What is Epicatechin?

What is epicatechin?

Epicatechin is a bioactive compound classed as a flavonol, a plant based phytochemical which is found in a number of foods in trace amounts, including green tea and most famously, dark chocolate.

 

While differing food sources contain different amounts of epicatechin, dark chocolate contains the most, and the darker the better with pure cocoa containing the highest amounts of all at nearly 3mg per gram.

 

Epicatechin benefits

 

Epicatechin has been the subject of several studies that have uncovered a host of physiological benefits, including:

 

Enhancing muscle growth and strength naturally via a novel pathway

Increasing nitric oxide production for improved vascularity, blood flow and endurance

Improving insulin sensitivity, regulating blood sugar levels and stimulating muscle protein synthesis

Lowering cholesterol levels due to its natural antioxidant properties

Improving brain and heart health

These far-reaching benefits make epicatechin a worthwhile addition to your supplement arsenal whether you’re looking to build muscle, burn fat or increase your athletic performance, and because it’s non-hormonal, epicatechin can be used by both men and women with no side effects.