# Spermidine and longevity

The honest answer is mixed: spermidine works on paper and in animals, but the human picture is split. Observational cohorts like Bruneck link a high-spermidine diet to lower mortality (hazard ratio 0.74 per standard deviation of intake), yet the strongest randomized trial, SmartAge, was negative for memory after 12 months. Its proposed mechanism is autophagy, your cells' recycling system, and the densest food source is wheat germ.

What the research really shows: autophagy, the DACH science story, the SmartAge RCT, and the limits of the evidence

## On this page

- What is spermidine?
- Why is this an Austrian-German field?
- What does human research actually show?
- Which foods actually contain spermidine?
- Which supplements are real, and which are just sold?
- Is spermidine safe, and what do we still not know?

## FAQ

- How much spermidine per day should I aim for?
- Does spermidine cause cancer or protect against it?
- Spermidine or NMN: which is better for longevity?
- Is spermidine legal in Germany, Austria and Switzerland?
- Why was the SmartAge trial negative?
- Can I just eat wheat germ instead of buying a supplement?
- Does fasting raise my own spermidine levels?

## Sources

- Eisenberg T, Knauer H, Schauer A, Buettner S, Ruckenstuhl C, Carmona-Gutierrez D, et al.. (2009). Induction of autophagy by spermidine promotes longevity. Nature Cell Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1975
- Eisenberg T, Abdellatif M, Schroeder S, Primessnig U, Stekovic S, Pendl T, et al.. (2016). Cardioprotection and lifespan extension by the natural polyamine spermidine. Nature Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.4222
- Madeo F, Eisenberg T, Pietrocola F, Kroemer G. (2018). Spermidine in health and disease. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan2788
- Kiechl S, Pechlaner R, Willeit P, Notdurfter M, Paulweber B, Willeit K, et al.. (2018). Higher spermidine intake is linked to lower mortality: a prospective population-based study (Bruneck, PMID 29955838). American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy102
- Wirth M, Benson G, Schwarz C, Köbe T, Grittner U, Schmitz D, et al.. (2018). The effect of spermidine on memory performance in older adults at risk for dementia: a randomized controlled trial. Cortex. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2018.09.014
- Schwarz C, Stekovic S, Wirth M, Benson G, Royer P, Sigrist SJ, et al.. (2018). Safety and tolerability of spermidine supplementation in mice and older adults with subjective cognitive decline. Aging. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101354
- Pekar T, Bruckner K, Pauschenwein-Frantsich S, Gschaider A, Wantke F, Jarisch R. (2020). The positive effect of spermidine in older adults suffering from dementia: First results of a 3-month trial. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-020-01758-y
- Schwarz C, Benson GS, Horn N, Wurdack K, Grittner U, Schilling R, et al.. (2022). Effects of Spermidine Supplementation on Cognition and Biomarkers in Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Randomized Clinical Trial (SmartAge) — NEGATIVE primary endpoint. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.13875
- Munoz-Esparza NC, Latorre-Moratalla ML, Comas-Basté O, Toro-Funes N, Veciana-Nogués MT, Vidal-Carou MC. (2019). Polyamines in Food. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2019.00108
- Hofer SJ, Daskalaki I, Bergmann M, Friščić J, Zimmermann A, Mueller MI, et al.. (2024). Spermidine is essential for fasting-mediated autophagy and longevity. Nature Cell Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-024-01468-x
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). (2011). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to spermidine and maintenance of hair (anagen phase) — NOT AUTHORISED. EFSA Journal. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2466
- European Commission. (2017). Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 establishing the Union list of novel foods (conditions of use for spermidine-rich wheat germ extract: maximum 6 mg spermidine/day for adults, excluding pregnant and lactating women); specifications later amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/443. Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32017R2470

_Full guide: https://longevity-austria.com/en/guide/spermidin-spermidine_

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_Canonical: https://longevity-austria.com/en/guide/spermidin-spermidine · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_