Supplement
Urolithin A is a compound gut bacteria make from foods like pomegranates and walnuts, and it helps cells clear out worn-out mitochondria, the parts that produce their energy. People mostly look at it for healthy muscle aging, where the evidence is moderate: trials found muscle strength improved by about 12% and muscles managed more contractions before tiring. Gains in walking distance were not statistically significant, and the aerobic findings came from small studies, so that evidence is limited.
- Updated
- How we grade
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 5
- Outcomes
- 7
- Graded outcomes
- 0430
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Muscle Function
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Strength ~12% improvement in muscle strength (ATLAS trial) | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 150 people | |||
| Muscle Endurance Significant improvement in muscle contractions until fatigue | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 116 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-Reactive Protein Significantly lower CRP indicating reduced inflammation | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 150 people |
Mitochondrial Function
- Mitochondrial Efficiency: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitochondrial Efficiency Lower plasma acylcarnitines indicating higher mitochondrial efficiency | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 200 people |
Exercise Performance
- 6-Minute Walk Distance: improves
- Peak VO2: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-Minute Walk Distance Clinically meaningful but not statistically significant improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 100 people | |||
| Peak VO2 Clinically meaningful improvement in aerobic endurance | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 66 people |
Immune Function
- T Cell Function: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T Cell Function Expanded naive-like CD8+ cells and increased fatty acid oxidation capacity | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 50 people |
Key findings
- Muscle StrengthImproves (the measure goes up)
- Muscle EnduranceImproves (the measure goes up)
- C-Reactive ProteinImproves (the measure goes down)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Urolithin A products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade B
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