A compound produced by the body after consuming foods such as pomegranates, walnuts and some berries could offer a new avenue for treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a form of heart failure that currently has limited treatment options.
Researchers at King's College London found that urolithin A improved measures of heart function by up to 80% in experimental models. The compound also helped the heart muscle relax, reduced scarring and limited harmful enlargement of heart cells.