Spermidine: Insights into One of the Most Important Polyamines

Spermidine, a biogenic polyamine, is considered one of the most important amino acid compounds and is attracting increasing attention among medical professionals as well as health-conscious individuals. However, very few people currently know what this compound actually is, which processes in the human body it may positively influence, and for whom appropriate supplementation may be beneficial.

Table of contents

1. Spermidine: an explanation
2. How does spermidine work?
3. What side effects does spermidine have?
4. Who should take spermidine?
5. Which foods contain spermidine?
6. What is the daily requirement for spermidine?
7. Where can spermidine be purchased?
8. How much does spermidine cost?
9. Spermidine dosage
10. Spermidine and our many years of experience
11. Study results on spermidine: what have they shown so far?
12. Is spermidine carcinogenic?
13. Can spermidine help with weight loss?

Spermidine: an explanation

Scientists first discovered the compound spermidine in the 1970s in its natural form, namely in male semen. It then took around 30 more years of research before Austrian researchers attributed a promising life-extending effect to this compound made up of important amino acids.

Today, scientists even agree that an adequate concentration of spermidine in the body is capable of triggering the process of cellular cleansing known as autophagy. Many of you will probably already be familiar with this process from fasting. Whether it occurs automatically or is deliberately triggered through longer periods of fasting, it can contribute to a healthy and resilient body.

Because the natural concentration of spermidine in the body decreases with age as metabolic processes slow down, cells contain progressively less natural spermidine as we grow older. This is one reason to supplement it consciously – at least for those who wish to remain healthy and agile during the second half of life.

How does spermidine work?

As already mentioned briefly, spermidine primarily influences the process of autophagy in the body. Thanks to this polyamine, human cells are able to cleanse themselves and break down old, damaged cellular components that might otherwise degenerate and become dangerous.

When autophagy functions properly, the entire organism remains healthy and resilient, supporting the prospect of a long and healthy life.

In brief: When consumed in sufficient amounts, spermidine effectively counteracts the ageing process and helps protect health and vitality.

What side effects does spermidine have?

Looking at current research and studies on spermidine, it is striking that even higher levels of supplementation with this amino acid compound appear to cause no side effects. One possible reason why the body tolerates spermidine so well may be that it is capable of producing the compound itself in order to repair damaged body cells naturally. In addition, spermidine is already present, albeit in small quantities, in every single cell in our body. It is therefore not a foreign substance.

Who should take spermidine?

Spermidine supplementation is suitable for anyone who wants to take independent responsibility for their health and who wishes to counteract the ageing process and possible cellular degeneration in a sustainable and healthy way.

Which foods contain spermidine?

Spermidine is found in every living organism – humans, animals and plants. Some foods contain more natural spermidine, while others contain less. As a general rule, a plant-based diet is considered the gold standard for ensuring an adequate supply of this valuable amino acid compound. Wheat germ, mushrooms and soybean sprouts in particular provide the body with high amounts of valuable, bioavailable spermidine.

What is the daily requirement for spermidine?

This is certainly a question that must be assessed individually. Nevertheless, there are some general guidelines that we would like to share. Researchers assume that a daily intake of 80 µmol (micromoles) of spermidine may be necessary to achieve a life-extending effect.

A diet providing less than 60 µmol (micromoles) of spermidine per day is already considered low in spermidine. By comparison, people who do not pay attention to their spermidine intake generally consume around 7 to 15 µmol (micromoles) per day.

As a general principle, however, it is important to maintain a healthy and nutrient-rich diet. In addition to consuming spermidine itself, it is also important to avoid foods that may inhibit autophagy. Meat and processed meat products are among these foods. A useful rule of thumb is: The more plant-based the diet, the better and healthier it is for the entire organism.

Where can spermidine be purchased?

Of course, it is also possible to consume synthesised spermidine in a high concentration. The polyamine can be ordered from various online shops. However, you should place the greatest emphasis on the quality of the supplement.

How much does spermidine cost?

The price of spermidine varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and from retailer to retailer. As a general rule, natural and body-identical supplements cost somewhat more than lower-quality products. You decide how much you are prepared to invest in your health.

Spermidine dosage

Although dosage should always be considered individually, there are guidelines for what an optimal intake may look like. Supplementation makes it particularly easy to monitor the exact amount of this important substance consumed. Based on ten years of research, we would like to recommend the product spermidineLIFE. The recommended dose is two capsules per day, each containing 1 mg of highly bioavailable spermidine.

Spermidine and our many years of experience

Extensive and careful research is required to determine whether dietary supplements of any kind provide sustainable benefits for humans. In the field of the amino acid compound spermidine, we have now accumulated a decade of valuable experience. We would like to share the knowledge gained over these many years so that as many people as possible can benefit from it. In addition to our own work, other researchers have also investigated spermidine intensively. Naturally, we would also like to share those findings with you.

What does spermidine do in the body?

In the human or animal body, spermidine is capable of stimulating autophagy. This state, which can also be understood as cellular cleansing, is normally reached only after a longer period of fasting. This is one reason why intermittent fasting has become so popular in recent years.

However, fasting of any kind is contraindicated for some people. To allow them to benefit from the positive effects of autophagy nevertheless, spermidine capsules may be particularly suitable. During this cellular cleansing process, the body disposes of old or even degenerated cells. These are then eliminated through normal physiological processes. An adequate supply of spermidine is essential for supporting this fundamental cleansing process.

Study results on spermidine: what have they shown so far?

Spermidine has been the subject of intensive research for many years. We have examined published studies from various countries in detail and summarised their findings below for general information.

The Bruneck Study (1995–2015)

This 20-year study focused primarily on the participants’ lifestyles. The lifestyle and health status of 829 people in a municipality in South Tyrol were documented. Every five years, the participants were asked about their dietary habits. The data were evaluated after 20 years.

The research team found that people who consumed spermidine through their diet lived between five and seven years longer than those who did not. Of the original 829 participants, 341 died during the 20-year research period. Just over 40 percent of those who died had consumed only small amounts of spermidine. Twenty-four percent had a moderate spermidine intake during the study years, while only 15 percent died despite having a high spermidine content in their diet.

The researchers drew the following conclusions from this long-term study in South Tyrol:

• A spermidine-rich diet protects against vascular and intestinal diseases.
• Spermidine has a positive influence on the human nervous system and protects against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Spermidine also plays a decisive role in the development of tumours.
• The more spermidine the participants consumed, the less common cardiovascular diseases were.

A similar study conducted over 12 years in Salzburg reached comparable conclusions regarding spermidine. More than 1,000 people were observed in that study.

Research by Frank Madeo, University of Graz

Frank Madeo was particularly interested in autophagy. Years ago, he and his research team investigated the effects of autophagy in yeast cells and fruit flies and obtained remarkable results. When fruit flies were given spermidine, their nerve cells were observed to age much more slowly.

A genuine effect was also observed in mice shortly afterwards. When they were fed the polyamine spermidine, they lived considerably longer and their cardiac blood vessels remained more elastic. As a result, the animals’ kidney function also improved.

Building on Madeo’s research findings, further experiments with spermidine were conducted in laboratories around the world. In Japan, for example, researchers demonstrated that spermidine can counteract age-related inflammation. Chronic inflammation in the blood was drastically reduced in mice that consumed spermidine.

Researchers in Italy also demonstrated that spermidine may be capable of treating the effects of a genetic muscle disorder.

SmartAge study at Charité Berlin (2015–2020)

In a five-year study, researchers at Berlin University Hospital also found that spermidine-induced autophagy could even prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. On this basis, it can generally be assumed that spermidine and other polyamines may have a positive effect on brain function and consequently on a person’s cognitive abilities.

The study included people who were already experiencing age-related memory impairment. However, none of them had Alzheimer’s disease. The participants were given spermidine capsules continuously for three months. At the end of the study, the participants reported a subjective improvement in memory performance. In addition, the spermidine extracted from wheat germ was very well tolerated by all participants.

Key finding: In the Bruneck Study, people with a high spermidine intake lived five to seven years longer over the 20-year observation period than people with a low intake.

Is spermidine carcinogenic?

There is no evidence that spermidine could be carcinogenic. Quite the opposite: according to various research findings, spermidine is even sustainably involved in shrinking tumours and may prevent them from developing in the first place. There is therefore no reason to fear spermidine supplementation.

Can spermidine help with weight loss?

Spermidine is also referred to as a calorie-restriction mimetic. As already mentioned, taking it automatically places the body in a fasting-like state. While the body is engaged in cellular cleansing, the metabolism also runs at full speed. As a result, weight loss may be a welcome side effect.

You can read more about the interaction between cellular ageing, metabolism and nutrient supply in our articles on Longevity and mTOR and Sirtuins, AMPK and mTOR. You can determine your current biological age with the bioAge Test from neotes. Our article on Resveratrol and longevity also examines another promising compound from longevity research.