Elevated Response: Activating a Fight-or-Flight Anxiety: Inducing Alleviation by Consuming Toxic Dark Chocolate

Elevated Response: Activating a Fight-or-Flight Anxiety: Inducing Alleviation by Consuming Toxic Dark Chocolate

Here we go with the absurd claims once again, this time from the strange bunch at T-Nation (Chris Shugart) and their repetitive tactics to sell you useless and harmful supplements. This time they're endorsing questionable dark chocolate and a similar supplement to foster unwanted gut bacteria to produce something our bodies naturally produce. Let's delve into the ridiculous advice offered by this so-called expert.

"Feeling low? Consume a bit of this food daily for three weeks, and you'll feel better. Here's the science. Score your current mood on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being not at all and 5 being extremely down.

• I feel sad.
• I feel helpless.
• I feel hopeless.
• I feel irritable.

Scores below 10 indicate good mood, while scores above 20 show you're in a rough spot."

Alright, if a score of 4 means "extremely down" but it's four points away from 1, I guess everyone is fine then, right? But since I changed my diet to a species-appropriate, species-specific hyper carnivore diet in 2018, I haven't experienced such feelings. That's because when you're truly nourished, your body and mind operate as intended. Sure, we might get irritated every now and then due to the zombie-like NPCs mindlessly following the herd amidst the dumbed-down population, but overall, I generally just laugh it off and carry on.

However, if you genuinely feel down, you need to address the underlying issue instead of seeking a quick fix. What you require is proper nourishment and reducing your toxic load by eliminating anything plant-based and processed from your diet, and only consuming animal-based foods. This is the method our physiology was designed for.

"Scientists conducted a study using these measures. They had the participants complete mood tests, collected their fecal sample, and provided them with dark chocolate. Participants received either 70% or 85% dark chocolate, or a placebo, and consumed 30g daily for three weeks. After the testing period, the participants retook the mood tests and provided another fecal sample."

Now, before I comment on the absurd setup of this study, let's continue.

"The objective of the research was to investigate the relationship between the gut-brain axis, intestinal microflora (gut bacteria), and dark chocolate's impact on mood."

I think I have a pretty good idea of what they were investigating without even needing to comment on it.

The Study

"Forty-eight subjects between the ages of 20 and 30 were divided into three groups:

• Group 1 received 70% dark chocolate.
• Group 2 received 85% dark chocolate.
• Group 3 received a placebo (no chocolate)."

For three weeks, the chocolate eaters consumed 30g each day, which equates to roughly four or five squares, or about one-third of a chocolate bar (approximately 175 calories). After the testing period, the participants retook the mood tests and supplied additional samples for analysis.

Keep in mind that cacao pods are botanically classified as baccate-like fruits that are harvested when they turn a vibrant yellow/orange color, acting as nature's warning that the fruit is extremely toxic. Once harvested, the pods are cut open to extract the seeds, or cacao beans. Seeds are always the most toxic part of any plant, as they are responsible for reproduction and are packed with antinutrients and defense chemicals. Some animals, despite eating the plant, do not chew the seeds but simply swallow and pass them to avoid damaging their digestive system. Yet, we humans do the exact opposite.

Upon harvesting, the seeds undergo fermentation, drying, roasting (causing oxidation of fatty acids,) grinding (causing further oxidation and making antinutrients more readily available,) and pressing to form a mass before undergoing alkalization and tempering. The result is a cacao mass where fatty acids have been oxidized and are even more dangerous, while antinutrients and defense chemicals are made more readily available.

"Upon analysis, it was discovered that the group consuming 85% dark chocolate showed improved mood scores, while the other two groups did not."

This outcome is not surprising. Cacao contains numerous toxic defense chemicals, including polyphenols. Ingesting a high volume of toxins and rancid fats stimulates a battle-or-flight stress response, releasing epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine from the adrenal glands. These hormones raise the heart rate, elevate blood pressure, and redistribute blood flow to muscles, preparing the body for confrontation or escape from a threat. The HPA axis is also engaged, releasing cortisol, which helps maintain energy levels and regulates the immune system. In other words, you feel more energetic, alert, and, if you were feeling down before, this boost will be perceived as an improvement in wellbeing because your senses are sharpened for survival. However, this isn't a healthy approach to feeling better, it's a quick fix that puts a great deal of stress on the body every time.

The Poop Factor

"The researchers were investigating the gut-brain axis, intestinal microflora, and dark chocolate. Their focus was on how the gut bacteria change in response to dark chocolate consumption."

Our gut bacteria adapt to our diet, and it's irrelevant pseudo-science to link a specific diet, such as consuming plants, to gut bacteria diversity and health. The best and healthiest gut flora is the one you develop by consuming the foods your body was built to consume – animal-based foods.

"Participants consuming 85% dark chocolate showed increased gut microbial diversity, with more Blautia obeum, a butyrate-producing bacterium with anti-inflammatory effects. This increase in healthy gut bacteria contributed to better mood scores, particularly due to the prebiotic effects of dark chocolate."

Dark chocolate contains small amounts of buttery acid as a prebiotic that may help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. However, the body naturally creates buttery acid in the appropriate amounts when following our natural carnivore diet and fat metabolism, and being in ketosis.

How to Apply this Info (Please Don't Follow this Advice!)

"If you find yourself tolerating dark chocolate and it fits into your calorie budget, consume 30g of 85% dark chocolate daily. If you're not a chocolate fan, consider supplementing with...(heavily censored as it's an unnecessary supplement pitch)."

Chris Shugart, are you suggesting people poison themselves with polyphenols, antinutrients, and toxic chemicals daily to induce a stress response, wearing down their bodies, and reducing their lifespan to momentarily feel a bit better – a mental state that can be permanently resolved by changing their diet to follow their body's physiology? You sick and twisted individual!

Protecting your body from chronic stress is essential for your overall health and longevity. Keep in mind that consuming anything plant-based, including carbohydrates, seed/vegetable oils, and defense chemicals, antinutrients, metals, and pesticides, always provokes a physiological stress response. Remove anything plant-based from your diet to avoid exposing yourself to continual stress. Opt instead for animal-based foods, which is what our bodies were designed to consume. If you need help with any health issues or making the transition to a species-appropriate diet, I'm here to help, with both coaching and consultation available.

Coaching and Consultation

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References:

1. Alangool, T. K., & Patil, V. N. (2016). Effect of dark chocolate consumption on neuroprotective polyphenols across the blood-brain barrier: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 101(6), 1341–1355. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.141427
2. Foo, D. Y., & Calder, P. C. (2020). Magnesium intake and mental health: The potential role of a motor and nerve regulator. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 45(3), N51–N58. https://doi.org/10.31048/jpn.v45i03.0590
3. Gamba-Rodriguez, J. D., Astudillo-Merino, L. M., Rojas-Villanueva, J. L., & Kolodziej, Z. (2020). Psychological effects of caffeine on athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(8), 754–766. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1763684
4. O'Connor, E. A., Ramsey, S. B., Lin, D. S., & Bacic, D. (2017). Theobromine administration to rats in a developmental context effects the development and function of the rat hippocampus. Neuropharmacology, 120, 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.03.013
5. Rajan, V., O'Connor, E. A., Wilson, J. P., Grundy, J., Ramsey, S. B., & Lin, D. S. (2022). Cocoa Improves Mood-Related Symptoms in Healthy Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 14(6), 1353. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14061353
6. "Despite the suggestions from untrustworthy sources like T-Nation and Chris Shugart, a species-appropriate diet is key to addressing feelings of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, or irritability. A diet rich in animal-based foods can help nourish the body and mind."
7. "In a questionable study, researchers investigated the gut-brain axis, intestinal microflora, and dark chocolate's impact on mood. They found that consuming 85% dark chocolate for three weeks led to improved mood scores in some participants."
8. "Although the study showed a minor improvement in mood scores for those consuming 85% dark chocolate, it's important to remember that cacao pods are very toxic and not meant for human consumption, as they are packed with antinutrients and defense chemicals."
9. "The increased gut microbial diversity observed in the study participants consuming 85% dark chocolate might be attributed to the prebiotic effect of dark chocolate, but it's important to note that the body naturally creates these substances when following a species-appropriate diet."
10. "Instead of resorting to quick fixes like consuming dark chocolate or unnecessary supplements to improve mental health, it's essential to address the underlying issue, which is proper nourishment and eliminating plant-based and processed foods from your diet."

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