Is Urolithin A the “Elixir of Long Life?”

By Paolo von Schirach

December 16, 2024 – A great deal of money has been and is invested in the “wellness” industry around the world. Some of it goes into longevity therapies: supplements, treatments, and/or lifestyle changes that will allow humans to live much longer, without any of the ailments and impediments that we normally associate with aging, in terms of pain, reduced muscle strength and chronic diseases.

The promise of long life

The promise made by many innovators seeking funding and markets for their (supposedly) breakthrough discoveries is that they have discovered something akin to the legendary “Elixir of Long Life.”

According to these self-styled wellness “scientists,” very soon we humans shall live much longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. However, these claims and hype about wondrous treatments with amazing extended longevity results are simply hot air –in far too many cases, simply outright fraud.

No breakthroughs

Sure, advances in medicine and the discovery of new therapies have reduced the incidence of premature death due to certain types of cancer and other diseases. But there is no “magic pill” that will make us all healthy and bubbly centenarians. Even for extremely healthy individuals, bodies age. And then we die.

An important compound can be effective

There is, however, one important discovery worth noting. And that is Urolithin A, (UA). Actually, this is not really a discovery. UA is a known natural compound found in berries, walnuts, and pomegranate. Scientists have known for a long time that this compound has a beneficial effect on the health of human cells, allowing for the rejuvenation of mitochondria.

Mitochondria’s function

Mitochondria are small organelles found within cells, often referred to as the “powerhouse of the cell,” responsible for generating most of the cell’s chemical energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through a process called cellular respiration. They have a double membrane structure and contain their own DNA separate from the cell nucleus.

The problem is that our mitochondria over time become progressively weaker. As a result, our cells, our muscles, and our bodies get weaker. We lose muscle mass and muscle strength. This is what we call “getting old,” something that inevitably happens to all of us, including those who follow an extremely healthy lifestyle in terms of regular exercise, outdoors activities, and appropriate nutrition.

Well, Urolithin A is not the “Elixir of Long Life.” It is not going to stop or reverse aging. But it will slow it down. It will keep mitochondria “young” for longer, and thus it will help your body remain vigorous, for longer.

The natural products will not work

The compound can be found in the natural products mentioned above. However, eating lots of nuts and drinking liters of pomegranate juice will not do the job, at least not for many of us. This is simply because many human organisms are not capable of synthesizing the compound contained in nuts and berries. For this reason, the beneficial effects of these natural products are lost. Indeed, according to available data, only about 40% of people can naturally convert these dietary precursors contained in pomegranate, berries, and nuts into meaningful levels of UA.

UA has been synthesized

Many companies have been working in this UA space, with the goal of synthesizing the UA compound in a form that will be easily absorbed and put to work at the cellular level, by improving the health of cellular mitochondria, with beneficial effects for the person’s muscles and organs. Some have actually done this. The result is a commercially available supplement that is much more potent and effective in terms of impact on mitochondria health than any amounts of nuts and berries.

Urolithin A (UA) supplements may have several health benefits, including:

• Mitochondrial health

UA supplements can improve mitochondrial function and activate mitophagy, which can help with cellular health.

• Muscle health

UA supplements can improve muscle strength, endurance, and exercise performance. They can also help with muscle pain and discomfort and protect muscles from inflammation-related injuries.

• Anti-inflammatory

UA supplements can help reduce inflammation and protect against cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS).

• Age-related conditions

UA supplements may help with age-related conditions that affect muscles, joints, the brain, and other organs.

Many supplements available

Any simple online search will show that there are many companies selling UA supplements. However, the scientists caution that these supplements are not all the same. Some of them are simply pomegranate extracts. They certainly do contain UA. However, many individuals will not be able to absorb them. For those individuals, taking the supplements will bring no value.

Only some work as intended

But other companies have created products, containing much larger concentrations of UA –let us call it turbo-charged pomegranate juice extract– that can be absorbed by all. According to the available evidence, in about 3 to 4 months, taking UA supplements daily, users will notice real improvements in terms of energy and improved resilience after vigorous exercise.

Anyway, UA is not the legendary “Elixir of Long Life,” but it is a compound that improves energy levels for young and old, making any physical activity and exercise more enjoyable, while having positive effects on your health. Overall, not so bad.

Paolo von Schirach is the President of the Global Policy Institute, a Washington DC think tank, and Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bay Atlantic University, also in Washington, DC. He is also the Editor of the Schirach Report.

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