Compound or practice · Supplement
Epicatechin
A cocoa flavanol studied for blood flow and a 'myostatin inhibitor' claim that's more marketing than muscle.
- Overall grade
- Grade C
- Last revised
- 2
- graded outcomes
- 0
- references listed
A structured monograph in Prometheus's bundled library. Its grades are the monograph's own reading of the evidence, not a peer-reviewed review.
1 at grade B · 1 at grade D — 2 graded rows
What is known
Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.
- Endothelial function / blood flowEvidence grade B
Cocoa flavanols
Smallhigh
- Muscle (myostatin)Evidence grade D
Overstated
Triviallow
What is uncertain
Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.
- Thin evidence: Muscle (myostatin) (grade D).
Interactions
Documented pairings with supplements and medicines. A medicine on this list is a conversation for whoever prescribes it.
Cocoa FlavanolsWorks together
Epicatechin is the active flavanol in cocoa.
The evidence in words
What it is
(-)-Epicatechin is the main flavanol in dark chocolate and green tea, sold in concentrated form for muscle and vascular effects.
How it works
It boosts nitric-oxide-mediated blood flow and mitochondrial biogenesis; the muscle claims rest on lowering myostatin / raising follistatin, seen mostly in small or animal studies.
What the evidence shows
Cocoa flavanols (including epicatechin) reliably improve endothelial function and blood flow. The muscle-growth story — via myostatin — is supported only by small, short, or preliminary human work and doesn't yet translate to meaningful hypertrophy.
Safety & interactions
Very safe at food-relevant doses. Cocoa Flavanols — Epicatechin is the active flavanol in cocoa.
Bottom line
Solid for vascular/blood-flow benefits as a cocoa flavanol; the myostatin muscle hype is not established. Dark chocolate delivers it cheaply.
Goes with
- Cocoa FlavanolsEpicatechin is the active flavanol in cocoa.Evidence grade B
Related reading
Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.
- Epicatechin for Endothelial function / blood flowEvidence grade B — Cocoa flavanolsEvidence grade B
- Epicatechin for Muscle (myostatin)Evidence grade D — OverstatedEvidence grade D
- Epicatechin: side effects, safety & interactionsVery safe at food-relevant doses.Evidence grade C
- ATP (Peak ATP)Oral 'ATP' that doesn't reach muscle as ATP — small, mostly industry-linked performance signals.Evidence grade D
Sources
This entry lists no references of its own.
Last revised . A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.