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 20-year observation period of the study than participants who ate less spermidine (less than 60 µmol per day).

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

Find out which foods provide spermidine in the following video.

As you age, spermidine levels decrease.

The human body produces spermidine, but with each passing year it does so less effectively. Eating foods rich in spermimine is a way to supply yourself with this substance.

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

Consume every day two servings of whole wheat 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.

Function of spermidine: 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 reduces 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 absorb spermidine The self-cleaning process begins.

In addition, spermidine has an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect and strengthens the function of mitochondria («power plants» of cells).

Benefits of spermidine

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

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

spermidine It also protects the cardiovascular system, which are the main 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 highest 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, as it contains around 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 100 g (unless otherwise stated):

• Wheat germ: 24 mg
• Cheddar, matured 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: 3.7 mg
• Cooked broccoli: 2.7 mg
• Dill: 2.9 mg
• Fruit in general: 0.2-1 mg (exceptions: mango with 3 mg and pears with 5.2 mg)

• Avocado: 1 mg
• Cooked and fermented soybeans (natto): 4.5 mg
• Soy milk: 1.6 mg
• Boiled potatoes: 1.2-1.7 mg
• French fries: 2.5 mg
• Whole grain: 1.8 – 2.4 mg
• White rice: 0.39 mg
• Brown rice: 0.64 mg
• Rice bran: 5.1 mg
• Hazelnuts: 2.1 mg
• Peanuts: 1.6 mg
• Mustard: 3.4 mg

Spermidine too It is available in capsule form and can be taken as a dietary supplement.

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

Scientific references: