Tier 2 — strong

Effects of Spermidine-Rich Rice Germ Extract Supplement on Biomarkers of Healthy Aging and Autophagy-Proof-of-Concept Pilot Study

Gene Bruno, Michael La Monica, Tim N Ziegenfuss

Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 2025 31(6):9-13

Bibliography

PubMed: PMID 40862848
Competing interests: Gene Bruno was Chief Scientific Officer of Nutraland USA, the company associated with the Miricell rice germ extract.

Study snapshot

Design	Single-blind randomized parallel-group proof-of-concept pilot
Model	Healthy middle-aged men and women
Sample	12
Intervention	1.5 mg/day versus 3.3 mg/day spermidine from Miricell rice germ extract
Duration	56 days
Endpoints	Beclin-1; ULK1; BDNF; hs-CRP; Triglycerides; VLDL; Safety laboratories

What the study showed, in plain terms

In a 12-person pilot, the 3.3 mg/day rice-germ spermidine group showed favorable baseline-to-follow-up changes in autophagy-related, neurotrophic and cardiometabolic biomarkers over 56 days.

Key findings

The study provides rare direct-human biomarker data at 3.3 mg/day, but it is a proof-of-concept signal rather than evidence of clinical benefit.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Extremely small sample, short duration, biomarker endpoints, rice-germ extract rather than isolated spermidine, and the paper reports within-group changes that require larger placebo-controlled confirmation. One author was Chief Scientific Officer of Nutraland, the ingredient company.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Khaled Mahmoud