Urolithin A

Mitopure · Urolithin

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Muscle endurance^1–4 Muscle strength^1–4 Aerobic endurance^{4, 5} Inflammatory markers (CRP)^{2, 4} Inflammatory markers^{3, 4} Mitochondrial health biomarkers^{2, 4, 6}	Pregnancy or nursing⁷ Children under 18⁷ Within two weeks of surgery⁷

Urolithin A is a gut-bacteria metabolite of ellagitannins and ellagic acid, compounds found in pomegranate, berries, and nuts⁸. It acts by stimulating mitophagy, the clearance of damaged mitochondria⁸. Supplementation is used for age-related decline in muscle endurance and strength, for aerobic performance, and for cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers. Typical users are middle-aged and older adults, including people whose gut bacteria make little urolithin A from food.

A 2026 meta-analysis of randomized trials found the one poolable outcome, six-minute walk distance, directionally favorable but statistically inconclusive¹. Two trials in middle-aged and older adults found gains in muscle strength or endurance, though neither met its primary endpoint^{3, 4}. In vitro and in a roundworm model, a 2016 study found urolithins blocked amyloid-beta fibrillation and a methylated urolithin B protected against amyloid neurotoxicity; no human trial has reported on it. Products are sold as capsules, including a branded form and multi-ingredient longevity blends; see Form comparison.

Per United States product labels, some warn against use in pregnancy or nursing, and one asks for discontinuation before surgery⁷. Most labels direct people taking medications or with a medical condition to consult a healthcare provider first⁷.

Last updated October 17, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

49 sources, 33 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources