Sniffing chocolate before a workout could add 18 extra reps, study suggests

Smelling dark chocolate was also found to suppress appetite in trial participants by reducing hunger and increasing feelings of fullness before exercise, while milk chocolate had no impact on appetite (but those studied said it smelled better).

Dark chocolate was found to be more impactful than milk chocolate, with men who inhaled a 90% cocoa variety able to do about 18 more leg extensions than those using a placebo.

Briefly inhaling the scent of dark chocolate before and during a workout could meaningfully improve a gymgoer’s performance—and even suppress hunger—according to a new peer-reviewed study.