Urolithin A
What’s New This Month
- Muscle: A 2026 review of 5 trials found a 17 m gain on a 6-minute walk, too small to be sure it is real. 1
- EU: Urolithin A is still under EU safety assessment and is not authorised as a novel food as far as we could find. 2
- UK: The UK application is still in risk assessment. 3
- Australia: Australia allows urolithin A in listed medicines under a quality standard; this is not a judgment on benefit. 4
Overview
Urolithin A is made by gut bacteria from ellagitannins, plant compounds in pomegranates, walnuts and berries. About 40% of people made it after one dose of pomegranate juice. 5
Scientists first found it in 1980, as a breakdown product of ellagic acid in rats. A 2016 study found it helps clear worn-out mitochondria, the cell’s power units, in worms and mice. 6
Supplements hold lab-made urolithin A, most often sold as Mitopure. Labels claim mitochondrial health, healthy aging, cellular energy, muscle strength and endurance.
How We Researched It
We rate each marketing claim with a modified version of GRADE, the system medical researchers use to say how sure we can be (i.e., high, moderate, low or very low), and check each trial with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, which asks whether a study’s design could skew its results. We used 27 evidence records and read 20 seller pages. We checked FDA, California Prop 65, and regulators in Canada, the EU, the UK and Australia. No Cochrane review exists.
Research NotesTop three benefits
Muscle Strength GRADE: Low
In 88 inactive adults aged 40 to 64, 500 mg a day for 4 months raised hamstring strength 12% versus placebo. Knee extension did not change, and the main goal, peak power, was missed. 7 In 20 trained men, 1 g a day helped one strength test but not lifting maximums. 8
Bias check: The larger trial was run by the maker. A 2026 review rated the evidence low certainty. 1
Healthy Aging GRADE: Very Low
Longer life was seen in worms. No human trial has measured aging or survival. 6
Bias check: Animal results often do not carry over to people.
Endurance GRADE: Low
In 66 adults aged 65 to 90, 1,000 mg a day improved muscle endurance at 2 months, but not at 4 months, and the walk test did not change. 9 Pooled across 5 trials, the 6-minute walk rose 17 m, a result that could be zero. 1
Bias check: Most trials were run by the maker.
Benefit Evaluation
| Claim | Claim Verdict | Research Confidence | Supporting Evidence | Safety Risk | Product Quality | FactStack™ Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Strength | Promising | Low | Promising | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Healthy Aging | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Endurance | TBD | Low | TBD | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Antioxidant | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Skin | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Joints | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Brain | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Gut Health | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Variable | Caution |
| Cellular Energy | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Within Limits | Variable | Warning |
| Heart | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Within Limits | Variable | Warning |
What Sellers Say vs. What Studies Show
| “Urolithin A adds 12% more strength.” | That was one leg muscle in one maker-run trial of 88 adults. Knee extension did not improve, and the main goal was missed. 7 |
| “It boosts your energy.” | In 66 older adults, the walk test did not change, and the endurance gain at 2 months was gone at 4. 9 |
| “It helps you live longer.” | Longer life was seen only in worms. No human trial has measured aging or lifespan. 6 |
| “It is a strong antioxidant.” | The only human measure moved the wrong way in a trial of 20 men. No trial supports the claim. 8 |
| “Only 30 to 40% of people make it.” | Overstated. About 40% made it after one juice dose; only about 5 to 25% make none. 5 |
| “FDA certified it as safe.” | FDA had no questions about a 2018 GRAS notice for urolithin A in certain foods; this is not an FDA approval. 10 |
Trial ParametersIf you try it
| Who | Healthy adults who accept a modest, uncertain effect and the cost. |
| Dose | No authority dose. Trials used 500 to 1,000 mg a day; 500 mg gave the strength result. 7 |
| Ceiling | None established for supplements. Trials went up to 1,000 mg a day. 9 |
| Duration | Judge it at about 4 months and stop if nothing changes. |
| Form | NSF/ANSI 173-listed products check label accuracy only. Avoid unbranded, low-price products; counterfeit and under-dosed ones are sold online. |
| Ask First | Pregnancy or breastfeeding; under 18; narrow-margin CYP1A2 or CYP3A4 drugs; hormone-sensitive cancers or immunotherapy. |
How to Take It
| Pick a plan | If you try it, take 500 mg a day. Judge it after about 4 months. 7 |
| Time of day | Not reported. |
| With food | Not reported. |
| What to expect | You will likely not feel it. Trials found blood-marker changes and, in some tests, small strength gains. 9 |
| How to take | Take it as the label directs. One Mitopure label lists 500 mg per 2 softgels, per the label. 11 |
Works With / Don’t Mix With
✓ Works with
Not reported. We found no supplement shown to add to urolithin A’s effect.
Pomegranate, walnuts and berries. These foods supply ellagitannins, which gut bacteria turn into urolithin A. 5
⚠ Ask first / don’t mix
Narrow-margin drugs cleared by CYP1A2 or CYP3A4. In lab tests, urolithin A blocked these liver enzymes; this has not been tested in people. 12
Hormone-sensitive cancers or immunotherapy. Ask your cancer doctor first.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and under 18. We found no safety data for these groups.
Manufacturer Recalls & WarningsLast 36 months, newest first
| Date | Maker / Brand | Product | Action | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | FDA adverse-event database (CAERS) | Urolithin A product | Two reports mention urolithin A; in one, a urolithin A product was the only suspected product. Reports do not prove the product caused the event. | 13 |
Where to Buy
We compare products side-by-side not just on price, but on whether NSF lists the product as NSF/ANSI 173 Contents Certified (an independent lab confirms the label matches the contents), whether it is NSF Certified for Sport, whether USP lists it as USP Verified, and whether the seller says it is manufactured in the USA. We leave out a brand’s products for this supplement when, in the last 36 months, the FDA took action against that brand over this supplement (a Class I or II recall, a warning letter, an import alert or an advisory letter). We also leave out any brand with an FDA Class II recall or warning letter on any product. We also leave out any product named in a California Prop 65 notice or a non-US recall, along with that brand’s products of the same ingredient and form. Brands with other actions stay listed and are marked in the Recall Screen column. Our goal remains to provide you, the Consumer, with the information and data necessary to make an informed purchasing decision. Prices reflected below are static and subject to change.
Ratings above describe the ingredient’s research, not any product listed below.
| # | Retailer | Product | Price | NSF 173 | NSF Sport | USP | Mfg. in USA (per seller) | Recall Screen | Affiliate link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | Timeline Mitopure Urolithin A Softgels | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | |
| 2 | Amazon | Timeline Mitopure Urolithin A Powder 500 mg (Berry) | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | |
| 3 | iHerb | Codeage, Liposomal Urolithin A, Eternal, 60 Vegetable Capsules | $99.99 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | View on iHerb ↗ |
Sources
1. Dao et al. Urolithin A and physical function: systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 trials. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2026. doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1834344
2. EFSA question EFSA-Q-2018-00724, urolithin A novel food (ongoing risk assessment). European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 17 Oct 2022. open.efsa.europa.eu/questions/EFSA-Q-2018-00724
3. Urolithin A discussion paper, application RP-1777 (risk assessment). UK Food Standards Agency (ACNFP), Sep 2025. acnfp.food.gov.uk/UrolithinADiscussionPaper
4. Update to listed medicine ingredients, September 2025 (urolithin A added). Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia), 30 Sep 2025. www.tga.gov.au/news/notices/update-listed-medicine-ingredients-september-2025
5. Singh A et al. Direct urolithin A supplementation versus pomegranate juice: blood levels in 100 adults. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021. doi.org/10.1038/s41430-021-00950-1
6. Ryu D et al. Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents. Nature Medicine, 2016. doi.org/10.1038/nm.4132
7. Singh A et al. Urolithin A and muscle strength, exercise performance and mitochondrial markers in middle-aged adults (ATLAS trial). Cell Reports Medicine 3:100633, 2022. doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100633
8. Zhao et al. Urolithin A in resistance-trained men: 8-week randomized trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2024. doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2024.2419388
9. Liu S et al. Urolithin A, muscle endurance and mitochondrial health in older adults: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open 5(1):e2144279, 2022. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.44279
10. GRAS Notice 791: urolithin A (Amazentis), FDA response letter. US Food and Drug Administration, 20 Dec 2018. www.fda.gov/media/187487/download
11. Dietary Supplement Label Database, label 325596 (Mitopure 500 mg per 2 softgels). NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 9 Oct 2026. dsld.od.nih.gov/label/325596
12. Satka et al. Urolithin A and human drug-metabolizing (CYP) enzymes in the lab (abstract). Toxicology Letters, 2025. doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2025.07.424
13. openFDA food adverse event (CAERS) records mentioning urolithin. US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), 7 Jul 2026. api.fda.gov/food/event.json?search=products.name_brand:%22urolithin%22&limit=5
14. openFDA food enforcement (recall) search for urolithin: no matches. US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), 9 Oct 2026. api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json?search=product_description:%22urolithin%22
15. FDA warning letters database. US Food and Drug Administration, 9 Oct 2026. www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/compliance-actions-and-activities/warning-letters
16. Import Alert 54-16. US Food and Drug Administration, 14 Aug 2026. www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1141.html
17. Import Alert 54-18. US Food and Drug Administration, 27 Jun 2025. www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1158.html
18. Import Alert 66-41. US Food and Drug Administration, 1 Oct 2026. www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_190.html
19. Proposition 65 60-day notices search. California Office of the Attorney General, 9 Oct 2026. oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-day-notice-search
20. Recalls and safety alerts search, Health Canada (urolithin). Health Canada, 9 Oct 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/search/site?search_api_fulltext=urolithin&archive=1
21. Licensed Natural Health Products Database, licence 80128555 (UA Plus). Health Canada, 18 Nov 2024. health-products.canada.ca/lnhpd-bdpsnh/info?licence=80128555
