Researchers from the Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology (LISP) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have found that bioactive polyphenols in pomegranates contain an anti-aging property that could help counteract aging-related diseases. One component of aging is thought to occur through a process called mitophagy, where the mitochondria in our cells fail to replenish, resulting in the degradation of the strength of our cells. As we age, this process becomes even more pronounced.

Recent studies of the pomegranate derivative’s efficacy have shown increased longevity among worms and better endurance in rodents. The reduction in mitophagy is thought to be a result of the production of a compound known as urolithin A, the product of a chemical reaction between bacteria and the ellagitannins in pomegranates.

Click here to read an article about this research in MedicalXpress.