Epicatechin is a member of a group of dietary antioxidants identified as flavonoids. Epicatechin is found in a variety of plant-based foods, but is especially abundant in green tea and dark chocolate.
Standard readers of this column are already familiar with previous investigation research suggesting that green tea flavonoids, such as epicatechin, have been linked to a potential decrease in the risk of cardiovascular illness and cancer, as well as decreased blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure (hypertension). Now, an innovative new laboratory analysis study has suggested that everyday epicatechin supplements may well substantially lessen heart harm, and the danger of congestive heart failure (CHF), following heart attacks (myocardial infarction).
In this study, which appears in the existing matter of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, laboratory rats underwent surgical blockage of their principal coronary artery, which reproduces the acute blockage of human coronary arteries that trigger heart attacks (myocardial infarctions). In one group of rats, every day oral supplements of epicatechin (1 mg/kg per day) had been started prior to tying off the rats' coronary arteries, and were continued just after coronary artery ligation. In a second group of "control" rats, daily water supplements (devoid of epicatechin) had been began ten days prior to coronary artery ligation. Yet a further "manage group" of rats underwent "sham surgery," wherein the chest wall was surgically opened (as with the other two groups of rats), but the coronary arteries were not tied off. In this group of rats, day-to-day epicatechin supplements had been also started ten days prior to their sham operations were performed.
When the hearts of these laboratory animals were evaluated 48 hours soon after their surgically induced heart attacks, the animals that had received every day epicatechin supplements (prior to and immediately after coronary artery ligation) had been found to have 52 percent much less permanently damaged heart muscle (myocardial infarction) when compared to the animals that received only every day "placebo" water supplements. Furthermore, these "control" animals, that underwent coronary artery ligation but did not receive epicatechin supplements, were observed to develop signs of CHF, as was expected, following the surgical induction of a enormous heart attack. Amazingly, the animals that had been pretreated with epicatechin prior to surgical ligation of the most important coronary artery did not display evidence of CHF (these animals' heart function did not significantly differ from that of the "sham surgery" rats that did not have their coronary arteries tied off)!
At three weeks soon after coronary artery ligation, the rats that had received epicatechin supplements, in addition to coronary artery ligation, had, on average, a 33 percent reduce in the extent of dead heart muscle (myocardial infarction) when compared to the "placebo manage" animals that received only water supplements (but no epicatechin) just before and right after coronary artery ligation. Once again, there was a substantial incidence of CHF in the rats that received only water supplements, in addition to coronary artery ligation, three weeks just after surgical induction of myocardial infarction, though the animals that received epicatechin supplements in addition to coronary artery ligation retained standard heart function (related to what was observed in the "sham surgery" rats that did not have their coronary arteries ligated).
This is very an extraordinary research study, as the protective effects of day-to-day epicatechin supplementation following ligation of the key coronary artery in rats was profoundly significant, and essentially prevented the onset of CHF in these laboratory animals. If epicatechin was to be shown to have similar "cardio-protective" effects in humans, then this would enormously increase the possible function of epicatechin, and other associated green tea and dark chocolate flavonoids, in the prevention and remedy of coronary artery illness!
Thankfully, there are numerous clinical research studies that are evaluating the potential cardio-protective effects of epicatechins, and other green tea and dark chocolate flavonoids, in patients with elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and other circumstances that are linked with an increased threat of coronary artery illness and heart attack. (At least one particular other study is also evaluating these similar dietary flavonoids in patients who currently have CHF.)
Meanwhile, green tea is nicely tolerated by most consumers, and if there are no preexisting medical illnesses that prevent you from drinking green tea, then a couple of cups or glasses of green tea a day can aid to decrease your threat of heart attack and CHF. (As often, but, I ought to remind readers that laboratory experiments with rats and mice sometimes do not translate to human beings when the identical therapies are evaluated in high-quality prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical investigation trials with human volunteers.)
To study extra about the role of green tea, dark chocolate, epicatechin, and other dietary flavonoids in the prevention of cancer, appear for the publication of my new landmark book, "A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race," in the summer of this year.
