Cohen et al., 1987) during the luteal phase of their cycles, although the chocolate craving may have a cultural origin (Zellner et al., 2004). Sternfeld et al. (2002) found that moderate levels of physical activity were positively correlated with cycle length. However, most research on exercise and the menstrual cycle has been conducted on women athletes (Goodman & Warren, 2005) and is therefore difficult to generalize to other women. As far as we know, comparable research into eating and exercise has not been conducted on lesbians across their menstrual cycles. Some studies of lesbian health behavior have reported that lesbians have a higher body mass index (BMI) (Case et al., 2004) and higher frequencies of obesity (Boehmer et al., 2007) and substance abuse (Ridner et al., 2006) than heterosexuals. Other studies have found the opposite (Heffernan, 1998) or mixed results (Heffernan, 1996).Objectification and stigmatization theories have been used to explain th...

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Chocolate craving and the menstrual cycle

Cited by 54 publications

References 16 publications

Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease

Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease

Modulation of appetite by gonadal steroid hormones

The Menstrual Cycle and Sexual Behavior: Relationship to Eating, Exercise, Sleep, and Health Patterns

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