The ancient Iranian fruit scientists think may help treat heart failure

There’s nothing seedy about this superfood.A silent yet deadly epidemic is sweeping the nation, with the number of Americans living with heart failure expected to nearly double from 6.7 million in 2024 to 11.4 million by 2050.While widely known for its antioxidant properties, one popular fruit could also hold the key to improving a particular type of heart failure millions live with.Called the “mitochondria makeover pill” for its ability to make people feel younger, urolithin A is a hot commodity for healthy aging, yet only about 40% of people can efficiently produce it.The postbiotic (what’s left over after gut bacteria digest food) is made after eating foods like walnuts, berries and pomegranates, a famous superfood and the most well-known ancient fruit native to Iran.The fruit’s anti-aging effects spurred researchers from King’s College London to further investigate what role urolithin A might play in heart health.Namely, they looked into treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, where the heart still pumps blood but struggles to relax and properly fill.In both animals and engineered human heart tissue, the compound significantly improved relaxation while also reducing scarring and limiting harmful enlargement of the heart.Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is often difficult to treat due to several factors, including aging, high blood pressure and diabetes, contributing to it.Researchers found that urolithin A activates a protein called PKGlα, which promotes relaxation of blood vessels and the heart muscle.In animal models, a urolithin A treatment improved measures of heart function by as much as 80%.The compound also significantly improved heart function in human heart tissue engineered from stem cells, suggesting the effects in animal hearts could translate to humans.While more research is needed to determine the full effects, the results suggest a promising solution from a naturally derived compound that’s already kno...