BETHESDA, Md. -- Some local people who take medication to control their high blood pressure are giving up their meds in favor of an experimental chocolate treatment.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda are testing a special formula of chocolate to see if it might be an alternative to traditional medicine.

Patients who are using the experimental treatment follow three simple steps:

• Take a packet of special chocolate powder.
• Add water to the mix.
• Stir the ingredients well and drink.

The cocoa is packed with polyphenols, a compound found naturally in chocolate. Doctors said research suggests that the compound is good for the heart.

Dr. Michael Quon of the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative medicine at NIH is leading up the study.

"We are investigating the ability of chocolate, which is a functional food, to improve blood pressure and to improve insulin resistance," said Quon. "Often times metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity go together with cardiovascular diseases … we are trying to look at therapies which can improve both of these things at the same time because we think that they are related to each other."

You cannot find the special chocolate used in the study at stores.

Quon also issued a warning to anyone thinking of trying the study at home. "This is just for research purposes, and we're not recommending anybody eat chocolate to lower their blood pressure, at this point."

NIH is looking for participants between the ages of 21 and 65 with mild to moderate high blood pressure to take part in the study.

Study volunteers have the chocolate drink almost every day during the study.

Participants have to be able to go off their blood pressure medication for about six weeks while they are in the study.

More Information:

• Click Here