What Is Spermidine? All You Need to Know

As we get older, many of us naturally begin to focus more on health and longevity. If you keep up with health trends, you may have heard of one particular molecule of interest-- spermidine. Increasing spermidine intake through your diet has been attributed to a longer and healthier life.

Spermidine is a fascinating compound. And not until recently have researchers been able to better understand it.

We now know that spermidine is a unique, naturally occurring molecule, part of a group of molecules known as polyamines. Polyamines interact with our cells to perform various critical metabolic functions.

Spermidine is found in all plants and animals and in nearly every cell of your body. In our bodies, it can come from ingested food—synthesized in the gut microbiome or synthesized in cells.

Why Is Spermidine So Important?

The human body is able to break down and recycle unnecessary or damaged cell components. This renewal process is called autophagy.

Autophagy keeps our cells young and protects us from many diseases. Many scientific studies show that autophagy stagnates as we age. It’s a development we can easily counteract, either by fasting or through spermidine supplementation. (Or both!)

Research discovered that increased spermidine intake has the fascinating ability to mimic fasting. However, since the spermidine content in our cells also decreases over time, we are dependent on spermidine supplementation and spermidine-rich foods with increasing age.

Did You Know?

Research indicates that our own spermidine levels start to decrease from approximately 25-30 years of age.

However, a recent study conducted in one of the well-known "Blue-Zones" could show that the spermidine levels of 90 and 100-year-olds mirror that of a young person’s body.

Exciting, right?

Spermidine thus represents an alternative to fasting to activate autophagy.

What Does Spermidine Do?

Spermidine plays an essential role in organisms, like humans and even plants. One of spermidine's biggest and most profound functions, from which other functions stem from, is the ability to counteract aging and promote autophagy.

Our bodies are made up of cells. As we age, our cells age as well. When these cells become old or damaged, it can cause build up of dead or toxic organelle matter in our bodies, potentially leading to age-related disease and injury. Spermidine in our cells optimizes autophagy and cellular renewal.

Spermidine is also known to regulate various cellular processes including:

DNA Stability
Cellular growth
Cellular differentiation
Apoptosis (Which is cellular death as a normal part of growth and development in organisms)

Research in treating aged mice with spermidine found that it led to a decrease in arterial stiffening, which is an aging-related condition correlated to the deterioration of autophagy.

How Can Spermidine and Autophagy Help Our Body?

When you hear that autophagy is basically cells cannibalizing one another, it’s easy to think that it sounds harmful to your body. However, autophagy is quite beneficial and something scientists believe you should be striving for on a regular basis. While it’s still unclear how exactly autophagy creates some of these benefits, here are some benefits of autophagy:

Removing toxic proteins from the cells that may be a cause of some age-related diseases
Recycling residual proteins
Providing energy and building blocks for cells
Promoting regeneration and healthy cells

Learn More About Autophagy >

Research on Spermidine

Roughly 10 years ago, a research team at the University of Graz in Austria discovered spermidine’s ability to trigger autophagy. That team was led by Professor Dr. Frank Madeo.

Since this revolutionary discovery, approximately 100 international research teams have been investigating this substance and its health benefits.

The research is still in its early stage, in terms of scientific investigation. But there are few substances that are better and more intensively researched than spermidine.

One thing is certain:

These research results could have major implications on our understanding of how living cells function and age.

Prof. Dr. Frank Madeo

A professor at the Institute of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Graz in Austria, Dr. Madeo discovered spermidine as an autophagy trigger. He’s the “research father” of spermidineLIFE® and a member of the Longevity Labs+ advisory board.

Recent Research Findings on Spermidine and Autophagy

NEURODEGENERATION

Spermidine reduces inflammation factors, increases the formation of memory cells, and triggers the preventive removal of toxic protein aggregates in cells, which may be responsible for neurodegeneration, the cause of dementia and diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Autophagy plays an important role in immune defense, as its mechanisms support the reduction of inflammation.

During autophagy, infectious organisms or toxins are disposed of, and the meditation of immunological memory is supported.

AGING AND LONGEVITY

Spermidine levels decrease with age. Supplementation can replenish these levels and induce autophagy.

In animal studies, spermidine supplementation has shown to prolong not only a healthy life span but also generally prolong life by 25%.

A 20-year, epidemiological study in humans has shown that higher consumption of spermidine-rich foods correlates with reduced mortality and a life expectancy prolonged by 5 years.

HEART FUNCTION

Spermidine supports cellular respiration, which leads to increased mitochondrial content in heart cells.

Spermidine acts through autophagy to prevent age-associated cardiovascular diseases.

NEURODEGENERATION

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Autophagy plays an important role in immune defense, as its mechanisms support the reduction of inflammation.

During autophagy, infectious organisms or toxins are disposed of, and the meditation of immunological memory is supported.

AGING AND LONGEVITY

Spermidine levels decrease with age. Supplementation can replenish these levels and induce autophagy.

In animal studies, spermidine supplementation has shown to prolong not only a healthy life span but also generally prolong life by 25%.

A 20-year, epidemiological study in humans has shown that higher consumption of spermidine-rich foods correlates with reduced mortality and a life expectancy prolonged by 5 years.

HEART FUNCTION

Spermidine supports cellular respiration, which leads to increased mitochondrial content in heart cells.

Spermidine acts through autophagy to prevent age-associated cardiovascular diseases.

Learn More About Scientific Studies

Why Is Spermidine So Important?

A spermidine-rich diet is important for our health. Fortunately, many foods contain spermidine, such as mushrooms, soybeans, nuts, and especially wheat germ.

However, the spermidine content and foods can vary greatly. The question of bioavailability or absorption through spermidine-rich foods has not yet been finally clarified.

Read About Spermidine-Rich Foods

spermidineLIFE® is clinically tested, confirmed by external laboratories, and guaranteed to have a high spermidine content.

For you and your cells.

A spermidine-rich diet is important for our health. Fortunately, many foods contain spermidine, such as mushrooms, soybeans, nuts, and especially wheat germ.

However, the spermidine content and foods can vary greatly. The question of bioavailability or absorption through spermidine-rich foods has not yet been finally clarified.

Read About Spermidine-Rich Foods

spermidineLIFE® is clinically tested, confirmed by external laboratories, and guaranteed to have a high spermidine content.

For you and your cells.