What Is Spermidine?
Have you ever heard of spermidine? Spermidine is a natural occurring polyamine in the body. It plays a major role in cellular health and function, primarily through the process of autophagy. Spermidine helps in preventing age-related diseases, and aids in brain, immune and heart health.
Our bodies naturally produce spermidine in nearly every cell of our body, though as the body ages, our spermidine levels decline. Our body’s cellular health declines as well as our natural cellular maintenance processes begin to slow down. People who experience chronic inflammation and low immunity may benefit from an increase in spermidine.
Where is Spermidine Found?
As we learned above, spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine found and produced in living tissue within humans and animals. Even plants have amounts of spermidine - spermidine helps improve plants’ tolerance against drought.
Spermidine In Food
Chances are, you already eat some foods that have trace amounts. Here’s a look at a few popular food groups that contain high levels of spermidine:
- Mushrooms
- Cheese
- Soy products
- Whole grains
- Peas
- Rice
- Mangos & grapefruit
- Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli
If you’re looking to add more spermidine to your diet, you may not have to look very far. Most of these food choices may already sit in your refrigerator or pantry. If you’re considering ways to add more spermidine to your diet, try some more of these foods.
Other Sources
Human tissue and food are not the only places where you can find spermidine. There are supplements on the market that contain doses of spermidine to help boost your immunity and promote better cellular health.
You can find traces of spermidine in some cosmetics. Certain creams, cleansers, or lotions have a spermidine base rather than other synthetic ingredients. Since spermidine also functions as an antioxidant, it may help improve your skin.
What Is Spermidine Made Of?
Spermidine naturally occurs in living tissues of humans, plants, and animals. It is a polyamine which means it has two amino groups in the body. Spermidine is one of many polyamines and is a precursor to spermine and thermospermine.
What Is Spermidine Used For?
We now know a bit more about what spermidine is and how it’s made. But, what are the benefits of spermidine? The good news is that spermidine is essential to your health and wellness because it is a key factor in cellular health and metabolism.
Promoting Longevity
Spermidine is also known to promote longevity since it triggers autophagy in the body. Autophagy is the process in which the body removes dysfunctional cellular material, cleaning out and repairing the cell. The purpose of the autophagy process is to recycle and remove accumulated cellular debris, allowing our cells to continue to operate with peak efficiency.
The largest benefits of autophagy appear to be related to longevity and anti-aging. If our cells become stressed, the body increases autophagy to counteract the stress and protect the body, which may positively benefit lifespan.
Regulating Growth
Spermidine also contributes to the growth rate of plants, animals, and humans. Since it is in forms of DNA, scientists believe it plays a large part in the RNA (ribonucleic acid) of the molecular structure of cells. In humans, RNA and DNA work together in living cells to control the amount of proteins in the body.
Is Spermidine Beneficial To Your Health?
Spermidine is an essential component of cellular maintenance and function.This essential molecule also provides many other health and wellness benefits for you. Here’s a look at some of the benefits of spermidine.
Prolongs the Aging Process
As we explored above, spermidine can help promote longevity and slow down the aging process. Triggering autophagy is a key factor in keeping body systems healthy and combating age-related diseases. A natural process of aging is the degradation of cells. Built up cellular toxins and dysfunctional organelles can lead to serious illnesses and disease. Autophagy prevents these aged and damaged cells from multiplying and causing damage within our bodies. As these damaged cells are cleared of cellular debris they can function properly without impairment.
Reduces Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is among the top causes of death today. Nutrition, lack of exercise, medical history, and other factors can increase the risk of heart disease. Eating foods with spermidine can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Spermidine supports cellular respiration, which leads to increased mitochondrial content in heart cells.
Improves Neurological Functions
During the aging process, brain functions decline along with other parts of the body. Some people experience memory loss or other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. The aging process can also increase inflammation caused by oxidative stress and other bodily toxins.
Spermidine can help protect against neuron damage from oxidative stress and other harmful waste in the brain. Including foods that are high in spermidine or taking a supplement can help restore damage from old cells.
Lowers Risk of Cancer
Another benefit of spermidine is the reduced risk of certain types of cancer. Research shows that patients who add more spermidine in their diet may lower their risk of colon and liver cancer. Since spermidine helps renew cells and clear out damaged cells, it may help reduce the cells that cause cancer.
What Foods Are High in Spermidine?
Supplementing our natural levels of spermidine with foods high in spermidine content is a great way to ensure your body is undergoing autophagy. The good news is there are plenty of foods high in spermidine. You may already have them in your home.
- Pork and chicken
- Liver
- Grapefruit
- Wheat and grain
- mushrooms
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Lentils and beans
- Soybeans and peas
Creating a nutrition plan that includes foods high in spermidine will help promote better health and wellness. Foods like these above can help slow down the aging process by increasing cellular renewal.
Is Spermidine Safe To Take As A Supplement?
We explored many benefits of spermidine and how to include it more in your diet. However, even eating food high in spermidine may not be enough for cellular renewal. Taking spermidine supplements can help ensure you’re meeting the recommended daily dose of spermidine.
Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine in your body, it is safe to take as a supplement. It’s important to find a supplement that is completely natural with no fillers or artificial ingredients. Talk with your doctor about taking these supplements so they can help you find the right dosage and brand for your needs.
Supplements Can Help
Spermidine supplements are a great way to promote cellular renewal in the body and the brain. By inducing autophagy, spermidine can rejuvenate cellular health and increase your immunity. Including a spermidine supplement in your nutrition plan will give your health a boost, improving your overall well being.
