[CAS NO. 490-46-0]  (-)Epicatechin

Aging has deleterious effects on modulators of muscle growth/differentiation, the consumption of modest amounts of the flavanol (−)-epicatechin can partially reverse these changes. In mice, myostatin and senescence-associated β-galactosidase levels increase with aging, while those of follistatin and Myf5 decrease. (−)-Epicatechin decreases myostatin and β-galactosidase and increases levels of markers of muscle growth. In humans, myostatin and β-galactosidase increase with aging while follistatin, MyoD and myogenin decrease. Treatment for 7 days with (−)-epicatechin increases hand grip strength and the ratio of plasma follistatin/myostatin. Low-dose (−)-epicatechin treatment resulted in significant increases in skeletal muscle capillarity, mitochondrial biogenesis, and oxidative enzyme activity, which corresponded to lower muscle fatigue and higher endurance capacity when compared to the placebo group. (−)-epicatechin may potentially regulate the protein expression between angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors, such as VEGF-A and TSP-1, respectively.