What is Spermidine & nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)?
Spermidine is a polyamine, meaning it has two or more primary amino groups. It is naturally occurring and is widely encountered in ribosomes and living tissues. It plays a critical role in cell function and survival.
Spermidine was first discovered in 1678 by Dutch scientist Anton Van Leeuwenhoek in a sample of human semen. Shortly after, spermidine was discovered in human sperm. In the body, spermidine is created from its precursor putrescine. It is the precursor for another polyamine called spermine, which is also important for cellular function.
Spermidine and putrescine are known to stimulate autophagy. A system that breaks down waste inside cells and recycles cellular components. It is an important quality control mechanism for the mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells. Autophagy allows damaged or defective mitochondria to be broken down and disposed of. The disposal of mitochondria is more tightly controlled than was before believed.
Polyamines can bind to many different types of molecules making them very useful. They support processes, including cell growth, DNA stability, cell proliferation, and apoptosis [2]. It also appears that polyamines function in a similar way to growth factors during cell division. This is why putrescine and spermidine are important for healthy tissue growth and function.
NMN is a type of molecule called a nucleotide. Nucleotides play many roles in your body, including as the building blocks of DNA.
Within your cells, NMN is converted into another molecule known as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). Your body needs NAD for a variety of functions involved in metabolism and energy production.
You might think of NMN as raw material and NAD as the refined version that your body can actually use.
The amount of NAD your body can make depends on the amount of NMN available in your body.
What foods are in spermidine &nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)?
There are many dietary sources of spermidine including grapefruit, soy products, legumes, corn, whole grain, chickpeas, peas, green peppers, broccoli, oranges, green tea, rice bran, and fresh green pepper.
It can also be found in shitake mushrooms, amaranth grain, wheat germ, cauliflower, broccoli, and a variety of mature cheeses, and durian.
It is worth noting that much of the Mediterranean diet contains spermidine rich foods. This may at least explain the phenomena of the “blue zones” and why people there often live longer than elsewhere.
NMN itself is a substance contained in the human body, which is present in breast milk and food, such as edampoa, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, avocados, tomatoes, etc., but the content is very small (0.25-1.88 mg per 100 grams). Raw beef and shrimp also contain very small amounts (0.06-0.42 mg per 100 g) of NMN.
Benefits of spermidine &nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN):
Spermidine binds to NMN, effectively amplifying their benefits
Spermidine and autophagy: Spermidine also plays a central role in a number of important biological processes，The ability of spermidine to trigger autophagy is thought to be the main mechanism by which it appears to slow down aging and support longevity.
Spermidine anti-inflammatory properties: It is widely accepted that while inflammation plays a helpful role in wound healing and repelling invading pathogens, the persistent inflammation associated with aging, often called inflammaging, is harmful. Chronic inflammation prevents healthy tissue regeneration, causes immune cells to become dysfunctional, and can even accelerate the speed at which healthy cells become senescent. Spermidine appears to reduce this chronic inflammation and may slow down one way in which cells and tissues age.
Spermidine and may delay aging: On the longevity front, the administration of spermidine has been shown to increase lifespan in a number of animal studies and prevents liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This also appears to be the case with a diet rich in polyamines. There is also some evidence to suggest that it improves resistance to stress and that the age-related decline of spermidine supports the onset of age-related diseases.
Spermidine may reduce cognitive decline: Research published in 2021 in the journal Cell Reports provides a detailed account of dietary spermidine improving cognition and mitochondrial function in flies and mice, with some prospective human data to top it off. While this study was interesting, it had some limitations, and additional dose-response data is needed before a firm conclusion can be made about benefits to human cognition.
Improves Brain Function: NMN has been shown to improve cognition in rodents with Alzheimer’s and reduce brain plaques and neurodegenration in Alzheimer’s mice. While Alzheimer’s is an end-stage disease, many older adults also suffer from cognitive impairments — inability to learn, remember, and think properly. These age-related cognitive impairments have been prevented by NMN in mice. Cognitive impairments are sometimes associated with depression, which has also been shown to be alleviated by NMN in mice.
Because our blood vessels become dysfunctional as we age, blood flow to our brain becomes impaired, leading to cognitive impairments. NMN has been shown to increases blood flow to the brain and improve cognitive function in mice. When the blood vessels in our brain become clogged, we can have a stroke, whereby our brain tissue becomes damaged. NMN has been shown not only delay stroke onset, but also to prevent stroke damage, and improve cognition and mitochondrial health after stroke in rodents.
Improves Muscle Function: We rely on our skeletal muscles for movement, stability, and strength. As we age, our muscles lose their ability to regenerate and grow, leading to the age-related decline in muscle strength and size called sarcopenia. Along with muscle weakness, we also become more fatigued and have less physical endurance. NMN seems to reverse these conditions, as one of its transporters has been shown to increase strength and physical endurance in mice.
Promotes Healthy Heart：NMN has been shown to protect against heart failure in mice. Our heart tissue is precious, as it is not known to regenerate. Instead, damaged tissue manifest in scarring (fibrosis), leading to heart dysfunction. NMN recovers mouse heart function by reducing scarring. Beating constantly and evermore, the heart requires large quantities of energy. For this, it needs healthy mitochondria. NMN improves heart metabolism and protects against heart failure, in part by rejuvenating mitochondria.
Protects Against Obesity and Diabetes: Obesity is linked to a wide array of metabolic deficiencies, including insulin resistance — when are cells cannot utilize glucose due to impaired insulin signaling — which can lead to diabetes. Mitochondria are the final cellular destination for the food we eat to be converted into energy, making them of key importance in metabolism and related diseases. NMN has been shown to double the amount mitochondria in the livers of obese mice, which could protect against obesity. Stimulating fat breakdown with NMN could also help obese individuals lose fat.
NMN help with aging:NMN and NAD levels naturally decline with age, so many researchers have suggested that taking NMN supplements may help with age-related health concerns.
A study in 10 Japanese men found that taking NMN (100, 250, or 500 mg) increased levels of NMN byproducts in the blood, including NAD.Insulin resistance can develop with ageTrusted Source and is one of the reasons diabetes is more common in older adults. Taking NMN supplements has also been shown to reduce drowsiness and improve muscle responsiveness in older adults, which may improve both physical and mental health with age.
Dosage
Given the limited data available on taking NMN supplements, it’s difficult to determine the ideal dose. Studies have found health benefits with doses as low as 250 mg of NMN per day,and Spermidine dosage of 10 – 20 mg .
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Post time: Dec-29-2022
