Mitopure vs pomegranate juice: Which is a better source of Urolithin A?

This article is prepared using clinical studies that compared Mitopure and pomegranate juice or supplements as a source of Urolithin A.

Understanding Mitopure

As mentioned by Mitopure,

“Mitopure is a highly pure form of Urolithin A, a postbiotic clinically shown to energize cells, increase muscle strength and improve endurance. And this is just the beginning. New studies continuously explore and prove the incredible potential of Urolithin A.”

Mitopure energises cells. Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell. They are renewed to fulfil the vast energy demands of cells.  With age, mitochondrial function declines. Mitopure stimulates the mitochondrial renewal process.

Understanding pomegranate juice

A study entitled “Pomegranate ellagitannins stimulate the growth of Akkermansia muciniphila in vivo,” published in Anaerobe, led by Henning et al and colleagues, concluded that pomegranate extract stimulates the growth of Akkermansia muciniphila in vivo. 

This bacterium produces ellagic acid from pomegranate extract ellagitannins. It hydrolyses ellagic acid to metabolites other than urolithin A. It plays a role in the breakdown of phenolic compounds in the intestine. It contributes to the prebiotic effect of pomegranate extract.

How research studies have used Mitopure and Pomegranate extract?

There are many research studies that have been carried out. But we have collected information from only a few of them.

• Mitopure powder has been used in a fruit-flavored form containing 500 mg of pure Urolithin A and ingredients like blueberry, raspberry fruit powder, pomegranate natural flavoring, and fibre. Mitopure powder is mixed into a vanilla-flavoured commercial yoghurt (4 fl. oz). Then it is used within 10 minutes.

• 8 fl. oz or approximately 240 ml of a commercially available 100% Pomegranate juice has been used. This juice has been chilled.

Research-based comparison of Mitopure and Pomegranate juice

We have collected this data from the research studies.

• According to the results from one study, “six hours after drinking the pomegranate juice, plasma levels showed most subjects still did not display gut-mediated production of Urolithin A. 

24% of subjects had detectable, but low levels of Urolithin A glucuronide in circulation and only 4% subjects were above the 100 ng/mL threshold. The conversion of pomegranate precursors into Urolithin A was markedly increased 24-h after drinking pomegranate juice. 

One of the interesting facts about this study is that only 40% of subjects displayed Urolithin A glucuronide plasma levels >100 ng/mL. The remaining 60% were either unable to convert or were poor converters of Urolithin A.

The study found that Urolithin A producers differed from non-producers in certain gut microbiome characteristics, including microbial diversity and the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroides ratio.

Direct supplementation with 500 mg Urolithin A produced more than six-fold greater plasma exposure to Urolithin A than pomegranate juice.

• In another study, pomegranate extract supplementation increased the presence of Roseburia, which is involved in the biosynthesis of multiple vitamin-related co-factors, B vitamins and folate synthesis. Other bacteria involved in urolithin production include the Lactobacillus, Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Slackia, and Bacillus genera.

• We noted the composition of pomegranate juice used in one study. 240 ml had 34 grams of sugars, 35 grams total carbohydrates, 30 mg sodium, 430 mg potassium, 0% of RDA of vitamin C and vitamin A, 4% calcium, and 2% iron. Pomegranate juice contains polyphenols like anthocyanins, punicalagins, ellagic acids, and other hydrolyzable tannins.

Why may Mitopure be superior to pomegranate?

Urolithin A is produced by gut microflora from foods which are rich in ellagitannins, but not everyone has a microbiome capable of producing it, so this is the main reason why supplementation with Urolithin A is an appealing strategy.

Interesting community discussions on Mitopure and pomegranate juice

A very interesting discussion is going on regarding Urolithin A and pomegranate juice. 

We found discussions that happened years ago.

• Another research study determined the effects of supplementation with a standardised punicalagin-enriched pomegranate extract, Pomella (250 mg), on the gut microbiome, circulating short-chain fatty acids, and gut microbial-derived ellagitannin metabolite urolithins. 

The Pomella supplement consisted of the pomegranate whole fruit extract containing 75 mg of punicalagin.

This study was conducted for a period of 4 weeks in participants aged 25–55 years. They either received an oral supplement containing 75 mg of punicalagin or an oral placebo. Though there was no significant change in the gut microbial diversity after 4 weeks of intervention, there was a significantly increased relative abundance of Coprococcus eutectus, Roseburia faecis, Roseburia inullnivorans, Ruminococcus bicirculans, Ruminococcus calidus, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. 

After four weeks, the pomegranate-extract group showed a numerically greater increase in circulating Urolithin A than the placebo group (6.6% vs. 1.1%); however, the between-group difference was not statistically significant.”

Additional instructions given to the participants in these studies:

• Adhere to dietary restrictions to reduce the confounding effects of polyphenolic-rich foods. 

• Reduce coffee intake to, at most, an eight-ounce cup of coffee.

• Only consume a cup of berries and a cup of fermented dairy products per week throughout the duration of the study. 

• Complete restriction of chocolate, alcohol, tea, and pomegranate or pomegranate-containing drinks.

• To consume a “polyphenol-free” diet with no fruits, vegetables, wine, tea, etc.

• To avoid antioxidant and herbal supplements.

• Light breakfast of toast with butter or cereal and low-fat milk. 

Note: These instructions are followed during the study. 

How pomegranate extract may produce Urolithin A?

According to one study, following consumption of Pomegranate extract, there was a significant increase in the abundance of multiple short-chain-producing bacteria in the gut microbiome, along with an increase in the circulating acetate and propionate levels. 

There are possible mechanisms by which it may work:

• The increased consumption of the ellagitannin punicalagin likely led to higher metabolite production due to the involvement of ellagitannins in the synthesis of urolithins. 

• The supplementation led to an increase in microorganisms involved in urolithin production.

• Standardized pomegranate extract may influence gut microbial composition and microbial metabolites, although the clinical significance of these changes requires further research.

Mitopure in pregnancy

None of the participants was pregnant or lactating.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women were not represented in the cited clinical studies; therefore, these findings should not be interpreted as evidence of safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Final takeaway

This article is a compilation of data from different research studies in which Mitopure and pomegranate extract supplements were used. 

In this article, we summarised the composition of these supplements.

To provide evidence-based information, we have provided the unedited information in some sections.

References

Singh A, D'Amico D, Andreux PA, et al. Direct supplementation with Urolithin A overcomes limitations of dietary exposure and gut microbiome variability in healthy adults to achieve consistent levels across the population. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2022;76(2):297-308. doi:10.1038/s41430-021-00950-1 (Source)

Sivamani RK, Chakkalakal M, Pan A, et al. Prospective Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of a Standardized Oral Pomegranate Extract on the Gut Microbiome and Short-Chain Fatty Acids. Foods. 2023;13(1):15. Published 2023 Dec 19. doi:10.3390/foods13010015 

Seeram NP, Henning SM, Zhang Y, Suchard M, Li Z, Heber D. Pomegranate juice ellagitannin metabolites are present in human plasma and some persist in urine for up to 48 hours. J Nutr. 2006 Oct;136(10):2481-5. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.10.2481. PMID: 16988113. 

Source: Mitopure®, the first 
Urolithin A supplement

Source: Pomegranate ellagitannins stimulate the growth of Akkermansia muciniphila in vivo

Reddit Source: Anyone have a read on Urolithin A?

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