Urolithin A for Exercise Performance

Research suggests that Urolithin A supplementation may support muscle endurance, strength, and aerobic performance, with two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials both pointing in a supportive direction. The 2022 trial in middle-aged adults found meaningful improvements in muscle strength and walking endurance alongside blood and tissue markers indicating enhanced mitochondrial activity and reduced inflammation, though the primary endpoint of peak power output did not reach statistical significance. The 2024 trial in resistance-trained male athletes similarly found improvements in muscle endurance and isometric strength, along with reductions in inflammatory and oxidative stress markers and decreased markers of muscle protein breakdown, though gains in one-rep max measures did not reach significance. Both studies have notable limitations, including small sample sizes and relatively short durations, so while the early evidence is encouraging and mechanistically plausible given Urolithin A's known role in mitophagy, broader and longer trials are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.