Spermidine vs Thymalin
Side-by-side comparison of key properties, dosing, and research.
Anti-Aging & LongevityCognitive Enhancement
SpermidineImmune SupportAnti-Aging & Longevity
Thymalin- Summary
- Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine found in all living cells, with exceptionally high concentrations in wheat germ, aged cheese, and human sperm. It is the most studied autophagy-inducing dietary compound, shown to extend lifespan across multiple species and reduce cardiovascular and cognitive aging.
- Thymalin is a polypeptide complex isolated from calf thymus glands (developed by the Russian Gerontology Institute), shown to restore immune function, extend lifespan, and reverse thymic involution. Clinical studies demonstrate improved immune parameters and up to 40% reduction in mortality in elderly patients.
- Half-Life
- ~30–60 minutes, but gut bacteria produce it continuously; supplementation raises tissue levels over weeks
- Not well characterized as a complex extract; individual peptides have varying kinetics
- Admin Route
- Oral
- SubQ, IM
- Research
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- Typical Dose
- 1–5 mg
- 10 mg IM or SC daily
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Once daily
- Key Benefits
- Induces autophagy — cellular self-cleaning
- Extends lifespan in yeast, flies, worms, and mice
- Reduces cardiovascular aging and arterial stiffness
- Reduces all-cause mortality (human epidemiological data)
- Neuroprotective: reduces amyloid and tau pathology
- Promotes hair growth (anagen phase activation)
- Reduces age-related immune decline
- Improves memory in aging models
- Restores thymic function and T-cell immunity
- Extends healthy lifespan (documented in long-term studies)
- Reduces infectious disease incidence in elderly
- Normalizes immune parameters in immunodeficiency
- Anti-tumor immune surveillance
- Improves vaccine response in elderly
- Reduces cardiovascular mortality (40% in landmark Russian study)
- Normalizes neuroendocrine function
- Side Effects
- Generally very well tolerated
- Rare: mild GI discomfort at high doses
- May temporarily reduce some gut bacteria species
- Rare: headache at initiation
- Very well tolerated in decades of Russian clinical use
- Mild injection site reactions
- Rare: mild allergic reaction (natural extract)
- Transient flu-like symptoms on initiation (immune activation)
- Stacks With
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