Our Members Asked:
Does urolithin A reduce age-related muscle decline, osteoarthritis, or other age-related diseases?

Answer:
Urolithin A is a natural compound formed by the bacteria in the colons of about half of elderly people after consuming certain foods. Urolithin A seems to improve the function of mitochondria (the "powerhouses" inside our cells). However, clinical research with urolithin A has suggested only limited benefit in improving muscle health in active young adults or middle-aged and older adults. Urolithin A has also been touted for treating osteoarthritis (painful, worn joints), preventing kidney damage, and preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but is there evidence to support these uses? Find out in our full answer, which also includes information about safety and a comparison of products, including Mitopure, by signing in as a CL member.
Also see our separate article about other supplements for building and maintaining muscle.
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Helen21491
December 24, 2024At age 72 and due to a torn ligament, I started taking collagen peptides. Two spoonfuls in my morning coffee. 7-8 months later, I suspect that they have some muscle strengthening effect. I take coq10 and other supplements, I walk a lot, but I am aware of an energy level I lacked earlier. I have somehow regained my youthful stride.
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Daniel21367
December 09, 2024Has anyone had bloodwork done both before and after using Urolithin A for at least thirty days? I see people talking about not experiencing any changes, but I wonder if improvements would be detectable other than through various health biomarkers visible in bloodwork.
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Janine21133
November 20, 2024Is urolithin A created by gut bacteria, and if so, which species?
Gut bacteria species that may produce urolithin A include the following: Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus garvieae, and Enterococcus faecium (https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/5/1021).
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Becky21124
November 19, 2024I had high hopes for increased muscle strength, and took Urolithin A for a year. I noticed no perceptible (by me) improvement. I’ve stopped taking it, and haven’t noticed any decline of muscle strength or endurance either. As a supplement, it’s kind of expensive, so I did notice significant savings when I stopped taking it:-)
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Joseph21123
November 19, 2024One overlooked benefit from Urolithin A is for IBD, it significantly upregulates tight gap proteins, which holds the intestinal epithelial cells together.
See the following research paper from 2019 for futher information on this: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07859-7
Although interesting, this supporting evidence is based on only pre-clinical research. At this time, we are not aware of any clinical studies assessing the benefit of urolithin A for IBD in humans.
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GeezerGeek
November 13, 2024I've been taking 1000 MG Urolithin A (Neurogan) supplements for two and a half months. I'm 76, relatively healthy, but getting weaker. My daily routine is relatively consistent, activity wise.
So far I have not noticed any improvement, but no degradation either.
As per the requirements to post, I am stating that I do not have any incentive nor de-incentive to make my personal use statements.
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LYNN19568
May 28, 2024I've been taking it for only 50 days and see no improvement in anything. I have a bit of arthritis, am 76 and active, have depression (taking medication).
GeezerGeek
November 15, 2024I too am 76, somewhat active, taking Wellbutrin for depression and I have been taking 1,000 MG of Pro + Urolithin A (Neurogan + Health) for two months. I don't recognize any changes of improvement regarding my muscle strength nor endurance. I am aware that the improvements are expected to be noticed after a period of time and supplementation. I plan to continue for at least 6 months to give it a reasonable test period.
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Ken19376
April 24, 2024At 78 I just started taking Urolithin A two weeks ago, but with sciaticia and arthritis, I don't expect a lot. I use a rolator to have a place to sit when my leg goes numb, but I do what I can. I currently walk 3 to 4k steps a day and hope to double that this summer.
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Tom18872
February 28, 2024I’m in agreement with MJ about muscle growth, I am 79 and thinking about taking Urolithin A. Thanks for all your help
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Lisa18710
February 12, 2024Hello, I thought I understood that the subjects taking the Urolithin A did perform better on the 6 mile walk test?
Thanks for your question. In the Liu study, the participants in the urolithin A group did show an improvement in 6-minute walk distance, but the improvement was not significant compared to the placebo group (which showed a similar improvement).
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MJ De Vries
October 20, 2022I lost 45 lbs during the pandemic. also muscle mass. now i have "cooper's droop" everywhere and cannot lift very heavy boxes like I could before, i used to lift weights for
fun and enjoyment just to see how much I could. I got up to 235 lbs.. but that was in my
20's and now I'm in my 70's and I exercise for an hour every day, but I am not getting the
muscle mass back. Would like to see a study on how to build muscle mass with supplements as well. thanks for all you do ConsumerLabs!!!
Hi MJ - We've added a link in the article above to a broader article about supplements, excercise, and muscle. Be aware that gradual loss of muscle/strength is normal with aging, but resistance exercise with appropriate nutrition can help. However, if you have a rather sudden loss of muscle and strength, you may want to consult a physician to be sure there is nothing else going on, such as myositis.
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