Spermidine in Drinking Water Curbs Liver Scarring in Mice
Graded Preliminary — an experiment in 24 mice and cell cultures over seven weeks of treatment; the human data come from a one-time survey and cannot show cause and effect.
Animal study. Findings may not carry over to people, which is why the grade is capped at Preliminary.
- Design
- Animal study
- Participants
- 24
- Duration
- 7 weeks
- Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of…
In mice with liver damage, spermidine in drinking water slowed scarring of the liver.
When a liver is damaged for a long time, it starts to form scar tissue. This scarring is a turning point. It is where reversible harm can become a liver that no longer copes with its work. In mice, spermidine slowed this process. People also take in spermidine through their food.
The researchers damaged the livers of 24 mice with a liver toxin for eight weeks. Six of them got spermidine in their drinking water from the second week on. In these mice, the cells lining the liver's tiny blood vessels kept more of their sieve-like pores. There were fewer signs of scarring and inflammation. A protein called biglycan seems to play a part, because spermidine helped cells break it down. When the team pushed biglycan levels up, most of the protection was lost.
A look at US nutrition survey data fits the picture. Among 34,861 adults, those who ate more spermidine less often had a scarred liver. But these data come from a single point in time and do not show cause and effect. Whether spermidine slows liver scarring in people was not tested.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.