Overview

• A University of Connecticut clinical trial demonstrated that daily walnut intake boosts production of urolithin A, a compound with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
• The study involved 39 adults aged 40–65 at elevated bowel cancer risk who consumed walnuts for three weeks after avoiding ellagitannin-rich foods.
• Higher urolithin A levels were linked to reduced systemic inflammation, increased cancer-inhibiting peptide YY, and lower levels of pro-cancer proteins in colon polyps.
• Advanced imaging revealed significant reductions in the protein vimentin, associated with advanced colon cancer, in participants with high urolithin A formation.
• The findings build on over a decade of research, supporting dietary recommendations for walnuts as a practical strategy for cancer prevention.