Rutin is a type of antioxidant flavonoid that is found in figs, buckwheat, tea, and apple peels. It’s been known to improve vascular health and appearance and is used to treat varicose veins and even hemorrhoids. Last year a study published in the journal Nutrients described how some scientists have used it to combat fat accumulation in subjects who overeat. In the experiment, rats were fed a high-fat diet and some of them were given supplemental rutin.
After 12 weeks, the animals who were not fed rutin gained twice as much fat as the ones who had consumed the antioxidant. Scientists found that rutin increased the number and expression of mitochondria in the muscle cells. Since rutin supplements are cheap and safe, and mitochondrial health seems more important with every passing day, taking rutin during a bulking phase sounds like a good idea. The human equivalent of the dose used in the study is 425 milligrams a day.
