Which is Better, NMN or Urolithin A?

November 22, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research, human NAD+ levels can drop to half their youthful amount by middle age, impacting energy and metabolic functions. Both Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) and Urolithin A are prominent supplements aiming to counteract age-related decline, but they achieve this through distinct biological pathways.

Quick Summary

This article explores the fundamental differences between NMN and Urolithin A, focusing on their mechanisms for enhancing cellular health and longevity. It details how NMN boosts NAD+ levels for energy and DNA repair, while Urolithin A activates mitophagy to clear damaged mitochondria. The comparison helps clarify which compound is better suited for specific health objectives.

Key Points

Different Mechanisms: NMN primarily boosts NAD+ for overall cellular energy, while Urolithin A stimulates mitophagy for targeted mitochondrial cleanup and muscle health.
NMN for Energy and Repair: NMN supplementation is a direct strategy to raise NAD+ levels, which fuel metabolism, aid DNA repair, and activate longevity-related sirtuin proteins.
Urolithin A for Mitochondrial Renewal: Urolithin A's main benefit comes from activating mitophagy, the process of removing and recycling damaged mitochondria, which enhances muscle strength and endurance.
Synergistic Effects: Taking NMN and Urolithin A together is often recommended, as they offer a comprehensive strategy: Urolithin A improves mitochondrial quality, and NMN supplies the energy for regeneration.
Tailor to Your Goals: Choose NMN for general metabolic energy support or Urolithin A for specific muscle and mitochondrial quality improvements. A combined approach offers the most complete coverage.
Natural Production vs. Supplementation: NMN is not produced readily through diet, and most people cannot produce enough Urolithin A from food, making supplementation a practical necessity for both.

Understanding the Core Mechanisms of NMN and Urolithin A

To determine which supplement, NMN or Urolithin A, is better for your personal health goals, it is essential to first understand their fundamental mechanisms of action. While both target cellular aging, they do so from different angles of mitochondrial health.

Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)

NMN is a direct precursor to Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+), a vital coenzyme found in every cell of the body. NAD+ is essential for over 400 metabolic reactions, including those related to energy production, DNA repair, and the activation of sirtuins, a class of proteins linked to longevity. As we age, NAD+ levels decline, and NMN supplementation is a strategy to replenish this critical coenzyme.

Energy Metabolism: By increasing NAD+ levels, NMN enhances the efficiency of cellular energy production within the mitochondria, helping to combat age-related fatigue.
DNA Repair: The body's ability to repair damaged DNA decreases with age. NAD+ is a co-factor for enzymes called PARPs (Poly-ADP-ribose polymerases), which play a key role in repairing DNA damage. By boosting NAD+, NMN supports this repair process.
Metabolic Health: Animal studies have shown NMN supplementation can improve insulin sensitivity and suppress age-related weight gain. Human trials have also indicated improved metabolic function in some populations.

Urolithin A (UA)

Unlike NMN, Urolithin A is a postbiotic molecule, meaning it is produced by specific gut bacteria from precursors found in foods like pomegranates, berries, and walnuts. However, only a minority of the population (around 30-40%) has the right gut microbiota to produce sufficient levels of UA naturally. Urolithin A’s primary mechanism is the activation of mitophagy.

Mitophagy Activation: Mitophagy is the process of recycling old, damaged, or inefficient mitochondria and replacing them with new, healthy ones. This cellular 'cleanup' is critical for maintaining optimal cellular health, especially in muscle tissue.
Muscle Strength and Endurance: Clinical trials in middle-aged adults have demonstrated that Urolithin A supplementation can improve muscle strength and endurance by targeting mitochondrial function in muscle cells.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects: UA has been shown to reduce markers of inflammation, which are often elevated with age, and has potential benefits for joint health.

Direct Comparison: NMN vs. Urolithin A

While both supplements are aimed at promoting healthier aging, their distinct pathways mean they offer different, yet potentially complementary, benefits.


Feature	Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)	Urolithin A (UA)
Primary Mechanism	Boosts NAD+ levels, fueling cellular energy and DNA repair.	Activates mitophagy, clearing out damaged mitochondria for cellular renewal.
Targeted Area	Broad, systemic cellular energy and metabolism.	Focused on mitochondrial quality control, particularly benefiting muscle tissue.
Benefit Focus	Increased systemic energy, improved metabolic health, DNA repair.	Enhanced muscle function, endurance, and cellular 'cleanliness'.
How It's Obtained	Primarily through supplementation; trace amounts in some foods.	Postbiotic requiring specific gut bacteria; most people supplement directly.
Synergy Potential	Complements UA by providing fuel for the new, healthier mitochondria created.	Complements NMN by clearing out the inefficient energy-producing mitochondria.

Choosing the Right Supplement for Your Goals

Deciding between NMN and Urolithin A depends heavily on your primary health objectives. If you are seeking a broad, systemic energy boost and want to support fundamental metabolic and DNA repair processes, NMN may be the better choice. If your main goal is to improve muscle strength, endurance, and cellular 'housekeeping' through mitochondrial renewal, Urolithin A is the more direct route.

It is also worth noting that many longevity experts and supplement companies advocate for taking both NMN and Urolithin A together. This is because their mechanisms are complementary. Urolithin A can be viewed as the cellular 'cleanup crew,' removing the old, damaged machinery (mitochondria), while NMN is the 'fuel provider,' powering the new, more efficient machinery. This combined approach may offer a more comprehensive strategy for supporting cellular health and combating the multi-faceted process of aging.

Conclusion

In the debate over whether NMN or Urolithin A is superior, the answer is not a simple one. NMN and Urolithin A are not direct competitors but rather complementary partners in the quest for longevity and improved healthspan. While NMN works to increase overall cellular energy by boosting NAD+ levels, Urolithin A focuses on the quality and efficiency of the cellular powerhouses by promoting mitophagy. For someone seeking a general lift in metabolic energy, NMN is an excellent starting point. For those with specific concerns about muscle function and mitochondrial quality, Urolithin A offers a targeted benefit. Ultimately, combining these two powerful compounds could offer a more holistic and synergistic approach to combating the effects of aging at the cellular level. As with any supplement regimen, consulting a healthcare professional is recommended to align your choices with your specific needs and health status.

Potential Synergies

The complementary relationship between NMN and Urolithin A is one of the most compelling reasons to consider a dual strategy. By enhancing NAD+ levels, NMN ensures there is an abundance of cellular energy fuel. Concurrently, Urolithin A improves the quality of the mitochondria that use this fuel. This two-pronged attack on age-related cellular decline targets both the quantity of energy supply and the efficiency of the energy-producing machinery. This could lead to more profound and sustained benefits than taking either supplement alone.

For further reading on the science of aging and NAD+ decline, consider reviewing some of the resources provided by the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main difference is their mechanism of action. NMN works by increasing the body's NAD+ levels to fuel cellular processes and DNA repair, whereas Urolithin A activates mitophagy, the process of clearing out and recycling old, damaged mitochondria.

Yes, taking NMN and Urolithin A together is generally considered safe and may offer complementary benefits. Urolithin A helps remove damaged mitochondria, while NMN provides the fuel (NAD+) for the remaining healthy ones, creating a synergistic effect.

NMN is more directly associated with boosting overall systemic energy levels and improving metabolic health by increasing NAD+, a critical coenzyme for cellular energy production. While Urolithin A also enhances energy efficiency by improving mitochondrial health, NMN's effect is more broad-based.

Urolithin A has been shown in human clinical trials to improve muscle strength and endurance, particularly in middle-aged and older adults, by promoting mitochondrial renewal within muscle cells. It is the more targeted option for enhancing muscle function.

Urolithin A is a postbiotic created by specific gut bacteria from precursors called ellagitannins, found in foods like pomegranates, walnuts, and berries. However, only a minority of people have the right gut microbes to produce it efficiently, making supplementation the most reliable option.

Neither is definitively 'better,' as they address different aspects of cellular aging. NMN supports DNA repair and metabolic processes, while Urolithin A focuses on maintaining high-quality mitochondrial function. A combination of both may offer the most comprehensive anti-aging strategy.

Both supplements are generally well-tolerated. Clinical trials for NMN have shown minimal side effects at typical doses, while Urolithin A has also been found to be safe in human studies, with some reports of mild digestive issues at higher doses.