Uridine Monophosphate | Supplementopedia

Overview

Uridine monophosphate (UMP) is a nucleoside monophosphate composed of:

In the body, UMP serves as a fundamental building block for:

This makes it a key contributor to:

Cognitive support: Clinical trials show that UMP, especially when combined with DHA and choline, enhances verbal memory and learning speed in healthy adults and may accelerate recovery of cognition after traumatic brain injury (e.g., McDonald et al., 2015).
Neuro‑protective effects: Animal models demonstrate that UMP increases synaptic density and protects against neurodegeneration by enhancing phosphatidylcholine synthesis (Wurtman et al., 2000).
Mood modulation: Small‑scale human studies indicate reductions in depressive symptoms when UMP is added to standard antidepressant therapy, likely via up‑regulation of brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Metabolic benefits: UMP enhances mitochondrial function and improves glucose tolerance in rodent models of insulin resistance, suggesting a role in metabolic health.
Sleep and circadian rhythm: Uridine influences the synthesis of melatonin precursors, and supplementation has been linked to improved sleep quality in a 4‑week pilot study (Kumar et al., 2021).

After oral ingestion, UMP is de‑phosphorylated to uridine, which crosses the blood–brain barrier via nucleoside transporters (ENT1/2).
Inside cells, uridine is re‑phosphorylated to UMP, then to UDP and UTP, feeding the pyrimidine salvage pathway.
UTP serves as a substrate for phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis through the Kennedy pathway, supplying essential membrane phospholipids for synaptic vesicles and neuronal membranes.
UTP also acts as a signaling molecule, activating P2Y receptors that modulate neurotransmitter release and neuroplasticity.
Additionally, uridine provides the ribose‑5‑phosphate backbone for RNA synthesis, supporting gene expression and neurotrophic factor production (e.g., BDNF).
By augmenting PC and RNA, UMP enhances synaptogenesis, mitochondrial membrane integrity, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, thereby improving neuronal function and metabolic efficiency.

Clinical research most commonly uses 250 mg of UMP taken 1–2 times daily (total 250–500 mg/day) for cognitive and mood studies.
For synergistic protocols (e.g., with DHA and choline), 500 mg/day divided into two doses (morning and evening) is typical.
When targeting sleep or mild metabolic support, 150–300 mg taken 30 minutes before a meal is advised to improve absorption.
In animal studies, higher doses (up to 2 g/day) have been used without adverse effects, but human data at such levels are limited.
For acute neuro‑recovery (post‑stroke or traumatic brain injury) protocols often start with 500 mg twice daily for 6‑12 weeks, then taper.
Consistency is key; benefits appear after 2–4 weeks of regular intake.

Uridine monophosphate is generally well‑tolerated; reported side effects are mild and include gastrointestinal upset, headache, or transient insomnia.
No serious adverse events have been reported at doses ≤1 g/day.
Contraindications: pregnancy, lactation, and severe liver disease lack sufficient safety data; supplementation is not recommended without medical supervision.
Potential drug interactions include antiepileptic drugs (e.g., carbamazepine) that may alter nucleoside metabolism, and anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) where high‑dose uridine could theoretically affect platelet aggregation, though clinical evidence is scarce.
People with gout or hyperuricemia should monitor uric acid levels, as excess uridine can be catabolized to uric acid.
Pediatric use is not well‑studied; therefore, children should only use UMP under professional guidance.

Uridine monophosphate (UMP) is a nucleoside monophosphate with the molecular formula C₁₁H₁₃N₂O₉P.
Its IUPAC name is (2‑Ribofuranosyl)uracil 5‑monophosphate.
The structure consists of:
- A uracil base (a pyrimidine ring with two carbonyl groups at positions 2 and 4), attached at the N1 position to a ribose sugar (β‑D‑ribofuranose) that carries a phosphate ester at the 5′‑hydroxyl.
The phosphate group contributes a negative charge at physiological pH, making UMP highly water‑soluble (≈30 mg/mL at 25 °C).
The molecule is a substrate for kinases (e.g., uridine‑monophosphate kinase) and participates in the pyrimidine salvage pathway.
Its pKa values (≈1.0 for the phosphate, ~9.5 for the uracil N3) influence its ionization state and transport across membranes.

Commercial UMP is predominantly produced by fermentation‑based synthesis using engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Escherichia coli strains that over‑express uridine‑phosphate biosynthetic enzymes, yielding a high‑purity (>99 %) product.
An alternative chemical synthesis route involves condensation of uracil with ribose‑5‑phosphate under controlled pH, but this method is less common due to lower yields.
Natural dietary sources contain only trace amounts of UMP; the highest concentrations are found in yeast, organ meats (liver, kidney), and some marine fish, where it exists as part of RNA.
For supplements, manufacturers must verify:
- The absence of nucleic acid contaminants
- The absence of heavy metals, endotoxins, and residual solvents.
GMP‑certified manufacturers typically provide a Certificate of Analysis (COA) showing ≥98 % purity and minimal microbial load.