The Benefits of Spermidine
Imagine a supplement that could benefit your longevity, brain health, immune system, cellular health, DNA stability, and the appearance of your skin! It almost sounds too good to be true…
But actually, the supplement Spermidine offers all these benefits (and many more)! In this blog, we’ll explain what spermidine does in the body, the benefits of spermidine, and how it can potentially increase your longevity.
Autophagy 101:
To understand the benefits of spermidine, you must first learn about a biological process called autophagy. This is where the true benefits of spermidine lie. Autophagy literally translates to “self eat”, which exactly is what happens in the process. It is a form of evolutionary self-preservation, in which the body removes unnecessary cells and recycles parts of them for repair and cleaning.
Cardiologist Dr. Luiza Petre explains it best as, “recycling and cleaning and at the same time, just like hitting a reset button to your body.” Autophagy declines with age and this decline is associated with almost all age-related chronic complex diseases.
The biggest benefits of autophagy are related to longevity and anti-aging. When the body is stressed, the body increases autophagy to protect the body and reduce stress. This likely helps to benefit lifespan, as well.
Further, when the body goes through starvation, your body utilizes autophagy to break down unwanted cellular material and reuse it for necessary functions.
One way to boost autophagy is through fasting and exercise. But because spermidine is a caloric restriction mimetic, it achieves the same effects by activating molecular pathways that signal autophagy.
We recommend Spermidine for almost all of our patients, especially those over 60. But as with all supplements, sourcing is very important. The Spermidine that we support is through SpermidineLife. SpermidineLife is a science-based company in Austria that only sells Spermidine. Their advisory board consists of some of the best scientists and cell researchers who analyze and test the Spermidine product from SpermidineLife. This is the only bioactive spermidine product on the market that has been proven in studies to affect autophagy and the immune system.
What is Spermidine?
Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine (an organic compound with more than 2 amino groups), found in tissues throughout the body. Spermidine is responsible for synchronizing several biological processes in the body, and due to its functions, spermidine is considered a longevity agent. Its primary mechanism for increasing longevity is autophagy.
The benefits of spermidine:
Long-term supplementing with spermidine has also been found to reduce the risk of numerous age-related diseases, such as:
Cancer
Heart disease
Neurodegeneration
Spermidine has also been found to improve cognitive function and memory. The supplement offers a neuroprotective effect against neuron damage caused by oxidative stress and inflammation. It does so by dissolving harmful plaques through the process of autophagy. Such plaques are thought to be related to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. One study did show that taking spermidine can prevent memory loss in people suffering from dementia.
Taken regularly, spermidine offers protection to DNA from oxidative stress. Spermidine has also been demonstrated to stabilize mitochondrial DNA. The supplement has also been shown to decrease inflammation throughout the body- improving heart health and immune system function.
On the cosmetic side, spermidine may be effective in reducing the physical signs of aging. Deep wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin have all been shown to decrease with the regular use of spermidine. The supplement has also been found to promote hair growth, stronger nails, and longer lashes- thanks to spermidine boosting keratin production. Moreover, spermidine can further benefit your skin by promoting the production of elastin, lipids, and collagen in older skin cells.
Can spermidine increase your lifespan?
Scientific studies on mice, flies, nematodes, and yeast have all demonstrated that spermidine can increase lifespan in these model organisms. Thus, scientists also expect that spermidine has similar lengthening effects on the human life span.
Research has already demonstrated that supplementing spermidine improved healthspan and extended longevity on multiple levels. Studies on mice have shown that spermidine can delay neurodegeneration.
So far, spermidine has been tested in two population-based studies. For the first time, these studies demonstrated that spermidine is linked to reduced overall cardiovascular and cancer-related deaths in humans.
Spermidine truly is one of the most beneficial supplements you can take! Its benefits are widespread throughout the entire body. From improving cognitive function to reducing the effects of aging, Spermidine does it all!
But, keep in mind that when buying Spermidine, if you shop from Amazon or other non-medical sellers, you will not receive pure spermidine in the right concentration. This concoction can be ineffective at best and potentially harmful at worst. The only place you can reliably purchase Spermadine is through Spermadinelife or a functional health practice- like The Johnson Center.
Email our office at thejohnsoncenter@gmail.com or call 276-235-3205 to learn more about introducing Spermidine into your daily supplements.
The Johnson Center for Health services patients in-person in our Blacksburg and Virginia Beach / Norfolk locations. We also offer telemedicine for residents of Virginia and North Carolina!
