Scientists reveal why a popular anti-aging compound may also fuel cancer - Science Daily

Experimental setup behind the TASCA separator: the first detector array, mounted behind the reaction chamber at TASCA, surrounded by two germanium detectors. An international collaboration led by a research group from GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt, Germany, has achieved the first measurement of the chemical stability of a superheavy element compound. The focus was on the hexacarbonyl complex Sg(CO)₆ of seaborgium (Sg, element 106). The result: The bond between the seaborgium atom and a carbonyl ligand is weaker than expected based on its position in the periodic table. The results are published in the journal Nature.

Each time you eat a juicy pomegranate, your gut bacteria can produce a natural metabolite called urolithin A. This little-known compound is making a big splash. In recent years, scientists have paid close attention to urolithin A because it seems to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-aging properties. Initial evidence in humans even suggests that urolithin A can help the body remove aged or damaged parts of our cells, thereby improving their overall health. Now, for the first time, researchers at King's College London (KCL) have found evidence that urolithin A can activate a protein that plays a key role in heart health. In mouse models with stiff and failing hearts, urolithin A improved measures of heart function by as much as 80 percent compared to untreated animals, according to a press release from KCL. The findings are published in Science Advances, with financial support from the British Heart Foundation. The results have scientists hopeful that urolithin A could be a previously unidentified treatment option for a common form of heart failure.

A natural compound the body produces after consuming foods such as pomegranates may improve heart function by as much as 80% in experimental models of a form of heart failure that currently has relatively few treatment options. Researchers at King's College London found that urolithin A, which is produced in the body after eating foods including pomegranates, walnuts and some berries, can help the heart relax more effectively. The compound also reduced scarring and limited harmful enlargement of the heart.

Researchers at the University of Louisville have identified a way that a naturally produced compound from gut microbes may help protect the intestine and potentially guide new treatment approaches for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and affects millions of people around the world. These conditions involve persistent inflammation and damage to the intestinal lining. Normally, the gut barrier allows nutrients to pass into the body while helping prevent harmful bacteria from escaping the intestines. In people with IBD, this protective barrier can break down, contributing to inflammation, pain, and long-term complications.

Spinach, almonds, and sweet potatoes are often praised for their nutritional value. But new research from the UNC School of Medicine suggests that for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a naturally occurring compound in these foods may contribute to intestinal inflammation. The study, published August 13, 2026 in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH), was led by postdoctoral scholar Anna Salvador, PhD, RD, LDN, in the lab of Shehzad Z. Sheikh, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Genetics.