Spermidine

What is Spermidine?

Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine found in all living cells that can be sourced from many foods, with some of the richest sources being wheat germ, soy products and mushrooms. It plays a vital role in cellular renewal, and has numerous evidenced health benefits including powerful anti-aging effects.

Health Benefits:

Activates Autophagy

Spermidine induces autophagy through the inhibition of several acetyltransferases. Autophagy is the cellular process by which damaged cell components are recycled, which is essential for preventing their accumulation with age, supporting cellular function and enhancing resilience to stress. In humans, spermidine levels decline in an age-dependent manner, likely contributing to age-related deterioration of health and the onset of age-associated diseases.

Supports Cardiovascular Health

Spermidine may support heart health and protect against cardiovascular diseases. One study found that oral supplementation of spermidine can exert cardioprotective effects for old age mice, reducing cardiac hypertrophy and preserving diastolic function. Further to this, greater dietary spermidine consumption has evidenced associations with reduced blood pressure and decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Promotes Longevity

The connection between autophagy and lifespan is receiving a lot of attention in the scientific community, with emerging research indicating that autophagy may play an essential role in boosting longevity and health span. Spermidine’s ability to enhance autophagy therefore indicates its potential benefits for longevity and research supports this with findings linking spermidine to increased lifespan in animals and increased survival rates for cultured mammalian cells.

History:

For centuries, diets consisting of foods that are naturally high in spermidine, such as traditional Mediterranean diets containing wheat germ and legumes or East Asian diets with high soy and mushroom intake, have been recognised for their powerful health benefits. More recently, spermidine's ability to support longevity has gained increasing interest and current research indicates various potential therapeutic benefits of consuming it.

Typical Use:

While spermidine can be consumed through natural foods such as wheat germ, lentils, soybeans and mushrooms, it is also often used in supplements aimed at supporting long term cellular health and longevity.