Tier 1 — highest

The memory- and cognition-facilitating effects of spermidine in aging and aging-related disorders

Mengjie Zou, Dan Li, Yi Yang

Ageing Research Reviews 2025 109:102787

Bibliography

PubMed: PMID 40447058
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2025.102787

Study snapshot

Design	Narrative evidence review
Model	Human and preclinical cognition and brain-aging literature
Sample	Not applicable — review
Intervention	Not applicable; evidence synthesis
Duration	Not applicable — review
Endpoints	Memory; Cognition; Autophagy; Mitochondrial protection; Synaptic maintenance; Aging-related cognitive decline

What the study showed, in plain terms

This 2025 Ageing Research Reviews paper synthesizes the evidence linking spermidine with memory and cognition, emphasizing autophagy, mitochondrial protection and synaptic maintenance while reviewing the limited human intervention literature.

Key findings

The mechanistic and preclinical cognition case is stronger than the clinical case. Human trials remain limited and heterogeneous, so the review supports continued investigation rather than treating spermidine as an established cognitive therapy.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Narrative review rather than a formal meta-analysis. Its conclusions inherit the small samples, dose heterogeneity and inconsistent outcomes of the underlying human trials, including the null primary cognitive outcome in SmartAge.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Khaled Mahmoud