Kismet, as usual, is the voice of informed sanity. We don't even have a mammalian lifespan study, and folks start jumping up and down for supplements.
Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) are organic compounds that are found in every living cell, where they are involved in numerous biochemical and physiological activities, including cell proliferation and differentiation (1–5). The metabolic requirement for polyamines is particularly high in rapidly growing tissues, such as during normal growth and development, and in tumors (6–8). Recent studies have suggested that reducing the amount of polyamines in cells may help to slow the cancer process (9). Clinical trials are currently underway to investigate the effect of the polyamine synthesis inhibitor, difluoromethylornithine, on cancer progression, risk for recurrent polyps, and relevant biomarkers (8). Whether foods that contribute to polyamine consumption affect cancer risk is also a topic ripe for exploration.
Until recently, it was believed that polyamines were derived exclusively from endogenous (internal) synthesis. It is now widely recognized that the polyamine body pool is maintained by three primary sources: synthesis within the body, production by microorganisms residing in the intestinal tract, and contribution from the diet (1,9–13). Studies in rats indicate that 10% of dietary putrescine, 40% of dietary spermidine, and 8% of dietary spermine are retained in body tissues (14). Thus, polyamines in the diet are among the determinants of the total body polyamine pool and may be a particularly important consideration in ... evaluating responses to pharmaceutical agents, such as inhibitors of polyamine synthesis (eg, difluoromethylornithine), which are under study in clinical trials for cancer chemoprevention. ...
This brief report describes the development of a polyamine database linked to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). ... Of the foods from the database that were evaluated, fresh and frozen corn contain the highest levels of putrescine [per serving] (560,000 nmol/serving and 902,880 nmol/serving) and spermidine (137,682 nmol/serving and 221,111 nmol/serving), and green pea soup contains the highest concentration of spermine [per serving] (36,988 nmol/serving).
[See Table 1, Top 10 foods on the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center food frequency questionnaire with the highest polyamine content](1)
See also these reports on selected
polyamine contents in British and
Swedish foods.
the potential protection against colorectal cancers of some nutritional factors could be associated with modifications in cellular proliferation and growth. The naturally occurring polyamines, spermine, spermidine, and putrescine, play a key role in hyperproliferation and cell migration and are involved in almost all steps of colorectal tumorigenesis. Mucosal polyamine levels, as a measurement of dysregulated hyperproliferation, have been demonstrated to be significantly associated with cancer risk and have been considered even a specific marker for neoplastic proliferation. Consequently, polyamine metabolism can be considered an attractive target for cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy.(2)
This external dietary source provides a larger quantity of polyamines than the endogenous biosynthesis. The latter produces only about 1–2 nmol of putrescine per hour per gram of tissue in the most active organs. Diet can to a certain extent regulate biosynthesis of polyamines. Thus, dietary polyamines have several important roles to play in this regard; supporting a normal metabolism and maintaining optimal health as well as regulating the intracellular polyamine synthesis. These seem to be of importance for maintaining the normal growth, maturation of the intestinal tract. Since the level of polyamines decreases with age in animal organs (brain, kidney, spleen, and pancreas), it has been suggested that maintenance of polyamine level from the diet is important to keep the functioning of various organs in the elderly. On the other hand, the cell growth promoting effect may also be negative in relation to cancer development. It has been shown that increased polyamine levels are associated with increased cell proliferation as well as expression of genes affecting tumor invasion and metastasis (3).
The reduced levels of polyamines in aging tissues might explain the reported short-term apparent benefits in aging mice; that doesn't mean that the same benefits will accrue to taking it while young.
1: Zoumas-Morse C, Rock CL, Quintana EL, Neuhouser ML, Gerner EW, Meyskens FL Jr.
Development of a polyamine database for assessing dietary intake. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007 Jun;107(6):1024-7. PubMed PMID: 17524725; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2848593.
2: Linsalata M, Russo F. Nutritional factors and polyamine metabolism in colorectal cancer. Nutrition. 2008 Apr;24(4):382-9. Epub 2008 Feb 11. Review. PubMed PMID: 18262757.
3: Atiya Ali M, Poortvliet E, Strömberg R, Yngve A.
Polyamines in foods: development of a food database. Food Nutr Res. 2011 Jan 14;55. doi:
10.3402/fnr.v55i0.5572. PubMed PMID: 21249159; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3022763.
Edited by Michael, 09 May 2011 - 04:47 PM.