Attention, my fellow weight lifting m-fers! If you’re a forty-sumthin-year-old guy who’s determined to optimize your workouts like me, or anybody who wants to boost muscle growth, and take your fitness game to the next level, then hold onto your dumbbells. Today, I’m talking about epicatechin supplements – the popular secret weapon (that doesn’t make sense) that might just be the missing piece to your fitness puzzle. Get ready to unlock the muscle-building properties of epicatechin and discover why it’s a game-changer for us middle-aged, working-class warriors, and anyone else…
Don’t have time to read?!! (DAMN SHAME!), well here are some good epicatechin supplements for ya!!
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WTF is Epicatechin:
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s familiarize ourselves with epicatechin. It’s a natural flavonoid found in certain foods like dark chocolate, green tea, and berries. Epicatechin has been gaining attention in the fitness world for its potential benefits in muscle growth, exercise performance, and overall health. So, let’s dive into the research and see why this little compound is causing such a buzz.
Let’s dive into all the sciency crap that makes this supp work. One of its key mechanisms involves the modulation of important crap like follistatin, myostatin, and nitric oxide. Follistatin is a protein that acts as a natural inhibitor of myostatin, a protein that limits muscle growth. When we supplement with epicatechin, it has been shown to increase follistatin levels in our bodies. This increase in follistatin helps to reduce the activity of myostatin, effectively removing the brakes on muscle growth. This is the initial reason for this substances gain in popularity. Myostatin blockers are considered the holy grail by some in bodybuilding research. I’m sure you’ve all seen pictures online of the JACKED breeds of bull that genetically don’t have, or have very little myostatin( I can’t remember which). Or maybe you’ve heard of humans with some genetic myostatin deficiency, most notably Flex Wheeler.
Additionally, epicatechin has been found to enhance the production of nitric oxide in our blood vessels. Nitric oxide acts as a powerful vasodilator, widening our blood vessels and improving blood flow to our muscles. This increased blood flow delivers more oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to our muscles, promoting their growth and enhancing exercise performance. So, by boosting follistatin, reducing myostatin activity, and increasing nitric oxide production, epicatechin creates an optimal environment for muscle growth, strength gains, and improved workout performance.
Muscle Growth
You’re probably wondering, “Dark chocolate?? What in the actcual F@!#?” Well, my friend, the science behind epicatechin is there, so hear me the f@#k out please.
A study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry explored the effects of epicatechin on muscle growth. The results were pretty goddamn promising. The participants who received epicatechin had significant positive effects on promoting skeletal muscle growth and differentiation . Now, I don’t know about you, but that sounds good IMHO!
Enhanced Performance
Building muscles is just one part of the equation. We also want to maximize our exercise performance to crush those workouts and reach our fitness goals. Well, guess what? Epicatechin might just be the missing piece to help us do exactly that.
Research published in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology explored the effects of epicatechin on endurance capacity. The study found that participants who supplemented with epicatechin experienced improved endurance, which means we can push ourselves harder, go the extra mile, and dominate our workouts with relentless energy. This is where I personally notice this supplement. There aren’t many supplements, outside of stimulants that you can actually feel working like this.
Other good sh$#!
Epicatechin doesn’t stop at muscle growth and exercise performance. It offers a range of additional health benefits that make it an all-around superstar.
Studies have suggested that epicatechin possesses powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties can help protect our cells from damage, reduce inflammation after intense workouts, and support overall recovery. So, we can bounce back faster, feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle our next training session.
How much of this s@#t should I take?
Now that we know the potential benefits of epicatechin, let’s talk dosage. While specific dosage recommendations can vary, a common range for epicatechin supplementation is around 100-350 mg per day. I personally like the high end, however, it’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional or fitness expert to determine the ideal dosage that suits your specific needs and goals.
Look, I’m not just some random guy spewing out information. I’ve experienced the positive effects of epicatechin myself, most notably in the endurance realm. When I say endurance, I don’t just mean cardio, I mean more reps on my sets. We can benefit from that. But remember, personal experiences can vary, and it’s important to find what works best for you.
Soooooo, epicatechin supplements have emerged as a potential game-changer for us aging athletes, as well as anyone else. From promoting muscle growth and improving exercise performance to offering additional health benefits, this natural compound has a lot to offer. ALWAYS remember to combine epicatechin supplementation with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and a healthy lifestyle for optimal results. So, go ahead, unleash the power of epicatechin, and conquer your fitness journey like a true boss m-fer!
If you’d like to try out an epicatechin product, here are some that I actually recommend!!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you make a purchase through links on this site, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this blog.
Here are some related articles that may help you in your fitness journey!!
Works Cited:
- Syrov, V. N., & Kurmukov, A. G. (1976). [Experimental study of anabolic activity of 20-hydroxyecdysone]. Farmakologiia i toksikologiia, 39(6), 631-635.
- Parr, M. K., Botre, F., & Naß, A. (2015). Dietary supplements for the athlete: A need or a risk? Microchemical Journal, 123, 79-87.
- Gorelick-Feldman, J., Maclean, D., Ilic, N., Poulev, A., Lila, M. A., Cheng, D., & Raskin, I. (2008). Phytoecdysteroids increase protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(10), 3532-3537.
- Syrov, V. N., & Malashenko, V. Y. (2000). An experimental study of the anabolic activity of 20-hydroxyecdysone. Eksperimental’naia i klinicheskaia farmakologiia, 63(5), 66-68.
- Parr, M. K., Zhao, P., Haupt, O., Ngueu, S. T., Hengevoss, J., Fritzemeier, K. H., … & Diel, P. (2015). Estrogen receptor beta is involved in skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced by the phytoecdysteroid ecdysterone. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 115(4), 805-813.