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News
A natural compound called urolithin A — produced in the body after eating pomegranates, walnuts, and certain berries — improved heart function by up to 80% in animal models of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Researchers at King's College London found it helps stiff hearts relax, reduces scarring, and showed promising results in engineered human heart tissue. Clinical trials are still needed before this becomes a treatment.
Researchers at King's College London have found that urolithin A — a compound the body naturally produces after consuming pomegranates, walnuts, and some berries — can improve heart function by up to 80% in animal models of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The compound helped stiff heart tissue relax more effectively, reduced fibrosis (harmful scarring), and limited abnormal enlargement of heart muscle cells.
HFpEF is notoriously difficult to treat because the heart still pumps normally but can't relax and fill properly between beats. It accounts for roughly half of all heart failure cases and disproportionately affects aging populations with obesity or diabetes. The team also tested urolithin A in engineered human heart tissue derived from stem cells, where it significantly improved relaxation — a promising sign that animal results may translate to humans.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: HFpEF affects nearly half a million people in the UK alone and has very limited treatment options. This research identifies a novel biological target and a naturally derived compound that could pave the way for new therapies — though clinical trials in humans are still needed before any treatment recommendations can be made.
