Urolithin A

What Is It?

Urolithin A forms in the gut when certain bacteria break down substances from pomegranates, walnuts or berries (ellagic acid). But only about 40 percent of people can do this in meaningful amounts. That is why urolithin A is now available as a supplement.

It stimulates mitophagy: damaged mitochondria, the power plants of the cells, are broken down and replaced with new ones. Damaged mitochondria play an important role in Parkinson's in particular.

What Does the Research Say?

• Parkinson's, animal studies: In several animal studies from 2022 to 2025, urolithin A protected the dopamine nerve cells, improved the function of the mitochondria and calmed inflammation in the brain. There are no studies in people with Parkinson's yet. A 2026 review also points out that it has not yet been shown how much urolithin A actually reaches the brain in humans.
• Humans, muscles and aging: There are more than 25 human studies, mainly on muscle strength and cell energy, with good tolerability. 500 mg daily showed measurable improvements in cell energy.
• Immune system, 2025: In a study by the team led by Prof. Florian Greten in Frankfurt (Nature Aging, October 2025), in which the manufacturer was also involved, 50 healthy middle-aged people took 1,000 mg of urolithin A or a placebo for four weeks. Afterward, their immune cells showed a clearly younger profile and more efficient mitochondria.
• Cancer and immunotherapy, animal studies: In 2022, the team led by Prof. Florian Greten at the Georg-Speyer-Haus in Frankfurt showed in mice that urolithin A expands long-lived tumor-fighting immune cells and makes immunotherapies more effective (Goethe University Frankfurt). This has not yet been tested in humans.

My Experience

Since the spring of 2026, I have been taking two capsules every morning on an empty stomach, 500 mg in total. Because I am convinced that it is good for my mitochondria, I have stocked up on a one-year supply.

Effort and Costs

The best-studied product is Mitopure by Timeline, which most of the research is based on. The usual dose is 500 mg daily, and up to 1,000 mg in studies. It isn't cheap: a one-month pack at 500 mg daily costs around 100 US dollars from the manufacturer (fall 2026). Cheaper products exist, but they have been studied less.

My Conclusion

For me, urolithin A is one of the most interesting substances when it comes to mitochondria and longevity, with good data on tolerability in humans. For Parkinson's, human studies are still missing.