Spermidine is a fountain of youth

Researchers from the University of Innsbruck, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Graz, have published a study on spermidine, the conclusion of which associated this substance with a longer life expectancy.

The study was conducted with 829 participants aged 45 to 84 years over 20 years and found that those who consumed the most spermidine through their diet (more than 80 µmol per day) had a lower risk of dying during the study’s 20-year observation period than participants who ate less spermidine (less than 60 µmol per day).

According to the authors, participants who consumed more spermidine may enjoy 5 more years of life expectancy. The study has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Find out what foods provide spermidine in the following video.

As we age, the spermidine level decreases.

The human body produces spermidine, but with each passing year it does so less effectively. Eating foods rich in spermidine is one way to stock up on this substance.

People who already eat healthy don’t have to worry, because according to the researchers from Innsbruck, whole grain products, peas, apples, lettuce, nuts and potatoes are considered particularly rich foods.

consume every day two servings of wholemeal bread, two of lettuce and one apple are enough to be in the top third of spermidine intake, according to the report from the Medical University of Innsbruck.

Spermidine function: activates the cellular detoxification program

What does spermidine do in the body to be so beneficial? Spermidine stimulates autophagy, the endogenous purification process which is also activated during fasting and which partly explains its benefits.

In autophagy, defective cells are broken down and recycled, which decreases the risk of developing pathological processes, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, tumors and atherosclerosis.

Neurologist Stefan Kiechl, who led the Innsbruck study, explains that when cells take up spermidine the self-cleaning process starts.

In addition, spermidine has an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect and supports the function of mitochondria (“power plants” of cells).

Spermidine Benefits

A study carried out among elderly people (average age 70 years) with cognitive impairments and at risk of developing Alzheimer’s proved that the administration of high-dose spermidine produced a improvement in memory no side effects.

Other research showed that spermidine may protect against type 2 diabetes because it helps prevent the breakdown of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

spermidine it also protects the cardiovascular system, which are the leading cause of death. A study published in the journal nature medicine found that spermidine extends the life expectancy of mice, among other things, due to its protective effect on the heart.

The more spermidine you eat, the better.

The average daily intake of spermidine varies between 7 and 25 mg. The largest amounts are achieved with the Mediterranean diet, Abundant in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish and olive oil.

The researchers cite wheat germ as the best source of spermidine, since it contains about 2.4 mg of spermidine per 10 g.

Long-ripened cheeses, such as old gouda, parmesan, and cheddar, mushrooms, and peas, are also rich in spermidine.

foods rich in spermidine

Below is a list of the spermidine content of some foods in mg per 100g (unless otherwise stated):

Wheat germ: 24 mg Cheddar, aged 1 year: 19.9 mg (fresh or soft cheeses contain almost no spermidine) Shiitake mushrooms: 8.9 mg Peas: 6.5 mg Raw cauliflower: 3 mg Boiled cauliflower: 2.6 mg Raw broccoli: 3.7mgCooked broccoli: 2.7mgDill: 2.9mgFruit in general: 0.2-1mg (exceptions: mango 3mg and pears 5.2mg)

Avocado: 1mgCooked and fermented soybeans (natto): 4.5mgSoy milk: 1.6mgBoiled potatoes: 1.2-1.7mgFrench fries: 2.5mgWhole grain: 1.8 – 2.4mgWhite rice: 0.39mgBrown rice: 0.64mgRice bran: 5.1mgHazelnuts: 2.1mgPeanuts: 1.6mgMustard: 3.4mg

spermidine too is available in the form of capsules and can be taken as a dietary supplement.

Moreover, intense exercise also increases spermidine levels in the body.

Scientific references: