Comparison
Citicoline vs Urolithin A
Side-by-side of Citicoline and Urolithin A. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Citicoline
Citicoline supplement profile: CDP-choline as a phosphatidylcholine precursor, Cognizin dosing 250-2000 mg, cognition trials, stroke recovery evidence.
Urolithin A
Urolithin A supplement guide: pomegranate-derived metabolite, 500-1000 mg Mitopure dosing, mitophagy and muscle endurance evidence.
Effects at a glance
Citicoline
- •Choline donor and phosphatidylcholine precursor; oral bioavailability roughly 99%
- •Standard prescription medication for stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment in much of the world
- •Healthy-adult cognitive trials (Cognizin) report small gains in attention and working memory at 250 to 500 mg/day
- •ICTUS trial (n=2,298) was negative on stroke recovery in the modern thrombolysis era
- •Lower per-gram choline content than alpha-GPC (~18% vs ~40%), meaning smaller TMAO load at equivalent dose
- •Long uridine half-life (~56 hours) supports once or twice daily dosing
Urolithin A
- •Gut-microbiome-derived metabolite of pomegranate and walnut ellagitannins
- •Roughly 40% of adults are 'urolithin producers' from dietary intake; ~60% are non-producers
- •Ryu 2016 (Nature Medicine) reported lifespan extension in C. elegans and muscle benefits in aged rodents
- •Andreux 2019 first-in-human trial (n=60) established safety and mitochondrial gene-expression upregulation
- •Singh 2022 (n=66, 4 months, 1000 mg/day) reported improved muscle endurance in older adults
- •Most human trial portfolio is Amazentis-funded; independent replication is thin
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Citicoline | Urolithin A |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | CDP-choline, cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine, Cognizin | UA, Mitopure, ellagitannin metabolite |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 56 | 17 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily | daily, morning with food |
| Routes | oral, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 488.32 | 228.2 |
| Molecular formula | C14H26N4O11P2 | C13H8O4 |
| Mechanism | Hydrolyzed to cytidine and choline after absorption; both cross the blood-brain barrier and are recombined intracellularly to reform CDP-choline, supporting phosphatidylcholine synthesis and acetylcholine production. | Induces mitophagy via potentiation of PINK1/Parkin signaling, leading to selective degradation of damaged mitochondria. Secondary anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB modulation. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement (US, Cognizin GRAS); prescription medication in most of the world | OTC dietary supplement (US GRAS 2018; EFSA Novel Food 2021) |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement (US); Rx in most of the world | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data for routine use | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 987-78-0 | 1143-70-0 |
| PubChem CID | 13804 | 5488186 |
| Wikidata | Q411470 | Q27101321 |
Safety profile
Citicoline
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache
- restlessness
- occasional insomnia with evening dosing
Contraindications
- concurrent strong anticholinergic therapy
- established cardiovascular disease (TMAO concern, smaller than alpha-GPC)
Interactions
- anticholinergic medications: partial mutual antagonism(minor)
- cholinesterase inhibitors: additive cholinergic effect(minor)
- antimetabolite chemotherapy (5-FU): theoretical cytidine pathway interaction(minor)
Urolithin A
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- soft stools (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- active chemotherapy (consult oncology)
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interaction with mitochondrial-targeting agents; consult oncologist(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Urolithin A comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Citicoline is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Citicoline.
- → If your priority is stroke recovery, pick Citicoline.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Urolithin A.
- → If your priority is muscle hypertrophy, pick Urolithin A.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Citicoline ~56 hr vs Urolithin A ~17 hr). Citicoline reaches steady state faster; Urolithin A is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: Urolithin A. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Citicoline only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Citicoline and Urolithin A?
Citicoline and Urolithin A differ in category (supplement vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Citicoline or Urolithin A?
Citicoline half-life is 56 hours; Urolithin A half-life is 17 hours.
Can you stack Citicoline with Urolithin A?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper