Main image courtesy of New Scientist.
We work hard to keep our bodies and minds healthy in order to feel our best as we age. While there is no fountain of youth to prevent aging, there are things you can do in order to slow down or reduce the appearance and effects of it. One of the major players in anti-aging is spermidine, which has proven to be a popular supplement thanks to its many beneficial properties. But what exactly is it, how do you know if it’s for you, and what amount should you take in order to get the best results?
In today’s article, we’re covering those topics and more, including:
- The benefits of spermidine
- How much spermidine you should aim to take each day
- How long it takes spermidine to work
- The effects of spermidine on the body
What is spermidine and what are the benefits?
Let’s discuss why you may want to consider adding spermidine to your routine
While everyone will age, not everyone ages the same way. Most folks want to promote a sense of youthfulness and vitality, and want to feel their best in their own skin. Our bones and bodies may get older each year, but that doesn’t mean we have to experience joint pain, inflammation, chronic conditions, or dry skin. One way we can feel our best is by ensuring we’re following a healthy, balanced diet, and getting the right amount of exercise. Additionally, you should also work to make sure you’re getting enough sleep, as this is the time when our brains and bodies rest and recover from the previous day.
Another way to ensure you’re doing all you can to feel your best is by adding supplements to your daily routine, such as spermidine. Spermidine is a polyamine that naturally occurs in our bodies’ ribosomes, and was discovered in the 1670s. Its precursor is putrescine, which is responsible for creating spermine (another essential polyamine). The essential role of spermidine, and why it’s getting so much attention, is because it induces the natural process of cell autophagy—which is the process that cells undergo to get rid of waste and dead or damaged components. This renewal process slows down as we age, and our body produces less spermidine. When spermidine is present, you can expect the cells of all the major organs, tissues, and bones to go through this renewal process more frequently, prolonging the life of those cells.
What are some of the major benefits of spermidine? Let’s find out!
- Anti-aging effect. What spermidine is most known for is to help reduce and even prevent aging. It is effective at renewing and regenerating because it’s successful at promoting autophagy. As our spermidine levels decrease as we age, our bodies are not able to go through cellular renewal as quickly or as often. This can have noticeable effects on your physical and mental health. While spermidine can’t stop the aging process entirely, it can help support your longevity so that you remain healthy and feel your best.
- Reduces inflammation. The other major function of spermidine is that it can also work to decrease inflammation in the body. Inflammation is one of the biggest reasons why people develop chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. When your body is constantly dealing with inflammation, it prevents natural tissue regeneration and can cause cells to become dysfunctional.
- Cardiovascular. Another important way that spermidine can help you turn back the clock is when it comes to your heart health. Studies in animals have shown that heart structure, function, and muscles were improved when additional spermidine was added. Your blood pressure can also be affected positively when you take additional spermidine, which will help the heart cells and tissues repair themselves and protect against heart failure. This can greatly reduce your risk of developing heart disease and increase your longevity.
- Helps your brain. Helping our brains stay healthy and engaged while we age is the goal of a lot of folks, and guess what, spermidine may be able to help you with this as well! Dementia and Parkinson’s are caused by the loss of function of neurons in specific areas of the brain. When spermidine induces autophagy, this helps reduce the chances of the brain deteriorating and nerve damage, which can result in these cognitive disorders. Increasing the amount of spermidine you take can reduce the cognitive impairments that are associated with aging.
- Helps your immune system. In order to stay healthy, we need to make sure our immune systems are at their best. Without it, our bodies are prone to infection, which can lead to chronic inflammation. Through the process of autophagy, spermidine can help rejuvenate and restore the cells and cellular components of the digestive system, which is responsible for a large part of our immune health.
- Increases bone strength. As we age, our bones tend to lose their strength and mass, which is why a lot of older folks are dealing with painful issues like loss of cartilage and osteoarthritis. Because it has anti-inflammatory properties and promotes cell autophagy, it helps preserve cartilage and improve skeletal muscle. This is essential to help our bones support us as we age, and prevent fractures or breaks, which can take much longer to heal in older adults.
How many mgs of spermidine should I take per day?
What’s the optimal amount of spermidine you should strive to take?
Now that you know a little more about the fantastic benefits of spermidine, you’re probably wondering how much you should consume in order to see results. First it’s helpful to discuss any supplements you’re interested in taking with your doctor. They can decide what amount to start you off on, but it typically falls within the range of 5-10 mg per day. If you are taking the lower dosage just fine, you can speak to them about increasing your dose if you wish.
In addition to supplements, did you know that you can also get spermidine from foods? That’s right, if you want to make sure you’re getting the most spermidine, consider making some changes to your diet as well. Following the Mediterranean diet has shown to be an easy way to increase the amount of spermidine in your body naturally. People who choose to stick to this type of diet (modeled after those who live near the Mediterranean and in other “blue zones” of the world) have a higher quality of life the older they get. Their diet contributes greatly to their longevity, and spermidine could be to thank for that!
Foods that are high in spermidine include:
- Wheat germ
- Soy beans
- Mature cheese (cheddar, brie, parmesan)
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Beef
If you choose to take a spermidine supplement, take it after a meal, and make sure you stay consistent. Whether you want to take it at the start of the day, or after dinner, it doesn’t matter—just ensure you continue to take it regularly in order to see results. You can also split up the doses, and take one pill after breakfast and one after lunch if that works better for your schedule.
Can you take too much spermidine?
Spermidine supplements are safe, and most people tolerate taking them very well. You should speak to your doctor about what dose you should be taking, as most folks don’t go over around 6 mg each day, as designated by the European Food Safety Authority (the USDA has not set a maximum limit). You can take more, it’s just not as common.
Side effects are uncommon with spermidine, but that isn’t to say that don’t occur in some people, especially if they’re taking higher doses. We recommend you discuss what dose you should be taking with your doctor, and consult them if you happen to experience any side effects. If you stay within the recommended limit of 6 mg, you should be fine and will notice the benefits of spermidine.
How long does spermidine take to work?
When you start on spermidine, it’s always good to begin with a lower dose, and gradually increase the mg if you and your doctor agree that’s the best course of action. Starting low and slow allows your body time to adjust to the supplement, and then you can better gauge what would be the optimal dose for you. In fact, many clinical trials have incorporated only 1 mg of spermidine per day and have tracked results with that dose.
After you do well at the lower doses, discuss with your healthcare provider if increasing the dose is okay for you. Gradually increasing your dose 6 mg is a safe way to give your body the time it needs to adjust to the spermidine. Typically you can expect to see results in 4-6 weeks, but keep in mind, everyone responds to it differently. Try not to put a time limit on when you need to see results by. As long as you’re consistent and keep taking the supplement, you will start to notice the benefits.
Additional spermidine FAQs
Here’s the answers to some common questions regarding spermidine supplements
Let’s discuss some common questions folks have when they’re interested in starting spermidine. And if you’re looking for a great spermidine supplement, consider taking Dr. Emil’s Spermidine, which contains 5 mg of spermidine that will:
- Increase your spermidine levels to promote cell autophagy
- Contribute to lowering levels of inflammation
- Support your immune system
- Help to reduce the effects of aging
Is spermidine hard on the liver?
Taking spermidine or adding spermidine rich foods to your diet will not be hard on your liver. Remember, spermidine acts as the catalyst that induces cell autophagy, which is the necessary and natural removal of dead and defective cells in order to make room for new ones. This process also goes on in the liver, and by taking spermidine, you may help your liver to stay healthy. The lack of autophagy or a defective autophagy process can lead to premature aging symptoms, as well as the possible growth of tumors.
Even starting to take these supplements later in life can be beneficial, as you may start to see results in anywhere from 4-6 weeks.
Does spermidine affect sleep?
Spermidine is not known to affect your sleep in any adverse way, in fact it may help you get better rest! We know how important sleep is to our health, and spermidine has even shown to improve sleep quality in animals!
Does spermidine decrease testosterone?
No, it does not. There are fertility effects in both men and women due to spermidine supplements. Men see an increase in testosterone as well as the sex steroid DHEAS, which indicates improved sexual function. Spermidine can also reduce oxidative stress in egg cells and reduce damage to egg cells, improving fertility.
Could a spermidine supplement be right for you?
Starting on a spermidine supplement could be the right choice for you if you’re looking to protect yourself from some of the effects of aging. We naturally lose spermidine as we age, and without its essential function of promoting the death and renewal of cellular components, our organs, tissues, and bones can start to deteriorate and decline. Because of its ability to interact with cells throughout the body, spermidine can help instigate the renewal and rejuvenation process and keep our brains, heart, immune system, bones and many more parts functioning as they should.
