Are you experiencing an annoying cough that keeps you awake at night? Unfortunately, over-the-counter cough syrups aren't as effective as the advertisements would lead you to believe, and codeine-based prescription ones can make you tired and nauseous. The side effects of cough syrups are even more pronounced in children, and parents are being encouraged to avoid them completely in very young kids for safety reasons. Natural remedies for cough are usually the best tolerated, but is there one that really works? An interesting study shows that there may be a tasty and effective way to stop a cough – by sipping hot chocolate.

    Chocolate: A Natural Remedy for Cough?

    In a study published in the FASEB Journal, researchers demonstrated the amazing ability of theobromine, a common ingredient in dark chocolate, to naturally suppress cough. To test this, they gave participants a capsule containing either codeine, theobromine, or a placebo. The participants then inhaled increasing amounts of capsaicin, an ingredient in red peppers, to stimulate them to cough. The results? When they were given theobromine capsules, the participants needed a third more capsaicin to induce cough than when they received a placebo. Surprisingly, codeine wasn't much better than placebo for suppressing cough in this study.

    How Does Theobromine Work as a Natural Cough Remedy?

    Theobromine, a chemical found in large quantities in cocoa beans, suppresses cough by inhibiting activity of the vagus nerve which innervates the lungs from the brain. This is similar to the way in which dextramethorphan and codeine suppress cough, but theobromine doesn't have the same undesirable side effects. In fact, in this study, participants experienced no significant adverse reactions to theobromine – suggesting it could be a safe, natural remedy for cough.

    How Much Chocolate is Needed for Cough Suppression?

    The amount of theobromine used in this study was equivalent to the amount contained in two cups of cocoa. Although chocolate and cocoa powder contains caffeine which could be a problem for some people, it's a relatively small amount compared to coffee.

    Cocoa or Dark Chocolate as a Natural Cough Remedy: Should You Use It?

    Researchers are hoping to develop a theobromine based cough syrup. Until then, it's unlikely doctors will be prescribing dark chocolate or hot cocoa for treating cough. But, because it's safer than most cough syrups out there, it may be worth a try if you have an annoying cough. If the cough persists, see your doctor.

    你是否經歷過整晚咳嗽而難以入睡？不幸的是非處方咳嗽糖漿并不如廣告所宣稱得那么有效，并且一些含可待因成分的藥方會令你感到疲倦及產生嘔吐感。咳嗽糖漿對兒童的副作用更為明顯，出于安全考慮，父母常被勸告要完全避免對非常小的孩子使用這類藥物。天然療法常常是最能被接受的，但是它真的有用嗎？一項有趣的研究表明也許有一種可口有效的止咳方法--喝熱巧克力。

    巧克力：咳嗽的天然療法？

    在美國實驗生物學會聯合會（FASEB）雜志上發表的一項研究中，研究人員證明了咖啡堿的驚人效用，咖啡堿是純巧克力一般成分，能自然抑制咳嗽。為了測試該結論，他們給參與試驗的人員含有可待因或者咖啡堿或者安慰劑（無治療效用）的膠囊。然后參與人員會吸入增加的辣椒素，辣椒素是紅辣椒中的一種成分可刺激他們（受試驗人員）咳嗽。那么結果如何呢？服用咖啡堿膠囊的受試者要比接受安慰劑的人員多三分之一的辣椒素來引起咳嗽。令人意外的是，在該研究中可待因在抑制咳嗽方面并不比安慰劑有效。

    咖啡堿是如何作為天然咳嗽療法的？

    咖啡堿是大量存在于可可豆中的一種化學成分，通過抑制大腦支配肺部的交感神經活性從而抑制咳嗽。這與dextramethorphan（一種藥物成分）和可待因抑制咳嗽的方式相似，但是咖啡堿并沒有與之相同的不良副作用。事實上，在這項研究中，參與者對咖啡堿并沒有明顯的不適感--說明它可能是一種安全天然的咳嗽療法。

    抑制咳嗽需要多少巧克力？

    本研究中所用的咖啡堿量與兩杯可可所含咖啡堿量相當。雖然巧克力和可可粉中含有困擾一部分人的咖啡因，但是與咖啡相比，咖啡因的量很小。

    作為天然咳嗽藥的可可飲料或純巧克力：你應當使用嗎？

    研究人員希望生產一種咖啡堿成分的止咳糖漿。到那里時，醫生就不會開出純巧克力或熱可可來治療咳嗽了。但是因為這種方式比市面上大部分止咳藥更安全，因此如果受到咳嗽的困擾，這值得一試。如果這樣咳嗽還是"頑固不化",還是去看看醫生吧。