Study: Compound linked to pomegranate may improve heart function by up to 80% - Sarmad
A new study conducted by researchers at King’s College London has revealed promising results regarding the impact of a compound produced by the body after consuming certain foods, including pomegranate, on heart health. According to Newsweek, experiments showed that the compound may help improve heart function in patients with a type of heart failure for which treatment options remain limited.
Researchers found that urolithin A, a substance produced by the body after consuming foods such as pomegranates, walnuts, and certain types of berries, can improve heart function by up to 80 percent in individuals suffering from a form of heart failure that currently has limited treatment options.
The results indicated that urolithin A may help the heart relax more effectively, reduce scarring or fibrosis, and prevent harmful enlargement of the heart muscle. These effects are particularly significant for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
This condition accounts for about half of all heart failure cases. It occurs when the heart retains its ability to pump blood but becomes stiffer and less able to relax between beats, impairing its capacity to fill adequately with blood. This can lead to symptoms including shortness of breath, fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, and an overall decline in quality of life.
Dr. Joseph Burgoyne, the study’s lead author and a researcher at King’s College London, said: “This type of heart failure is becoming increasingly common as populations age and rates of obesity and diabetes rise. Despite the growing burden it imposes, treatment options remain limited due to the complexity of the disease and the significant variability in its characteristics among patients.”
In comments to Newsweek, Burgoyne explained that urolithin A is produced by gut bacteria when they metabolize compounds known as ellagitannins, which are found in pomegranates, walnuts, and certain berries.
He noted that although urolithin A is associated with pomegranates and results from the consumption of such foods, it is not present in them in large quantities. He clarified that consuming a specific amount of pomegranate does not necessarily guarantee a fixed or consistent dose of urolithin A.
Burgoyne stated that the research team discovered that urolithin A activates a protein known as PKGIα, which “plays an important role in helping heart muscle and blood vessels relax.”
He added: “This occurs through direct modification of a specific amino acid in the protein, cysteine 42. In heart muscle cells, this ultimately improves calcium handling, allowing the muscle to relax more effectively between heartbeats.”
This mechanism is particularly important in cases of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, as the heart, despite retaining a relatively normal ability to contract, “becomes stiff and struggles to relax and fill with blood,” according to Burgoyne.
He further stated: “In the animal model, urolithin A improved indicators of heart relaxation, reduced fibrosis or scarring, decreased heart muscle cell enlargement, and enhanced exercise capacity. We also observed faster relaxation in human-engineered heart tissue.”
