Ursolic acid: protects against cancer and helps lose weight

We don’t have to look far and wide for substances with extraordinary effects on our bodies. Many of them can be found in our own gardens. This is also true of ursolic acid, which holds great promise for the prevention and treatment of cancer and many other diseases. And it can help you lose weight too!

Ursolic acid belongs to a broad group of substances with so-called epigenetic effects. It can influence chemical reactions that can turn on or off important genes in our DNA. As a result, it has wide-ranging positive effects on our health and physical fitness.

Cancer prevention and treatment

Ursolic acid is known for its anti-cancer effects, which have been demonstrated in a number of tumour types (e.g. skin, breast, colon and bladder cancers). There are a number of mechanisms of action:

For example, it influences several signaling pathways and inhibits the production of the transcription factor NF-kB, which plays an important role in the development of inflammatory processes (some cancers are caused by inflammation). It also increases the activity of the P53 gene, which is often referred to as the ‘cancer cop’. It controls some of the processes by which the body defends itself against cancerous growth.

Also very important is the ability of ursolic acid to inhibit angioneogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels. When a cancerous tumour grows, its cells no longer have enough nutrition from the immediate environment and must build their own vascular supply. However, it is ursolic acid that suppresses the formation of new blood vessels and thus literally helps to starve the tumour.

For weight loss and sports performance

Ursolic acid can also be a great help for people who are trying to lose weight. It suppresses the production of pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that allows the breakdown of dietary fat, promotes lipolysis (the use of fat stores as an energy source) and inhibits the formation and differentiation of adipose tissue cells.

Ursolic acid also increases the activity of an enzyme called AMPK. It has several effects that are essential for weight loss: it improves the transport of glucose to the muscles and its use by muscle cells, thus helping to lower blood sugar levels, promotes fat burning and reduces inflammatory processes in the body.

Moreover, the ability to improve AMPK production may also be important for athletes. Particularly useful for endurance athletes is the fact that AMPK promotes the formation of new mitochondria, or cell organelles, in which nutrients are converted into energy. Strength athletes will appreciate the support of muscle tissue formation.

However, the list of positive effects of ursolic acid is much broader. For example, much research suggests its great potential in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver and kidney disease, and more research is sure to follow in the near future.

Where can we find her?

As we indicated in the introduction, we don’t have to go far to find natural sources of ursolic acid – just step outside the house into the garden.

For example, herbs from the Mediterranean have a high content of this substance. Rosemary, for example, is an excellent source, where the effects of ursolic acid are further enhanced by other substances, especially carnosol and rosmarinic acid. It can also be found in large quantities in sage, basil and even apple skins.

In addition, ursolic acid also works very well in combination with some other epigenetically acting substances, with which it increases its effectiveness. This has been demonstrated, for example, with resveratrol and quercetin, which are also a common part of our diet. Resveratrol is found in red wine in particular, while quercetin is found in many fruits, but also in onions and buckwheat.

However, to increase their effectiveness, it is advisable to consume these substances in the form of dietary supplements, as their concentration in natural sources is insufficient to achieve significant effects. The same applies, of course, to sources of ursolic acid – consuming rosemary as a spice, for example, is certainly not enough; daily use, for example in the form of a tea or extract in capsules, should be chosen.