Urolithin A - the next snake oil?

The longevity supplement market is notorious for overhyped compounds promising miraculous anti-aging effects. Is urolithin A—with its hefty price tag—another snake oil? Or does the science actually support the claims?

What Is Urolithin A?

Urolithin A is produced by your gut bacteria when you eat foods rich in punicalagin, like pomegranates, raspberries, and walnuts. But there's a catch: not everyone has a microbiome capable of producing Urolithin A- only about 40% of the population can convert punicalagin into Urolithin A, and this conversion declines with aging.

What Does Urolithin A do?

Urolithin A's proposed benefits center on mitophagy—the process by which cells remove damaged mitochondria. This process encourages cells to remove damaged mitochondria and create space for healthier ones. It's like a quality control system for your cellular powerhouses.

As we age, mitochondrial function declines, contributing to muscle weakness, reduced endurance, and various age-related diseases. This is due to oxidative damage, DNA damage, and other environmental stressors.

Urolithin A appears to enhance mitochondrial function and health through several biomarkers:

• Improved muscle endurance in hand and leg skeletal muscles
• Increased aerobic endurance (peak VO₂) and physical performance (6 min walk test)
• Reduced acylcarnitine and ceramides, markers of mitochondrial dysfunction
• Reduction of inflammatory biomarkers (CRP)
• Modulated skeletal muscle mitochondrial gene expression (and here)
• Improved immune system profile and mitochondrial correlates
• Improved oxidative stress markers
• Reduced neurodegenerative markers
  
  • Urolithin A activates AMPK to inhibit beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 and APP expression, reducing Aβ production, and lowering tau phosphorylation
• In addition to ample markers of health span in animal models

Is Urolithin A Worth the Cost?

While the early data looks promising, and side effects appear rare, Urolithin A is quite expensive and has very limited outcomes data from human trials. There are some conditions may benefit from Urolithin A:

• Muscular dystrophy
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Extensive inflammation
• Oxidative stress and damage
• Neurodegenerative conditions (based off pre-clinical data)

Urolithin A: The Bottom Line

Urolithin A represents a more scientifically grounded approach to longevity supplementation than many alternatives. The research is promising enough to warrant continued investigation and may justify experimentation for some individuals, particularly those concerned about age-related muscle, cognitive, and immune system decline.

However, you should discuss any supplements with your doctor because these findings are not only early but also not as impressive compared to gains from strength and endurance training. For most people, the fundamentals of healthy aging—regular exercise, quality nutrition, adequate sleep, and stress management—remain far more important and cost-effective than any supplement.

To learn if Urolithin A might be useful for your health, speak with a doctor at Clarus Health today to begin forming a personalized longevity plan. Your health simply isn't one-size-fits-all the way the supplement industry might lead you to believe.