Urolithin A is proven to boost muscle strength and endurance
Partially trueThe Claim
Urolithin A is promoted as a mitochondria-renewing supplement that reliably makes muscles stronger and more enduring, especially with age.
Origin
Industry-funded clinical trials of a branded urolithin A product and mouse studies on mitophagy are the main basis for the marketing claims.
What Science Says
Individual RCTs report some benefits: in middle-aged adults, 4 months of urolithin A improved muscle strength by about 12% but missed its primary endpoint (peak power output), and in adults aged 65–90 it improved hand and leg muscle endurance but not 6-minute walk distance or maximal ATP production. A 2026 systematic review of 5 RCTs (236 participants) found the pooled 6-minute walk effect (+17 m) statistically inconclusive with low certainty and described strength and endurance findings as exploratory rather than reproducible.
Verdict
Partially True
Sources
- PMID:42559151 Effects of Urolithin A supplementation on muscle health outcomes in humans from randomized controlled trials.
- PMID:35584623 Urolithin A improves muscle strength, exercise performance, and biomarkers of mitochondrial health in a randomized trial in middle-aged adults.
- PMID:35050355 Effect of Urolithin A Supplementation on Muscle Endurance and Mitochondrial Health in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.