Absorption, Metabolism, and Excretion of (-)-[2-14C]Epicatechin in Humans

Controlled dietary flavanol-/procyanidin- background, consisting of daily intake for 14 days (day -17 to -4) of a commercially available flavanol-/procyanidin-containing cocoa-based drink (250 mg cocoa flavanols; 40 mg of (-)-epicatechin) followed by a 4-day period (day -4 to 0) of a low-flavanol diet.

Single oral intake of an aqueous solution of a mixture of non-radiolabeled (-)-epicatechin and a single-carbon-14 radiolabeled (-)-\[2-14C\]epicatechin. The target amount of EC delivered with test drink will be 60 mg, 58.5 mg of which consist of non-radiolabled EC and 1.54 mg (300 µCi) consist of (-)-\[2-14C\]epicatechin.