King’s College London study finds compound may improve heart function

Researchers at King’s College London have identified a natural compound, urolithin A, that may improve heart function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In laboratory and animal studies, the compound improved certain measures of cardiac performance by as much as 80%.

Urolithin A is produced by gut bacteria when they break down nutrients found in foods such as pomegranates, walnuts, and certain berries. The study suggests the compound helps the heart muscle relax, reduces scarring, and limits harmful enlargement. This is particularly significant for HFpEF, a condition where the heart muscle becomes stiff and struggles to fill with blood between beats, despite maintaining a normal pumping capacity.

While the findings, set to be published in Science Advances, are promising, researchers emphasize that the results are in the early stages. Further clinical trials in humans are required to determine therapeutic benefits, as the body’s ability to produce urolithin A varies depending on an individual’s gut microbiome.