Urolithin A vs NMN: Differences, NAD+ and Taking Them Together

Urolithin A and NMN both support mitochondria, the energy centers of your cells, but from opposite ends. NMN is a building block your cells use to make NAD+, the coenzyme mitochondria need to turn food into energy, while urolithin A supports mitophagy, the recycling of worn-out mitochondria. In human trials, NMN raised blood NAD levels in healthy middle-aged adults, and urolithin A improved leg muscle strength in middle-aged adults. Because they work differently, many people take both, and the trials dosed each in the morning before breakfast.

Key Takeaways

• NMN feeds NAD+ production: in 80 healthy adults aged 40 to 65, 300 to 900 mg a day for 60 days raised blood NAD levels compared with placebo (Yi et al., 2023).
• Urolithin A is a compound your gut makes from food, and it was first shown to stimulate mitophagy in animal studies (Andreux et al., 2019).
• In 88 middle-aged adults, 500 mg of urolithin A a day for 4 months raised hamstring strength by 12 percent (Singh et al., 2022).
• Only 15 percent of people in that trial had urolithin A in their blood at the start, which is why many people take it directly.
• They have not been tested together in a trial, but they act on different steps, and both trials dosed in the morning before breakfast.

Urolithin A vs NMN at a Glance

	NMN	Urolithin A
What it is	Nicotinamide mononucleotide, a building block of NAD+	A compound made in the gut from foods such as pomegranate
Main job	Helps cells make NAD+, which mitochondria use to make energy	Supports mitophagy, the recycling of worn-out mitochondria
Key human trial	80 healthy adults aged 40 to 65, 60 days	88 middle-aged adults, 4 months
Amounts used	300, 600 or 900 mg a day	500 or 1,000 mg a day
What changed	Blood NAD rose; 6-minute walk distance longer than placebo	Hamstring strength up 12 percent at 500 mg
When taken in the trial	Once a day before breakfast	Morning before breakfast, with water
Our product	Enhanced NMN: 750 mg NMN per 2 capsules	Urolithin A + Spermidine Capsules: 500 mg urolithin A per 2 capsules (planned, coming soon)

Sources: Yi et al., 2023; Singh et al., 2022; Andreux et al., 2019.

What NMN Does: Building NAD+

NAD+ is a coenzyme found in every cell, and mitochondria rely on it to turn food into usable energy. NMN sits one step before NAD+ in the cell's production line, so taking NMN gives cells more raw material to make it. Our cellular energy and mitochondrial health hub explains the bigger picture.

In a 60-day placebo-controlled trial, 80 healthy adults aged 40 to 65, 59 percent of them women, took 300, 600 or 900 mg of NMN once a day before breakfast. Blood NAD levels rose in every NMN group by day 30 and stayed up at day 60, with 600 mg giving more than 300 mg and no significant extra gain at 900 mg. All NMN groups walked farther than placebo in a 6-minute walk test at days 30 and 60. Side effects were mild or moderate and none was linked to NMN (Yi et al., 2023). For dose and timing in more depth, see our NMN dosage guide.

What Urolithin A Does: Recycling Worn-Out Mitochondria

Urolithin A is a natural compound your gut makes from compounds in foods such as pomegranates and walnuts. It was first shown to stimulate mitophagy and support muscle in old animals and other preclinical models (Andreux et al., 2019). Mitophagy is the cell's way of clearing out tired mitochondria so healthy new ones can take their place; our guide to mitophagy walks through it.

Two human trials stand out. In the first, healthy, sedentary older adults took 500 mg or 1,000 mg a day for 4 weeks; urolithin A was absorbed at every dose, had a favorable safety profile, and shifted blood and muscle markers of mitochondrial health (Andreux et al., 2019). In the second, 88 overweight adults aged 40 to 64, about two thirds of them women, took 500 mg, 1,000 mg or placebo every morning before breakfast for 4 months. Hamstring strength rose 12 percent at 500 mg and 9.8 percent at 1,000 mg, while it fell on placebo. The trial's main measure, peak power output, did not differ from placebo, and the number of people reporting side effects was similar across the groups (Singh et al., 2022).

Food alone is not a reliable route for everyone: only 15 percent of the people in that trial had urolithin A in their blood at the start, because not everyone's gut makes it. Our guide to urolithin A foods explains why, and urolithin A benefits covers the wider research.

Urolithin A vs NAD+: Two Ends of Mitochondrial Health

People often search for urolithin A vs NAD+ as if they compete. They do not. Think of a fleet of delivery vans. NAD+ is the fuel that keeps each van running, and NMN tops up the fuel supply. Mitophagy is the maintenance yard that retires worn-out vans so new ones can join the fleet, and urolithin A supports that yard. A fleet needs both fuel and upkeep, which is why the two are often discussed together for healthy aging. Our urolithin A ingredient page covers the compound itself.

Spermidine vs NMN

Spermidine is a natural polyamine found in foods such as wheat germ, and it is studied for its role in autophagy, the cell's wider recycling process that clears out old proteins and parts. Mitophagy is the branch of autophagy that handles mitochondria. So spermidine and urolithin A both sit on the recycling side, while NMN sits on the fuel side. Our guide to spermidine benefits covers its foods, research and dose.

Taking Urolithin A and NMN Together

Urolithin A and NMN have not been tested together in a trial. What we can say is that they act on different steps, and that each was taken in the morning before breakfast in its own trial (Yi et al., 2023; Singh et al., 2022). That makes a single morning routine the natural way to take both. NMN is also often paired with TMG; see NMN and TMG.

Most people tolerate both well. Check with your clinician first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a hormone-sensitive condition or take prescription medicine.

Who Might Choose Which

• NMN: people whose main goal is everyday cellular energy and healthy NAD+ levels as they age.
• Urolithin A: people focused on muscle and mitochondrial quality, especially if their diet and gut may not make much of it.
• Both: people who want to cover fuel and upkeep together in one morning routine.

Where Our Enhanced NMN and Urolithin A + Spermidine Capsules Fit

Our Enhanced NMN gives 750 mg of NMN per 2 capsules with 200 mg of trimethylglycine (TMG), 200 mg of resveratrol, 100 mg of pterostilbene and 750 mcg of vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin; the other ingredients are ginger extract and vegan capsules, made with third-party tested ingredients. Take 2 capsules in the morning, with or without food, every day.

Our Urolithin A + Spermidine Capsules are coming soon. The planned formula combines 500 mg of urolithin A with 6 mg of spermidine from a gluten-free source in every 2 capsules. Join the waitlist and we will email you when they launch; no payment is taken.

Benefits build with consistent daily use. Months 1 to 2 can bring early changes, and 3 months and beyond is where the full benefit builds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between urolithin A and NMN?

NMN is a building block cells use to make NAD+, the coenzyme mitochondria need for energy. Urolithin A supports mitophagy, the recycling of worn-out mitochondria.

Is urolithin A better than NAD+?

Neither is better; they do different jobs. NAD+ fuels mitochondria, while urolithin A supports their renewal.

Can you take urolithin A and NMN together?

Many people do. They have not been tested together in a trial, but they act on different steps and each was taken in the morning before breakfast in its own trial.

Can I take urolithin A with an NAD supplement?

Yes, they are commonly combined. Check with your clinician first if you take prescription medicine.

Is spermidine better than NMN?

They do different things: spermidine is studied for autophagy, the cell's recycling process, while NMN supports NAD+ production.

How much urolithin A and NMN did studies use?

NMN trials used 300 to 900 mg a day, and urolithin A trials used 500 or 1,000 mg a day.

When should I take urolithin A and NMN?

In the morning. Both trials dosed before breakfast, and our Enhanced NMN is taken as 2 capsules each morning, with or without food.

Can I get urolithin A from food?

Only if your gut makes it. In one trial, just 15 percent of people had urolithin A in their blood at the start.

Sources

• Yi L, Maier AB, Tao R, et al. The efficacy and safety of beta-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation in healthy middle-aged adults: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-dependent clinical trial. GeroScience, 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36482258/
• Andreux PA, Blanco-Bose W, Ryu D, et al. The mitophagy activator urolithin A is safe and induces a molecular signature of improved mitochondrial and cellular health in humans. Nature Metabolism, 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32694802/
• Singh A, D'Amico D, Andreux PA, et al. Urolithin A improves muscle strength, exercise performance, and biomarkers of mitochondrial health in a randomized trial in middle-aged adults. Cell Reports Medicine, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35584623/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.