Theobromine and cholesterol

What 3 graded rows on theobromine agree on for cholesterol, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.

Consensus finder Rows from the Theobromine page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides

What the rows agree on

Each block and row is one graded row from the Theobromine page, with its PubMed record.

Supplement

Theobromine Choose another

3 rows · 268 people

Mostly an improvement: 2 of 3 rows, and most of the people. 1 had mixed results.

Mixed

Improved

Each block is one evidence row, sized by how many people it enrolled, with its grade inside. Outlined: mixed results.

From the rows

The best-graded row, grade B, is a randomized trial of 152 people (2013) and found an improvement.

The rows run from 44 to 152 people, published from 2013 to 2023: 3 single studies.

2 improved · 1 mixed

Grade BHDL cholesterol in healthy adults · Improved
RCT · n 152 · 2013 · Healthy men and women aged 40 to 70 at two centres (factorial design)
850 mg/day pure theobromine; 1,000 mg/day with cocoa · 4 weeks
Theobromine raised HDL cholesterol by 0.16 mmol/L (P < 0.0001) and apolipoprotein A-I, and lowered apolipoprotein B and LDL cholesterol; cocoa itself had no significant effect on HDL and there was no interaction.
Row on the Theobromine page · PubMed 23595874 (opens PubMed)
Grade CWaist and cholesterol ratios with a low-calorie diet · Improved
RCT · n 72 · 2023 · Overweight or obese adults aged 40 to 55 with metabolic syndrome (80 randomized)
450 mg/day · 12 weeks
Compared with placebo, waist circumference fell 0.86 cm more, HDL rose 1.72 mg/dL and LDL/HDL, TG/HDL and TC/HDL ratios fell. Weight, BMI, blood pressure, total and LDL cholesterol, glucose and insulin did not differ.
Row on the Theobromine page · PubMed 37615657 (opens PubMed)
Grade CFasting and after-meal lipids and glucose in people with low HDL · Mixed
Crossover RCT · n 44 · 2018 · Healthy men and women with low HDL cholesterol
500 mg/day · 4 weeks per period
Theobromine lowered fasting LDL cholesterol (−0.21 mmol/L) and apoB100, did not significantly raise HDL (+0.03 mmol/L, P = 0.088) and raised hsCRP (+1.2 mg/L). After a meal, glucose, insulin and free fatty acids were higher with theobromine.
Row on the Theobromine page · PubMed 28645636 (opens PubMed)