Supplement
Spermidine
The longevity molecule from epidemiology, still waiting on trials.
Spermidine is a polyamine found in wheat germ, aged cheese, mushrooms, and soy. We grade Spermidine C on evidence and C for worth-it at about $20-35 per month.
Evidence
Worth it
Typical cost: $20-35/month
What it does
Spermidine is a polyamine found in wheat germ, aged cheese, mushrooms, and soy. Higher dietary intake is associated with lower mortality in observational studies. The proposed mechanism is autophagy, the cell's recycling system, but the randomized trial record is thin.
What the research says
Associated with lower mortality in observational studies
Evidence: emerging. Epidemiology only; association is not causation.
May support cognitive measures in older adults
Evidence: emerging. Small trials show signals; needs larger replication.
Cognition: largest RCT found no effect at low dose
Evidence: moderate. SmartAge trial (100 adults 60-90, 0.9-1.2 mg/day, 12 months): no significant memory improvement vs placebo. Dose was ~10% of habitual intake. A 40-400 mg/day dose-escalation study is ongoing and could rewrite dosing.
DRAFT: cleanest mechanism in the aisle (autophagy), but the only year-long human RCT used a homeopathic-scale dose and found nothing. Observational mortality association (Bruneck HR 0.76) is not causal. Awaiting dose-escalation data.
Is it worth it?
DRAFT: moderate cost for evidence that is mostly observational.
Typical cost
$20-35/month
Common form, not a brand recommendation
Dosage contextemerging
1 to 2 mg per day in trials; food provides variable amounts.
Safety notes
Food-derived and reported as well tolerated in trials; long-term supplement safety data is limited. Talk to your doctor before supplementing. This page is information, not medical advice.
Longevity Lab Report
Spermidine news, graded when it happens.
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Changelog
Last updated 2026-10-15
- 2026-10-15|Peptide/longevity entry added as DRAFT with research-compound framing where applicable.
- 2026-10-15|Dosage context added.
- 2026-10-15|Goal tags added for the stack builder.
- 2026-10-15|Second pass: added SmartAge null result and dose-escalation watch; grade unchanged (C).