Spermidine: Can it protect against cell aging and cancer?

In the search for how people can age healthily, the messenger substance spermidine has also come into focus for longevity researchers. A diet rich in spermidine, as it is increasingly said, is supposed to keep you young longer and protect against age-related diseases. But what exactly is spermidine and what exactly is its anti-aging effect?

What is spermidine?

Spermidine is a so-called biogenic polyamine. It owes its curious name to the place where it was first discovered: in human sperm. However, it is found in almost all living cells - in plants, animals, and in the cells of the human body - and is also formed there.

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Spermidine: What does it do in the body?

Spermidine is closely linked to cell growth and is essential for cell division and repair. It is now known that the amount of spermidine in the organism increases with an acceleration of metabolism and decreases with a slowdown. It is also proven that the body's own production decreases with age (from about 35 years) – this, in turn, increases interest in compensating for this decline through a diet rich in spermidine or supplementation to maintain or even stimulate the body's important repair processes.

One of the most important effects of spermidine is its ability to activate so-called autophagy, the self-cleaning process of the cells: Defective cell components, damaged proteins, or cellular waste are broken down and recycled. This process is essential for the health of the cells and thus plays a key role in the fight against aging processes, inflammation, and diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer.

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The assumption of scientists: Because autophagy loses efficiency with age, disease-relevant deposits in the cells occur, which in turn can lead to dementia, diabetes, tumors, and atherosclerosis. The increased intake of spermidine – whether through food or supplementation – signals the cell to start the self-cleaning process, thus protecting against deposits and premature aging.

Spermidine: What studies say

Studies on model organisms such as yeast cells, worms, and mice also show promising results: Spermidine not only extended the lifespan but also improved heart function and reduced age-related inflammation. The administration of spermidine even improved egg cell maturation and fertility in female mice.

Initial studies in humans have shown that a diet rich in spermidine apparently has positive effects on life expectancy and cell health. Spermidine not only rejuvenates cells but may also reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, or even prevent dementia. To some extent, however, research is still in its infancy here - more long-term studies in humans are needed to be able to say with certainty how effective spermidine is as a dietary supplement.

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Cheddar is particularly rich in spermidine.

In which foods is spermidine found?

However, it is certain that it is not harmful to pay attention to an increased intake of spermidine through diet. Polyamine is found in many healthy foods; according to studies, everyone in Europe consumes between 7 and 25 milligrams of spermidine per day through food. The individual amount depends on which foods are consumed. Foods particularly rich in spermidine include wheat germ, dried soybeans, aged cheese (such as Parmesan and Cheddar), and mushrooms.

Spermidine as a dietary supplement

Since we can also get spermidine through food, it is not necessary to take it through dietary supplements. A balanced diet is generally completely sufficient.

"Plain Text Dietary Supplements", a service from the Consumer Advice Center, states that a benefit from taking spermidine-containing dietary supplements for healthy people has not been demonstrated in any human study so far. It is not known whether and how regular intake of spermidine capsules affects health and life expectancy. Dietary supplements with spermidine are often based on wheat germ extracts that contain gluten. These products are not suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

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Spermidine - how much per day?

The allowed maximum amount of spermidine as a supplement is 6 milligrams per day. Caution is advised for people with histamine intolerance: Spermidine may stimulate the body's own release of histamine and cause symptoms.

The spermidine content in body cells increases during pregnancy and growth. For this reason, experts advise pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children against taking dietary supplements with spermidine. This also applies to people with diseases associated with chronic inflammation. Examples include Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, and rheumatism.

People who receive the active ingredient ethambutol (against tuberculosis) should refrain from taking spermidine because spermidine – like magnesium – can weaken the effect of the medication.

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