Urolithin A

Also known as: Mitopure

Status

Dietary supplement (US). Not approved as a medicine for any condition. FDA has responded to GRAS notices for urolithin A concerning the notifier's specific intended food uses; that is not FDA approval of supplements or of any health claim.

What it is

A gut metabolite of pomegranate ellagitannins with small randomized human trials on muscle endurance.

What published research measured

Not present in food itself — it is produced by gut bacteria from ellagitannins, and not everyone carries the gut bacteria to make meaningful amounts, which is the stated rationale for supplementing it directly. Randomized placebo-controlled human trials have been published, reporting improvements in muscle endurance and in mitochondrial gene expression in middle-aged and older adults. Effect sizes are modest and the trials are industry-funded.

Source

Ryu D et al. 2016 — Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents · Fang EF et al. 2019 — Mitophagy inhibits amyloid-β and tau pathology and reverses cognitive deficits in models of Alzheimer's disease · Singh R et al. 2019 — Enhancement of the gut barrier integrity by a microbial metabolite through the Nrf2 pathway

Sources

No linked primary source is on file for this entry yet.

Educational use only, never medical advice. No doses.