Urolithin A
In five small trials, a pooled six-minute walk gain of 17 m did not reach significance. Single trials reported gains in muscle endurance and strength, and changes in immune and mitochondrial markers. Most trials were funded by the maker. No trial measured lifespan. Kidney stones containing urolithin A were reported in people eating ellagitannin-rich foods.
Add to Bio HackChecked 2026-11-09
- Status
- Dietary supplement in the US.
- Also called
- UA, Mitopure, Timeline, pomegranate metabolite, ellagitannin metabolite, mitophagy activator
- Taken for
- slowing aging, longer life, mitochondrial health, mitophagy, muscle strength, endurance, recovery, immune aging, skin
Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on
Shown to help1
What people take it for, and what was found
Shown to help1
Immune aging
One short trial found small rises in some immune cell markers over 28 days in healthy middle-aged adults. The maker co-designed and funded it.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- Over 28 days, urolithin A raised naive-like CD8+ T cells by 0.50 percentage points (95% CI 0.16 to 0.83) and CD8+ fatty acid oxidation capacity by 14.72 percentage points (95% CI 6.46 to 22.99) over placebo. It also changed several immune cell populations and functions [6].
- Population
- 50 healthy middle-aged adults at 1,000 mg a day [6].
- Sources
- [6]
- Caveats
- One short trial measuring cell markers. Amazentis supplied the product and study funds and co-designed the trial. Three authors were Amazentis employees [6].
Mixed results2
Muscle strength and endurance
Small trials found mixed results: some strength and endurance measures rose, but walking distance and the main endpoints did not improve. Most trials were maker run.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- Pooling two trials, six-minute walk distance rose by 17.03 m (95% CI -5.33 to 39.40) more than placebo, not significant. Strength, endurance and mitochondrial outcomes were too varied to pool [1]. In middle-aged adults, muscle strength rose about 12% over 4 months, while peak power output, the primary endpoint, did not improve [2]. In older adults, hand and leg muscle endurance rose more than on placebo at 2 months, but six-minute walk distance and maximal ATP production, the primary endpoints, did not differ [3].
- Population
- 5 RCTs with 236 participants [1]; middle-aged adults at 500 or 1,000 mg a day for 4 months [2]; 66 adults aged 65 to 90 at 1,000 mg a day for 4 months [3].
- Sources
- [1], [2], [3]
- Caveats
- GRADE certainty for walking distance was low [1]. Trial [2] tested Mitopure, and most of its authors were employees of Amazentis, its maker. Amazentis funded [3] and helped design the study, analyze the data and write the paper. One review author co-wrote an earlier Amazentis trial [4].
Mitochondrial and cellular markers
Small trials found changes in mitochondrial and inflammation blood markers in middle-aged and older adults. All were run or funded by the maker.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- Four weeks at 500 or 1,000 mg a day changed plasma acylcarnitines and muscle mitochondrial gene expression in older adults [4]. Acylcarnitines, ceramides and CRP fell more than on placebo in older adults over 4 months [3], and acylcarnitines and CRP fell in middle-aged adults [2].
- Population
- Healthy, sedentary older adults [4]; 66 older adults [3]; middle-aged adults [2].
- Sources
- [4], [3], [2]
- Caveats
- These are markers, not health outcomes. All three trials were run or funded by the maker.
Not shown to help2
Athletic performance and recovery
One trial found no improvement in 3,000 m time trial performance in male runners over 4 weeks, though exertion ratings and creatine kinase were lower.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- Over 4 weeks of altitude training, 3,000 m time-trial performance did not improve in either group. Ratings of perceived exertion and creatine kinase after downhill running were lower on urolithin A [5].
- Population
- 42 competitive male distance runners at 1,000 mg a day; 22 completed the time trial [5].
- Sources
- [5]
- Caveats
- One trial, with Amazentis among its funders [5].
Blood vessel function
One small trial found no change in blood vessel function over 4 weeks in adults with obesity.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- Four weeks of urolithin A did not change brachial flow-mediated dilation (0.3% on placebo, 1.3% on urolithin A) or other measures of peripheral endothelial function. Task-evoked brain blood flow responses were greater after urolithin A, and task performance did not change [7].
- Population
- 50 adults aged 40 to 64 with BMI of 30 or more, at 1,000 mg a day [7].
- Sources
- [7]
- Caveats
- One small, short trial. The authors reported no conflicts [7].
Claimed, not studied in people1
Longer life
Not studied in people. Urolithin A extended lifespan in roundworms and improved exercise capacity in aging mice and young rats.
No study in people. This rests on animal studies, how it acts in the body.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- In C. elegans worms, urolithin A induced mitophagy, prevented the age-related buildup of dysfunctional mitochondria and extended lifespan, with longer normal mobility. In two mouse models of age-related muscle decline and in young rats, it improved exercise capacity [9].
- Population
- C. elegans roundworms, mice and rats [9].
- Sources
- [9]
- Caveats
- The lifespan result is from worms. Rodent results covered exercise capacity, not lifespan. No study of urolithin A and human lifespan was located.
Doses studied
Trials used 500 or 1,000 mg a day for 4 weeks [4] or 4 months [2], and 1,000 mg a day for 4 weeks [5][6][7] or 4 months [3].
Risks
Reported risks1
Kidney stones
Case reports: urolithin A was found in kidney stones from 8 patients who did not report taking supplements. The authors note supplements give higher levels than diet.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- A stone-analysis laboratory identified urolithin A in stones from 8 patients aged 59 to 87, making up 5% to 80% of each stone. Seven were women. All 6 with a diet history ate walnuts daily or nearly daily. None of those 6 reported taking urolithin A supplements. The authors note supplements give urine and plasma levels up to 6 times those from diet [8].
- Population
- 8 case reports from kidney stone analysis [8].
- Sources
- [8]
- Caveats
- A case series without supplement exposure. It does not show how often supplements cause stones.
Checked, no increase found1
Adverse effects in trials
Small trials found adverse events about as common as on placebo for up to 4 months, most run or funded by the maker.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- The first human trial reported a favorable safety profile as its primary outcome, with single doses and 4 weeks of use [4]. Adverse events did not differ between urolithin A and placebo over 4 months in older adults [3]. Urolithin A was well tolerated over 4 weeks in adults with obesity [7].
- Population
- Healthy older adults [4]; 66 adults aged 65 to 90 [3]; 50 adults with obesity [7].
- Sources
- [4], [3], [7]
- Caveats
- Small trials of 4 months or less, most run or funded by the maker.
Possible, not studied in people1
Long-term use
Not studied in people. Rats fed urolithin A at up to 5% of their diet for 90 days showed no adverse changes, and it was not genotoxic in lab tests.
No study in people. This rests on animal studies, lab studies.
The numbers and sources
- How common
- How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
- Effect
- In 28-day and 90-day rat studies with urolithin A at up to 5% of the diet, clinical measures, blood chemistry and blood counts did not change and no target organ was found. The no observed adverse effect level was the highest dose tested, 3,451 mg/kg a day in males and 3,826 mg/kg a day in females. A battery of genotoxicity tests was negative [10]. The longest human trial on this page ran 4 months [3].
- Population
- Rats, and genotoxicity assays [10].
- Sources
- [10], [3]
- Caveats
- A 90-day rat study does not show what years of use do in people. Kidney stones containing urolithin A have been reported in people eating walnuts, though none of those with a diet history reported supplements (see Kidney stones) [8].
Claims tested and not found
- That urolithin A increases walking distance in older adults. Six-minute walk distance did not differ from placebo in a 4-month trial [3], and the pooled estimate across two trials was not significant [1].
- That urolithin A improves race performance in trained runners. A 3,000 m time trial did not improve over 4 weeks [5].
- That urolithin A improves blood vessel function. Flow-mediated dilation did not change over 4 weeks in adults with obesity [7].
Sources
- Dao T, Nguyen TT, Gariani K, et al. Effects of Urolithin A supplementation on muscle health outcomes in humans from randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1834344
- Singh A, D'Amico D, Andreux PA, et al. Urolithin A improves muscle strength, exercise performance, and biomarkers of mitochondrial health in a randomized trial in middle-aged adults. Cell Reports Medicine. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100633
- Liu S, D'Amico D, Shankland E, et al. Effect of Urolithin A Supplementation on Muscle Endurance and Mitochondrial Health in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.44279
- Andreux PA, Blanco-Bose W, Ryu D, et al. The mitophagy activator urolithin A is safe and induces a molecular signature of improved mitochondrial and cellular health in humans. Nature Metabolism. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-019-0073-4
- Whitfield J, McKay AKA, Tee N, et al. Evaluating the Impact of Urolithin A Supplementation on Running Performance, Recovery, and Mitochondrial Biomarkers in Highly Trained Male Distance Runners. Sports Medicine. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02292-5
- Denk D, Singh A, Kasler HG, et al. Effect of the mitophagy inducer urolithin A on age-related immune decline: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Nature Aging. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-025-00996-x
- da Costa Pinaffi-Langley AC, Gulej R, Kaposzta Z, et al. Urolithin A and Endothelial and Cerebrovascular Function in Middle-Aged Adults With Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.38047
- Best SL, Gruzdys V, White M, et al. First Reported Human Cases of Urolithin A Renal Calculi. Kidney International Reports. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ekir.2026.106515
- Ryu D, Mouchiroud L, Andreux PA, et al. Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents. Nature Medicine. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.4132
- Heilman J, Andreux P, Tran N, et al. Safety assessment of Urolithin A, a metabolite produced by the human gut microbiota upon dietary intake of plant derived ellagitannins and ellagic acid. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2017.07.050