Copyright Men's Journal
It’s that time of year again. Cold and flu season is here, and if you’re anything like me, you probably caught a cold the moment the temperature dropped. The days are shorter, the sun’s weaker, and if you’re not careful, you could end up sicker than a dog by Christmas. People try just about everything to stay healthy through the winter, from upping their vitamin C and zinc to chasing morning sunlight and swearing by every immune hack on the internet. But according to new research, there may be one under-the-radar supplement that outperforms them all. A recent clinical trial found that for adults aged 40 to 65, supplementing with Urolithin A can improve immune cell function and reverse certain markers of age-related immune decline. The compound is produced in the gut when bacteria break down ellagic acid, a nutrient found in foods like pomegranates, berries, and walnuts. Research suggests it can reduce inflammation, combat cellular damage, and boost energy production by cleaning up aging mitochondria in a process called mitophagy. In the study, 66 sedentary adults took either 1,000 mg of Urolithin A or a placebo each day for four months. Those who took Urolithin A saw their key immune cells, including CD8+ effector memory T cells, increase by 10 to 15 percent. Their mitochondria also produced more energy, effectively giving their immune systems extra power to fight off threats. The improvements were most noticeable in participants whose immune systems were already showing signs of age-related decline. While the study’s results are promising, there are a few important caveats. It lasted only four months, which isn’t long enough to draw definitive conclusions, and it focused on cellular changes rather than actual reductions in infection rates. In other words, the findings suggest potential benefits, but more research is needed to confirm how Urolithin A might impact real-world immunity.
