A compound produced by gut microbes after consuming foods such as pomegranates improved measures of heart function by up to 80% in early tests, giving researchers a potential new target for a difficult-to-treat form of heart failure.
The compound urolithin A is produced when gut microbes break down ellagitannins, natural compounds found in pomegranates, walnuts, and some berries. Researchers at King's College London found that urolithin A improved the heart's ability to relax in experimental models of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF.
