--- title: "Urolithin A (Mitopure): Benefits, Evidence & Best Supplement |…" description: "Urolithin A activates mitophagy to renew mitochondria. The human evidence, benefits for muscle, dosing, and the best urolithin A (Mitopure) supplement —…" url: "https://magellanlongevity.com/urolithin-a.md" canonical: "https://magellanlongevity.com/urolithin-a.html" html: "https://magellanlongevity.com/urolithin-a.html" type: "landing" section: "Urolithin A" products: 2 citations: 39 updated: 2026-09-02 author: "Gabriel Radu, DO" author_credentials: "Physiatrist (PM&R). NY medical license 275110. NPI 1376861765." publisher: "Magellan Longevity" content_format: "markdown" --- # Urolithin A: mitochondrial renewal, and the evidence [Home](https://magellanlongevity.com/) › Urolithin A **HTML version:** https://magellanlongevity.com/urolithin-a.html · **In the Magellan app:** https://magellanlongevity.com/#/product/102 *Urolithin A is a gut-derived metabolite that triggers mitophagy — recycling worn-out mitochondria. Here is the human evidence, the benefits, and the best way to get it.* ## What urolithin A does Your gut bacteria convert ellagitannins from pomegranate, walnuts and berries into **urolithin A** — but only some people produce meaningful amounts. Urolithin A activates *mitophagy*, the cellular clean-up that clears damaged mitochondria, and human trials show improvements in muscle strength and endurance markers. Because production from food is so variable, a standardized supplement (Mitopure) is the reliable route. See the [mitochondrial research](https://magellanlongevity.com/longevity-research-map.html). ## Urolithin A, graded on evidence Linked to its mechanism and PubMed studies. | Product | Evidence grade | Citations | Typical price | Why it is on this list | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Urolithin A (Mitopure)](https://magellanlongevity.com/p/102.md) | Moderate evidence | 20 | $50.00 | In human research, urolithin A supplementation is safe and bioavailable and improves markers of mitochondrial health.… | | [Pomegranate Ellagitannin Extract](https://magellanlongevity.com/p/110.md) | Moderate evidence | 25 | $27.74 | In human research, the ellagitannin-derived metabolite urolithin A has improved muscle strength, endurance, and… | ## Evidence detail ### Urolithin A (Mitopure) - **Evidence grade:** Moderate evidence - **Dose used in studies:** 1,000 mg/day in most trials (500–1,000 mg/day studied) - **What the grade does not say:** Several small, well-controlled randomized trials show improved muscle endurance and strength, lower inflammatory markers, and younger-looking immune-cell profiles, with an excellent safety record. But nearly all are short (4 months or less) and manufacturer-funded, some missed their primary endpoints, and there is no long-term disease or lifespan data. Most people cannot reliably make urolithin A from food — the rationale for direct supplementation. ### Pomegranate Ellagitannin Extract - **Evidence grade:** Moderate evidence - **What the grade does not say:** Human trials and meta-analyses support small blood-pressure reductions (a few mmHg) and one year-long trial suggests memory preservation, but at least one systematic review calls the blood-pressure evidence weak. The headline mitophagy benefits were shown mainly with purified urolithin A, not pomegranate extract, and microbiome conversion of ellagitannins varies widely — many people are low producers. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does urolithin A do? Urolithin A activates mitophagy — the recycling of damaged mitochondria — and human trials show benefits for muscle strength and endurance. ### Does urolithin A actually work? Randomized human trials show measurable improvements in muscle and mitochondrial markers, which is stronger evidence than most longevity compounds have. See the linked studies. ### Can you get urolithin A from food? Indirectly — your gut bacteria make it from ellagitannins in pomegranate, walnuts and berries, but many people produce little or none, which is why a standardized supplement is more reliable. ### What is the dose of urolithin A? Human trials commonly use about 500 mg/day of urolithin A. Check with your physician before starting. ## The research behind these picks Primary peer-reviewed sources for the products above. Quotes are verbatim from the cited abstract. ### Cited studies 1. **Evidence: activates mitophagy, recycles mitochondria** Cell Rep Med 2022 · [PMID 35584623](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35584623/) · [DOI 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100633](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100633) > significant improvements in muscle strength with intake of Urolithin A 2. **Effect of Urolithin A Supplementation on Muscle Endurance and Mitochondrial Health in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial** JAMA Netw Open 2022 · [PMID 35050355](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35050355/) · [DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.44279](https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.44279) > Urolithin A is a gut microbiome-derived metabolite shown to stimulate mitophagy and improve muscle function 3. **Evaluating the Impact of Urolithin A Supplementation on Running Performance, Recovery, and Mitochondrial Biomarkers** Sports Med 2025 · [PMID 40839339](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40839339/) · [DOI 10.1007/s40279-025-02292-5](https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02292-5) > UA upregulated pathways associated with mitochondria, led to a medium effect for increased markers of mitophagy 4. **Urolithin A improves mitochondrial health, reduces cartilage degeneration, and alleviates pain in osteoarthritis.** Aging Cell 2022 · [PMID 35778837](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35778837/) · [DOI 10.1111/acel.13662](https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13662) > Furthermore, Urolithin A reduced disease progression in a mouse model of OA, decreasing cartilage degeneration, synovial inflammation, and pain. 5. **Urolithin A alleviates neuropathic pain and activates mitophagy.** Mol Pain 2023 · [PMID 37464536](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37464536/) · [DOI 10.1177/17448069231190815](https://doi.org/10.1177/17448069231190815) > We showed that the autophagy flow was blocked in the spinal dorsal horn of the chronic constriction injury (CCI) mice when the most obvious pain behavior occurs. 6. **The mitophagy activator urolithin A is safe and induces a molecular signature of improved mitochondrial and cellular health in humans.** Nat Metab 2019 · [PMID 32694802](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32694802/) · [DOI 10.1038/s42255-019-0073-4](https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-019-0073-4) > These observed effects on mitochondrial biomarkers show that UA induces a molecular signature of improved mitochondrial and cellular health following regular oral consumption in humans. 7. **Effect of the mitophagy inducer urolithin A on age-related immune decline: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.** Nat Aging 2025 · [PMID 41174221](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41174221/) · [DOI 10.1038/s43587-025-00996-x](https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-025-00996-x) > These findings indicate that short-term UA supplementation modulates human immune cell composition and function, supporting its potential to counteract age-related immune decline and inflammaging. 8. **Assessment of Urolithin A effects on muscle endurance, strength, inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein metabolism in male athletes with resistance training: an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.** J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2024 · [PMID 39487653](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39487653/) · [DOI 10.1080/15502783.2024.2419388](https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2024.2419388) > After 8 weeks of UA supplementation at 1 g/day, resistance-trained male athletes showed improvements in muscle strength and endurance. Additionally, UA supplementation was also associated with reduced oxidative stress levels and a decrease in inflammation response levels. 9. **Evaluation of Urolithin A Efficacy in Heart Failure Patients with Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Randomized, Double-blind, Crossover, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.** Rev Recent Clin Trials 2024 · [PMID 38415449](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38415449/) · [DOI 10.2174/0115748871279354240209101604](https://doi.org/10.2174/0115748871279354240209101604) > The results of the present study do not support any positive effect of UA supplementation in improving echocardiographic and biochemical indices of HFrEF. 10. **Targeting aging with urolithin A in humans: A systematic review.** Ageing Res Rev 2024 · [PMID 39002645](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39002645/) · [DOI 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102406](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2024.102406) > UA increased muscle strength and endurance, however, had no effect on anthropometrics, cardiovascular outcomes, and physical function. 11. **Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents.** Nat Med 2016 · [PMID 27400265](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27400265/) · [DOI 10.1038/nm.4132](https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.4132) > We identified urolithin A (UA) as a first-in-class natural compound that induces mitophagy both in vitro and in vivo following oral consumption. In C. elegans, UA prevented the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria with age and extended lifespan. 12. **Impact of the Natural Compound Urolithin A on Health, Disease, and Aging.** Trends Mol Med 2021 · [PMID 34030963](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34030963/) · [DOI 10.1016/j.molmed.2021.04.009](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2021.04.009) > UA enhances cellular health by increasing mitophagy and mitochondrial function and reducing detrimental inflammation. ## Structured data ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://magellanlongevity.com/urolithin-a.html#page","url":"https://magellanlongevity.com/urolithin-a.html","name":"Urolithin A: mitochondrial renewal, and the evidence","description":"Urolithin A activates mitophagy to renew mitochondria. 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Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your physician before starting any supplement or device, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication. Editorial firewall: evidence grades are assigned from the published research and are independent of any affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, Magellan Longevity earns from qualifying purchases. Reviewed for accuracy by a board-certified physician (DO).