Spermidine is a biogenic amine for chemistry. For longevity research, the micronutrient is a beacon of hope. For us, spermidine can be a way of taking a healthy future into our own hands. For all the things spermidine can be, one thing it is not is new. Quite the opposite. As early as 1870, Philipp Schreiner isolated the base spermine from male seminal fluid. This is where the somewhat bizarre name of the molecule comes from. Even though we now know that spermidine occurs naturally in every cell and in every organism, the original name has stuck.
Occurrence of spermidine
Our body can produce spermidine itself in moderation. When the metabolism is accelerated (z.B: during sport), the production of spermidine in the body is boosted. Conversely, the concentration decreases when the metabolism slows down. However, the amount produced by the body is not sufficient to cover the demand. The cells are dependent on food intake. Spermidine is mainly found in whole grains or wheat germ, soybeans (about 200 mg/kg) or legumes. Mushrooms and mature cheese are also rich in the molecule. For comparison: the spermidine content in the eponymous human ejaculate averages 31 mg/L.
The good news for all those who immediately suspect the worst: spermidine-containing food supplements are not made from human or animal sperm, but from wheat germ or soy products. In contrast to wheat germ origin, soy-based spermidine is also gluten-free.
What does spermidine do?
The effect attributed to the endogenous substance is not only useful, but has even been nobly important for several years. in 2016, Japanese professor Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for basic research into autophagy.
What is meant by this term, which has its origins in ancient Greece?
Autophagy - the cell's own waste disposal
When cells break down their own components, this is called autophagy or autophagocytosis. Colloquially, we like to speak of self-digestion. This should not be confused with phagocytosis, where substances from outside the cell are absorbed ("eaten") and digested.
Autophagy is particularly important because cell metabolism constantly produces by-products that are superfluous or damaged. With the process of autophagy, these can now either be disposed of or, even better, reused. However, not only metabolic products are autophagized, but also entire cell organelles - for example the mitochondria. Be it damage, ageing or even planned loss - sooner or later our cellular power plants start to stutter. To prevent this from having a negative impact on the performance of the entire cell, the mitochondrion is quickly digested within the cell. The fact that new power plants are formed from the individual parts is all the more beneficial. Basically, autophagy is the cell's own waste disposal and recycling station in one.
The process is called Prof. According to Ohsumi, autophagy is always stimulated when the conditions are unfavorable for our cells. For example, if there is a lack of nitrogen or food, this is a starting signal for the autophagy machinery. But even the best system runs out of steam at some point. As we age, both the spermidine concentration and the activity of our self-cleaning program decline.
According to studies, such dysfunctions can lead to metabolic diseases, infections or even neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's). In the latter, disease-relevant deposits of proteins occur in cells. This underlines once again how important it is to maintain this ability.
Fasting does the trick
In addition to spermidine, fasting can also get our recycling system going. The most common rule of thumb here is 16:8 - fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours. The principle behind this is as simple as it is logical: if nothing new comes along, the old is reused. In addition, the body is not constantly busy breaking down new food, but can use the time to tidy up. If only we were just as consistent in our everyday cleaning.
The benefits of fasting range from positive effects on cardiovascular disease to increased performance. In this case, less is actually more. Unfortunately, this does not apply to house cleaning.
Summary
At the end, let's hit the nail on the head again. The theories surrounding spermidine can be summarized as follows: The molecule is supposed to suggest a state of fasting to our body and thus harness the benefits of fasting, i.e. increased autophagy, without actually abstaining from food. A diet rich in spermidine has been associated with a longer lifespan in studies.
