Sniffing Chocolate Might Actually Help You on Leg Day

You Should Know: Now here’s a weird one for all you weight lifters out there. A new study says sniffing dark chocolate before and between sets (yes, you read that correctly), could help you squeeze out more reps, no eating required.

Going Deeper: Researchers wanted to know if scent alone could change weight lifting performance, not just how it feels. So a group of men who train regularly sniffed dark or milk chocolate against a control (water) before doing leg extensions following an overnight fast. Dark chocolate added about 18 more reps than water, while milk chocolate only added about 9. Researchers think the smell of chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, perhaps tricks the brain into feeling full before you’ve actually eaten anything, which ultimately helps performance.

Takeaway: This fits with other research on scent and exercise, like peppermint and citrus affecting mood during workouts. Sadly, eating chocolate hasn’t shown the same performance boost.

Bottom Line: Don’t count on chocolate scent to improve your workout. For a more reliable boost, avoid lifting on an empty stomach and have a light snack with carbohydrates beforehand.