Ursolic acid
Summary
Ursolic acid is a plant triterpene that increased muscle mass in mice. Human trials are small and mixed: the best-controlled 8-week training trial found no added strength or muscle, while a 24-person metabolic trial at 150 mg a day reported lower weight and glucose (all grade D).
Key facts
- A triterpene acid found in apples and other plants; the product listed here is a rosemary-leaf extract[6]
- No added strength or muscle mass over training plus high protein in 22 active men at 400 mg a day for 8 weeks[1]
- 150 mg a day for 12 weeks lowered weight, waist and fasting glucose in 24 adults with metabolic syndrome; a 26-woman trial at 450 mg a day found no waist change[4][5]
- 5 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 11, 2026
How it works
ProposedIn mice, ursolic acid reduced muscle-atrophy gene signatures, enhanced insulin/IGF-1 signalling and increased muscle mass; human trials have not shown the same muscle gain.[6][1]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metabolic | Grade D | Mixed | RCT · n = 26 · 2021 | 2 rows |
| Performance | Grade D | No effect | RCT · n = 22 · 2021 | 3 rows |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waist and metabolic syndrome with exercise | Mixed | Grade D | RCT · n = 26 · 2021 Postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome in an exercise program Form: Ursolic acid · Dose: 450 mg/day · Duration: 8 weeks Waist and other metabolic measures did not differ from placebo; handgrip strength rose more (1.8 kg). | 34330458 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
| Metabolic syndrome components and insulin sensitivity | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 24 · 2017 Adults aged 30–60 with untreated metabolic syndrome Form: Ursolic acid · Dose: 150 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks Half of the ursolic acid group no longer met metabolic syndrome criteria; weight, waist and fasting glucose fell and insulin sensitivity rose. | 28598231 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Strength and muscle mass with resistance training | No effect | Grade D | RCT · n = 22 · 2021 Physically active young men on a high-protein diet Form: Ursolic acid · Dose: 400 mg/day · Duration: 8 weeks Strength and muscle mass rose in both groups with no difference between ursolic acid and placebo. | 32593524 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Strength with resistance training | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 16 · 2014 Healthy men (mean BMI 27) in a resistance program Form: Ursolic acid · Dose: 3 capsules a day (mg not stated in the abstract) · Duration: 8 weeks Extension and flexion strength and IGF-1 rose and body fat fell from baseline in the ursolic acid group; between-group differences were not the main analysis. | 25352765 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Muscle-damage blood markers with resistance training | Improved | Grade D | Pilot RCT · n = 16 · 2017 Resistance-trained men Form: Ursolic acid · Dose: 450 mg/day · Duration: 8 weeks Creatine kinase, LDH and BNP fell in the ursolic acid group; body composition did not change significantly. | 29200908 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ursolic acid (rosemary leaf extract) | Varies[1] | No head-to-head human absorption data between products in our sources.[1] | No adverse effects were reported in the abstracts of these short trials.[1][5] | Strength with training (400–450 mg/day), metabolic markers (150–450 mg/day) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 150 mg of ursolic acid a day for 12 weeks to 450 mg a day for 8 weeks.[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.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- No safety data were found in the trials we cite.[1]
- People on glucose-lowering medicine
- Fasting glucose fell in one 12-week trial; glucose should be watched if combining with diabetes medicine.[5]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Where to buy Ursolic acid
Products from brands we partner with that contain Ursolic acid. Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.
- SupersmartPaid linkUrsolic Acid6 capsules: 300 mg ursolic acid from 1,200 mg rosemary leaf extract (25%); 15 servings. Within the 150–450 mg a day range studied.Shop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.
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Frequently asked questions
Does ursolic acid build muscle?
It did in mice, but the best-controlled human trial (22 men, 400 mg a day for 8 weeks with training and high protein) found no extra strength or muscle.[6][1]
Does ursolic acid help blood sugar or weight?
One 24-person trial at 150 mg a day reported lower weight, waist and glucose; a 26-woman trial at 450 mg a day found no waist change.[5][4]
Where does ursolic acid come from?
It occurs naturally in apples and other plants; the product listed here is a rosemary-leaf extract.[6]
Sources
- [1]Ursolic acid has no additional effect on muscle strength and mass in active men undergoing a high-protein diet and resistance training: A double-blind and placebo-controlled trial.. Clin Nutr, 2021. RCT
- [2]Ursolic Acid-induced elevation of serum irisin augments muscle strength during resistance training in men.. Korean J Physiol Pharmacol, 2014. RCT
- [3]Ursolic acid supplementation decreases markers of skeletal muscle damage during resistance training in resistance-trained men: a pilot study.. Korean J Physiol Pharmacol, 2017. pilot-RCT
- [4]No additional effects of ursolic acid supplementation associated with combined exercise program on metabolic syndrome of postmenopausal women: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.. Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2021. RCT
- [5]Effect of Ursolic Acid on Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Sensitivity, and Inflammation.. J Med Food, 2017. RCT
- [6]mRNA expression signatures of human skeletal muscle atrophy identify a natural compound that increases muscle mass.. Cell Metab, 2011. animal-study
What changed
- Effect arrows corrected on 1 row(s): outcomes where a harmful measure fell (pain, symptoms, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, risk) now show as improved (up). No study data changed.
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities (title, year and journal taken from the PubMed record) and abstracts read for each cited row. Product details in Where to buy read from the brand page on the date shown. Self-reviewed in a second strict pass (no independent reviewer yet).