What is spermidine and what are its properties?

Spermidine is a substance naturally occurring in human body cells and in the plant kingdom. This compound belongs to the polyamine group and exhibits antioxidant and anti-aging properties.

Currently, research focuses on the life-extending effect of spermidine on the human body, the improvement of skin appearance and quality, as well as the efficient functioning of mitochondria in cellular respiration. What is spermidine and what are its properties?

What is spermidine?

Spermidine is a chemical compound belonging to the polyamine group. It is naturally found in the cellular environment, within mitochondria, vacuoles, the cell nucleus, and the nucleolus. Spermidine has 3 amino groups, which are responsible for shaping its health properties.

Spermidine is naturally found in human sperm, as a transparent ejaculatory substance. It is also present in food, specifically in wheat germ, cruciferous vegetables, amaranth, mushrooms, soybeans, whole grain products, and some legumes.

Properties and action of spermidine

Other polyamines, such as putrescine and spermine, are related to spermidine. The main property of spermidine is to maintain the effect of longevity and reduce the effects of aging. This effect primarily involves the protection of cell DNA and sperm DNA. As a result of this component’s action, free radical activity is reduced, which additionally has a beneficial effect on the body and promotes long-term health.

However, the most important role of spermidine is its influence on mitochondrial autophagy.

Spermidine and mitochondrial autophagy

Mitochondria are small cellular organelles whose main task is to produce energy molecules for the human body in the form of ATP, or adenosine triphosphate. The presence of this compound contributes to the proper functioning of the entire organism. Given the important role of mitochondria, numerous preparations have been developed to support the health of these organelles, while also influencing their recycling process. Mitochondrial recycling is an important element of their metabolism, which affects the removal of defective mitochondria damaged by free radical activity and inflammation.

Damaged mitochondria are unable to efficiently produce energy, and therefore, in the presence of compounds like spermidine, they are deactivated and undergo the aforementioned recycling. By replacing defective mitochondria with new, efficiently functioning ones, a proper and efficient process of energy acquisition by the body can be achieved.

Spermidine induces an anti-aging effect

Another important property of spermidine is its rejuvenating effect. This is due to spermidine’s ability to reduce the titer of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Inflammation is a damaging factor not only to DNA but also to collagen structures and other elements affecting the proper functioning of internal organs and more. Spermidine supplementation contributes to reducing the titer of pro-inflammatory cytokines and regenerating damaged structures. It is worth noting that the body’s ability to produce spermidine declines with age, which increases the risk of lifestyle diseases in older adults.

Spermidine and its properties supporting cognitive functions

An important element in maintaining good health is caring for the regeneration of the nervous system. Its activity is related to cognitive functions, which are supported by spermidine supplementation, among others, from wheat germ extract. This compound limits the destructive activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines, improves cerebral microcirculation, and enables an efficient process of forming new neural connections and creating new nerve cells.

Spermidine and viral infections

Another beneficial effect of spermidine is its ability to alleviate viral infections. Viral activity is associated with inhibiting the process of mitochondrial autophagy and their further damage due to oxidative stress. Administering spermidine to such individuals significantly helps alleviate infection symptoms and accelerates recovery from this condition.

Spermidine regulates hormonal balance in women and men

Another property of spermidine is its support for hormonal regulation. Spermidine, in the form of wheat germ extract, helps reduce excessive cortisol levels, a hormone which in excess causes hormonal imbalances. This makes it possible to restore proper concentrations of steroid hormones, such as testosterone in men, estradiol in women, and progesterone in both sexes. Thanks to this property, it is also possible to boost libido and have a beneficial effect on fertility.

Given the beneficial effect of spermidine on mitochondrial activity, it is worth noting other systems that contain large amounts of mitochondria. This means that spermidine supplementation can favorably affect the function of:

• kidneys,
• liver,
• skin,
• intestines,
• adrenal glands,
• heart,
• lungs,
• locomotor system.

Spermidine dosage and when does it work best?

To obtain the greatest health benefits, the recommended spermidine dosage should be followed. This is a value of 1 mg daily, which is usually found in 100 mg of wheat germ extract.

Spermidine should be combined with other active ingredients that have a beneficial effect on mitochondrial metabolism. Among the substances that positively influence mitochondrial health and act synergistically with spermidine are:

• coenzyme Q10,
• magnesium,
• N-acetyl L-carnitine,
• PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone).

The above substances are found in the BestLife supplement. This is a preparation dedicated to prevention in terms of minimizing inflammation. BestLife is a dietary supplement that prevents DNA damage, acts preventively against metabolic problems, and adds energy for action. The presence of other substances has a beneficial effect on well-being and physical performance.

Importantly, spermidine did not show side effects in studies.

Spermidine – summary

Spermidine is a naturally occurring compound in food products and in human sperm. It turns out that this substance offers many health benefits, primarily by improving mitochondrial function and removing those that prove to be defective. Furthermore, spermidine possesses strong antioxidant properties, which is extremely important in combating an excessive amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

While spermidine does not show noticeable side effects, the daily dosage of spermidine should be around 1 mg per day. Our comprehensive preparation BestLife includes such a dose, dedicated to individuals who wish to support their health at the mitochondrial level.

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3. Francesca Mocci,Aatto Laaksonen,Leon Engelbrecht,Tudor Vasiliu,Sergiy Perepelytsya,DNA-Polyamine Interactions: Insight from Molecular Dynamics Simulations on the Sequence-Specific Binding of Spermidine3+, Soft Matter Systems for Biomedical Applications, (163-192).
4. Wirth, M., Schwarz, C., Benson, G. et al. Effects of spermidine supplementation on cognition and biomarkers in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SmartAge)-study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Alz Res Therapy 11, 36 (2019).
5. Stefan Kiechl, Raimund Pechlaner, Peter Willeit, Marlene Notdurfter, Bernhard Paulweber, Karin Willeit, Philipp Werner, Christoph Ruckenstuhl, Bernhard Iglseder, Siegfried Weger, Barbara Mairhofer, Markus Gartner, Ludmilla Kedenko, Monika Chmelikova, Slaven Stekovic, Hermann Stuppner, Friedrich Oberhollenzer, Guido Kroemer, Manuel Mayr, Tobias Eisenberg, Herbert Tilg, Frank Madeo, Johann Willeit, Higher spermidine intake is linked to lower mortality: a prospective population-based study, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 108, Issue 2, August 2018, Pages 371-380.
6. Karacay, C., Prietl, B., Harer, C. et al. The effect of spermidine on autoimmunity and beta cell function in NOD mice. Sci Rep 12, 4502 (2022).

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