Spermidine: This natural substance can help us live longer

The search for means to extend life has preoccupied humanity for centuries. Thanks to scientific and medical progress, the average life expectancy continues to increase.

But for some people that’s not enough – they want to get even older. While companies are researching how to extend life artificially, some people are turning to natural means.

Spermidine stimulates the cells to clean themselves

Spermidine is, among other things, a component of sperm. However, it occurs in every cell of the body and can also be produced by certain intestinal bacteria. The messenger substance plays an important role in cell metabolism: It is closely linked to cell growth and can stimulate autophagy, i.e. the self-cleaning of cells. This means that older cells remain functional for longer.

However, with age, the spermidine concentration in the body decreases. Therefore, the cells can no longer renew themselves as efficiently, which leads to “disease-relevant deposits in the cells, which in turn can lead to dementia, diabetes, tumors and atherosclerosis,” as a study by the Medical University of Innsbruck states.

The researchers analyzed certain health aspects of 829 subjects who had kept a food diary for over 20 years. The result: The participants who consumed a lot of spermidine through their diet (at least 80 micromoles of spermidine per day) had a lower risk of death over the 20-year observation period.

These foods contain particularly high amounts of spermidine

An experiment at the University of Hanover also showed significant rejuvenation effects in mice that were fed spermidine. It wasn’t just age-related hair loss that was reduced. The animals also had less kidney and liver damage. In addition, the brain was better supplied with glucose, which contributed to an increase in performance.

However, spermidine is not only found in the body; it is also a component of some foods. Contain particularly high levels of spermidine:

• Soybeans (dried): 207 mg/kg
• Pumpkin seeds: 104 mg/kg
• Mushrooms: 89 mg/kg
• Peas: 46 mg/kg
• Wheat germ: 243 mg/kg

Why you shouldn’t rely on nutritional supplements

The industry has also already discovered spermidine – and sells it as a dietary supplement. However, you should be careful here. Neurologist Stefan Kiechl, who was involved in the study at the University of Innsbruck, explained to the newspaper “Geo” that the preparations often contain very low doses of spermidine.

“There are preparations to which only 1 milligram per capsule is added. The dosage must of course be higher,” says Kiechl. You should consume at least 5 milligrams daily to achieve effects. In addition, nutritional supplements are often overpriced.

Recognizing an overdose of vitamin D – these are the signs your body shows