28 Kolton Cobb, a graduate research assistant for the Center for Exercise Medicine and Rehabilitation, rides a Velotron electronically braked cycle ergometer while Dr. Michael Webster, associate professor of exercise physiology, assesses his exercise energy expenditure. This was performed for both the dark chocolate and the capsaicin studies. The question now, Webster said, is whether the results of the chocolate would be the same for other demographics, especially for sedentary or older individuals. He plans to pursue this line of questioning for a while, and he is already replicating Presler’s study with a group of older, post-menopausal women, a study he expects to complete this summer. Webster’s other study with red peppers brings the heat to the Hot Chocolate Lab, but the link between the fiery food and an increased metabolism has already been clearly established. This study is looking at capsaicin — the hot part of a red pepper — to see exactly how much it increases metabolism and if there’s an optimal dose for the ingredient. “If you eat a bunch of red pepper, you’ll start sweating really quick,” Webster said. “It definitely ramps up metabolism. However, the negative side of it is that you can’t put it in your mouth because it burns your mouth and it’ll also irritate your stomach wall. So you can’t really eat much of it.” Energy balance — calories in and out — is a real issue. Anything that can manipulate that balance is going to have an effect on overall body weight and body health. — DR. MICHAEL WEBSTER “ “