A composition and method of improving the overall strength in a mammal, improving fatigue recovery in a mammal, improving athletic recovery in a mammal, improving increased endurance in a mammal, and improving overall athletic performance in a mammal by administering the composition, in the form of a powder, liquid, bar, cookie, waffle, syrup, tablet or dietary supplement, to the mammal. The composition includes 1 to 21.32 grams of cocoa powder; 1 to 48 grams of protein; 0 to 193 grams of carbohydrate; and 0 to 24 grams of fat. The cocoa powder includes 100 to 2,200 mg of cocoa flavanol containing at least one of the derivatives of catechin, (−)-epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, proanthocyanidins, theaflavins, and thearubigins.
