Getting Started FAQ's
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So, you’re about to receive your first purchase of spermidineLIFE®… first, of all, welcome to the family. As with many of our first customers, you probably have a lot of questions. Let's start with the basics...
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What is the best way to take spermidineLIFE® capsules?
Generally: Take two capsules at the same time every day with sufficient liquid to wash down the capsules and ensure proper digestion. Accordingly, taking at the same time each day will ensure consistent supplementation. As general guidance for any naturally derived dietary supplement, taking during digestion of food will ensure highest bioavailability, but it is not a hard rule. Our product is food based and generally will digest just fine without food.
Experiment with your own timing. Some users find best results when taking in the morning. Some find best results when taking with last meal of the day or right before bed. Our bodies are different, and our research to date has not led us to any more specific recommendations on the best time of day to take spermidineLIFE® yet. The recommendation to take at the same time every day comes from the advice of our research team after review of third party clinical trials in conjunction with research on spermidine in the diet.
Intermittent Fasting: If you are intermittent fasting, we recommend taking spermidineLIFE® with your last meal of the day to enhance your body’s move into ketosis and autophagy.
Extended (24+ hour) Wet Fast: Take spermidineLIFE® with water at the same time of day as you normally take it during an extended wet fast to enhance autophagy during your fast.
Extended Dry Fast: As liquid intake with spermidineLIFE® appears to aid in digestion, we do not recommend taking spermidineLIFE® during an extended dry fast. Resume taking spermidineLIFE after your dry fast to ensure lasting benefits of autophagy.
How do I store my spermidineLIFE®?
Store spermidineLIFE in its original container in a cool, dry place. spermidineLIFE® will remain shelf-stable in this condition for 16+ months.
Extended exposure to direct sunlight, high humidity, or high temperatures (77+ degrees) can lead to degradation of the appearance and color of the extract (from testing we currently show no loss of effectiveness or spermidine content when product is contained in its original bottle and capsules). For highest effectiveness, storing in the refrigerator will ensure the most stable product.
When will I feel the effects of spermidineLIFE®?
Officially, we must advise that you seek advice from a healthcare practitioner on this topic.
That being said, isn’t this the magic question??
The difficulty is that each and every one of our gut’s microbiota and bodies are different. We have different diets, ages, health profiles, cellular stress levels, and health habits. Autophagy leads to a normalization of cell function through breaking down unused cellular matter, increasing cellular efficiency and function. This micro-change in our bodies can manifest in many different ways.
For some, particularly those with health profiles that lead to consistent autophagy anyway, there may be little to no noticeable physiological changes within a 30-60 day cycle. This does not mean spermidine is doing nothing, it is simply further enhancing your healthy cellular lifestyle, which may not necessarily be a “change” for the healthiest among us.
We know that spermidine levels decrease significantly with age, so older populations tend to “feel” spermidine supplementation faster and more acutely than younger populations. That being said, spermidine supplementation at a younger age can increase cellular health into older age, a “key” to cellular longevity.
From our research and anecdotal reports, users may experience any of a number of the following noticeable physiological changes from improving cellular health through spermidine supplementation:
- Increased hair/nail growth
- Increased energy
- Decreased inflammatory markers, often associated with point-specific injuries or cellular damage
- Increased mental clarity
- Increased deep sleep (as a proportion of overall sleep)
- Increased sexual health markers (yes, our cells play a role in this too!)
- Increased immune-efficiency
This list is ongoing, both in research and in anecdotal reports. If you find something specific, drop us a line and let us know your own experience with spermidineLIFE®!
How long should I take spermidineLIFE®?
spermidineLIFE® recommended dosage is 1mg spermidine per day, considered a maintenance dose of spermidine, safe to take daily for as long as you wish. Increased levels of spermidine and polyamines will begin to take effect on a cellular level from day 1, but these benefits build with time. We recommend at least a beginning 60-day cycle to allow your cells to adjust to higher spermidine levels and the enhanced autophagy benefits.
If, for whatever reason, you choose to “cycle” spermidineLIFE (i.e., not taking consistently throughout the year), we recommend cycling in a minimum of 60-day cycles (60-days on, 30-days off, etc). In other words, from our limited research, taking a single dose once per week throughout the year will not create the same results as taking those same 52 doses in one consecutive period during the year.
Our cells don’t adjust as fast as one might imagine to consistent changes in diet. Even though it’s good to eat a healthy meal every week, and your body will notice that you ate a healthy meal, you are unlikely to “feel” something like weight loss from one single healthy meal each week. Just as you may not see/feel the benefits of a diet change over one 24-hour period, you will not see/feel the benefits of a dietary supplement over one 24-hour period.
Will taking spermidineLIFE® break my fast?
Officially, we must advise that you seek advice from a healthcare practitioner on this topic. Additionally, as you may find in your own research on the topic, the science is still not clearly settled on what exact type and amount of calories kicks our bodies out of autophagy.
That being said, it is generally recognized that the trigger for “ending” a fast is when the body creates an insulin response. While most of the contents of spermidineLIFE® clearly fall into the healthy fats category of the food groups, there is a tiny amount of carbohydrates in spermidineLIFE®, approximately 5mg per serving. From our early research, this volume is generally insufficient to trigger an insulin response; thus, spermidineLIFE® should not be considered a fast “breaker.”
Fasting practices and principles very widely and are based on a number of scientific and non-scientific principles. For many, fasting means more than caloric restriction: it can be a mental, spiritual, religious, and physical experience. Accordingly, if you choose to fast out of principles beyond simply caloric restriction, choosing to take supplements during a fast is a personal choice.
Remember, spermidine has been shown to trigger and enhance autophagy. As such, even though there is a small number of calories contained in spermidineLIFE®, the benefits of enhanced autophagy may easily outweigh the risks of a small caloric intake. At this point in the global research community, there is not a clear, settled answer to this yet.
We believe spermidineLIFE® is perfectly safe to take during intermittent or extended fasting (just not dry fasting). If you want to hedge your bets during your fast, take spermidineLIFE® (and your other supplements!) before you fast and/or after. During an extended fast, you may choose to abstain (again, personal preference here).
Can I open the spermidineLIFE® capsules and take with food or liquid?
Absolutely! spermidineLIFE® capsules can be opened and the pure extract can be mixed with ROOM TEMPERATURE or COLD foods and beverages. The taste is quite tolerable — a little sweet a little salty tasting.
We do not recommend adding to hot beverages such as coffee or tea or hot foods like soups. Polyamines are quite delicate and heat can damage polyamine content (research is ongoing how this impacts polyamine-containing foods during food preparation).
Are there side effects to taking spermidineLIFE®?
Officially, we must advise that you seek advice from a healthcare practitioner on this topic. Your healthcare provider may find the following information useful in their analysis:
Before marketing spermidineLIFE® in Austria, an independent clinical trial was conducted and published in 2017 in humans and mice to test for safety and tolerability of spermidineLIFE® extract supplementation.* In this study, spermidineLIFE® was found to have high tolerability and no side effects at recommended dosages and has been deemed safe with no side effects.
Anecdotally, there have been few reports of users experiencing mild stomach upset that may have been potentially associated with use of spermidineLIFE®, although we have not received reports verified by a medical provider.
spermidineLIFE® contains wheat/gluten in levels of approximately 1mg/serving. For context, a 1oz slice of white bread can contain over 3,500mg of gluten. However, spermidineLIFE® is not recommended for those with gluten intolerance or coeliac disease. Additionally, as with most supplements, spermidineLIFE® is not recommended for those pregnant or nursing or children under 18.
* Schwarz C, Stekovic S, Wirth M, Benson G, Royer P, Sigrist SJ, Pieber T, Dammbrueck C, Magnes C, Eisenberg T, Pendl T, Bohlken J, Köbe T, et al. Safety and tolerability of spermidine supplementation in mice and older adults with subjective cognitive decline. Aging (Albany NY). 2018; 10:19-33. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101354
Where is the Best Place to Find Information on spermidine?
As always, we recommend that you consult with your doctor prior to making changes to your diet or taking a new dietary supplement. We also recommend that you thoroughly do your own research on spermidine and its positive indications prior to taking spermidineLIFE® or making changes to your diet. We hope that the resources provided to you on our website will be a good starting point for your research.
Additionally, studies on spermidine, autophagy, and spermidineLIFE® have been conducted globally and have been published in many readily available scientific journals. Other resources may be readily available online. As always, feel free to reach out via social media with any questions you may have that we might be able to assist with.
Still have questions? Visit the spermidineLIFE® Knowledge Base or reach out to us.