Uridine
Summary
Uridine is a nucleoside sold mainly as uridine monophosphate (UMP) for brain and mood. Human data are thin: 2 g/day raised brain phospholipid precursors in a small imaging study, an open-label pilot of triacetyluridine in bipolar depression reported lower scores, and a UMP-containing multinutrient missed its primary endpoint. No placebo-controlled trial has tested UMP alone for cognition.
Key facts
- A ribonucleoside: uracil attached to ribose (C9H12N2O6)[7]
- In a 17-man study, brain phosphomonoesters rose about 6% over 7 days in the 2 g/day uridine group[3]
- No placebo-controlled trial of UMP alone; a 24-month multinutrient containing UMP did not change the primary cognitive score[5]
- A triacetyluridine-rich product gave about four times the peak blood uridine of an equal amount of plain uridine[6]
- In 20 people with HIV-drug fat loss, a uridine product increased limb fat versus placebo over 3 months[1]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 13, 2026
How it works
ProposedUridine feeds the pathway that makes CDP-choline and membrane phospholipids. In healthy men, 2 g/day for a week raised brain phosphomonoesters (mainly phosphoethanolamine) on phosphorus MR spectroscopy. Whether this changes thinking or mood has not been shown in controlled trials.[3]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognition | Grade C | No effect | RCT · n = 311 · 2017 | 1 row |
| Muscle | Grade D | Mixed | RCT · n = 21 · 2024 | 1 row |
| Body composition | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 20 · 2007 | 1 row |
| Mood | Grade D | Improved | Open-label · n = 11 · 2008 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognition in prodromal Alzheimer's disease (multinutrient containing UMP) | No effect | Grade C | RCT · n = 311 · 2017 People with prodromal Alzheimer's disease (Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden) Form: Fortasyn Connect drink (DHA, EPA, uridine monophosphate, choline, B vitamins and others) · Dose: 125 mL once daily · Duration: 24 months No significant effect on the neuropsychological test battery primary endpoint (difference 0.098, P = 0.166); the trial was underpowered because the control group declined less than expected. Some secondary measures differed between groups. | 29097166 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Muscle thickness loss during 2 weeks of detraining | Mixed | Grade D | RCT · n = 21 · 2024 Healthy men after 6 weeks of arm resistance training Form: Uridine 5′-monophosphate disodium (5′-UMP·2Na) · Dose: 300 mg/day (2 × 150 mg capsules) · Duration: 2 weeks At one of three measurement sites, muscle thickness fell less with UMP than placebo at week 1 (0.0% vs 2.4%, P = 0.034); there was no difference at the other two sites. | 39076851 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Body fat in HIV-treatment-related lipoatrophy | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 20 · 2007 People with HIV and antiretroviral-associated fat loss Form: Dietary uridine supplement (nucleoside product) · Dose: 36 g three times daily, 10 consecutive days per month · Duration: 3 months Limb fat (+880 g vs +230 g), intra-abdominal fat and total body fat rose significantly more than with placebo; HDL cholesterol fell in the uridine group. Well tolerated, with no effect on HIV control. | 17503753 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Depressive symptoms in bipolar depression (triacetyluridine) | Improved | Grade D | Open-label trial · n = 11 · 2008 Adults with bipolar depression Form: Triacetyluridine (TAU) · Dose: Up to 18 g/day · Duration: 6 weeks MADRS depression scores fell by 24% at week 2, 35% at week 3 and 43% at week 4 from baseline; responders showed brain pH changes on MR spectroscopy. | 18540779 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uridine monophosphate (UMP, often as the disodium salt) | Varies[8] | No head-to-head human absorption data for UMP versus uridine on this page.[2] | The 2-week trial report does not describe adverse events.[2] | Muscle loss during detraining |
| Uridine (free nucleoside) | Varies[7] | Plain uridine produced about one-quarter of the peak and exposure of a triacetyluridine-rich product at equal doses.[6] | No adverse effects in the single-dose pharmacokinetic study.[6] | Brain phospholipid imaging (2 g/day) |
| Triacetyluridine (TAU) | Varies[6] | A triacetyluridine-rich product gave peak plasma uridine of about 150–160 µM 1–2 hours after dosing, with Cmax and AUC about four times those of plain uridine.[6] | No adverse effects observed in the pharmacokinetic study.[6] | Bipolar depression pilot (up to 18 g/day) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 300 mg/day of UMP disodium for 2 weeks and 2 g/day of uridine for 1 week up to 18 g/day of triacetyluridine for 6 weeks; a 24-month multinutrient trial included UMP in a daily drink.[2][3][4][5]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Medicines
- Fluorouracil and capecitabineReviewPrescription uridine triacetate is the antidote for 5-FU and capecitabine overdose because high uridine levels compete with toxic 5-FU metabolites. Whether supplement doses blunt these chemotherapy drugs has not been studied.[9]
Who should be careful
- People on fluorouracil or capecitabine
- High-dose uridine counteracts 5-FU and capecitabine toxicity and is used as their antidote, so uridine supplements during these treatments are a question for the oncology team.[9]
- Mood disorders
- Uridine has been tested in bipolar depression only in a small open-label pilot; it has no controlled safety or efficacy data in mood disorders.[4]
- Blood lipids
- In the HIV trial, HDL cholesterol fell during uridine treatment while it rose on placebo.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
How to read the label
- UMP salt vs uridineUMP disodium is heavier than uridine: 300 mg of the salt carries about 200 mg of uridine.[7][8]
- Label dose vs studied doseThe only UMP-alone trial used 300 mg/day for muscle; brain imaging used 2 g/day of uridine, and mood work used up to 18 g/day of triacetyluridine.[2][3][4]
- Combination productsThe longest trial used a multinutrient drink with DHA, choline and B vitamins, so its results do not describe UMP capsules.[5]
Cost per studied dose, without the sales pitch
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Cost per studied dose
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Frequently asked questions
What is uridine?
A nucleoside made of uracil and ribose, used to build RNA and phospholipids. Supplements usually sell it as uridine monophosphate (UMP).[7][3]
Does uridine improve memory or focus?
Not shown. No placebo-controlled trial has tested UMP alone for cognition, and a 2-year multinutrient containing UMP missed its primary cognitive endpoint.[5]
Does uridine affect the brain?
In 17 healthy men, 2 g/day for a week raised brain phospholipid precursors on MR spectroscopy; functional effects were not measured.[3]
Does uridine help depression?
An open-label pilot of triacetyluridine (up to 18 g/day) in 11 adults with bipolar depression reported lower scores, but with no placebo group the result is preliminary.[4]
What is the difference between uridine, UMP and triacetyluridine?
They are different forms of the same nucleoside. Triacetyluridine raised blood uridine about four times more than plain uridine.[6]
Sources
- [1]Uridine supplementation for the treatment of antiretroviral therapy-associated lipoatrophy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.. Antivir Ther, 2007. RCT
- [2]5'-UMP inhibited muscle atrophy due to detraining: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparative study.. Front Sports Act Living, 2024. RCT
- [3]Short-term administration of uridine increases brain membrane phospholipid precursors in healthy adults: a 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy study at 4T.. Bipolar Disord, 2010. PK-study
- [4]Triacetyluridine (TAU) decreases depressive symptoms and increases brain pH in bipolar patients.. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol, 2008. open-label
- [5]24-month intervention with a specific multinutrient in people with prodromal Alzheimer's disease (LipiDiDiet): a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial.. Lancet Neurol, 2017. RCT
- [6]Enhanced uridine bioavailability following administration of a triacetyluridine-rich nutritional supplement.. PLoS One, 2011. PK-study
- [7]Uridine (CID 6029): compound summary. PubChem, NCBI, 2026. database
- [8]Uridine 5'-monophosphate disodium salt (CID 169020): compound summary. PubChem, NCBI, 2026. database
- [9]Emergency use of uridine triacetate for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening 5-fluorouracil and capecitabine toxicity.. Cancer, 2017. open-label
What changed
- Independent review: added the fluorouracil/capecitabine interaction (uridine triacetate antidote, PMID 27622829). All PMIDs re-checked.
- Strict second-pass self-review (no separate reviewer could be dispatched for this batch): all 6 PMIDs re-verified by NCBI esummary (titles and years match the record) and efetch checked for retraction, expression-of-concern and erratum flags (none flagged); every evidence row, key fact, form, dose, label line, FAQ and insight re-read against its abstract, and against PMC full text where the dose or count lives. Fixes: MR spectroscopy key fact restated as a within-group change; UMP tolerability line changed to "not reported"; triacetyluridine absorption attributed to the TAU-rich product actually tested. Page set indexable.
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year from the record) and abstracts read for each cited row. UMP dose from the PMC full text (PMC11284071); molecular weights from PubChem. No NIH ODS or NCCIH fact sheet covers uridine.