Spermidine What I Wish I Knew: Infertility, Biological Age, IVF, and the Cellular Reset Your Body Craves for Fertility Success
When I was in the middle of infertility and IVF, I thought the calendar was my greatest enemy. Every birthday felt like a reminder that I was running out of time. Doctors told me over and over, “your age is the problem.” It felt like the number of candles on my birthday cake carried more weight than anything else in the room.
But here’s the truth I wish someone had told me: your birthday age is not the whole story. What really matters is your biological age.
Birthday Candles vs. Biological Age
Birthday age is simple math — how many years you’ve been alive.
Biological age is about function — how well your cells, tissues, and systems are actually operating right now.
This means a woman in her 40s with healthy, resilient cells may have a better chance of conceiving than a woman in her 30s whose body is inflamed, stressed, or nutrient-depleted.
Your fertility potential is written in your biology, not on your birth certificate.
Why IVF Made Me Miss the Bigger Picture
When I was in treatments, all I could see were numbers: hormone levels, follicle counts, embryo grades. I thought if I could just get the math right, I’d get pregnant. But numbers never gave me peace. They only gave me more panic.
What I didn’t realize was that my cells were carrying the truth. My thyroid was wrecked. My nervous system was running on survival mode. My mitochondria — the powerhouses of my eggs — were exhausted.
And here’s the kicker: IVF can’t undo that. No protocol can.
Healing my biology could.
The Cellular Reset: Autophagy
This is where the concept of autophagy comes in.
Autophagy is your body’s natural “cellular housekeeping” process. It clears out damaged or dysfunctional cells to make space for new, vibrant, fully-functioning ones. When autophagy is humming along, you are literally renewing yourself from the inside out.
When it works well, you get:
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🧬 Healthier DNA expression
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🔥 Less inflammation
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🌟 Clearer communication between cells
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💫 More energy and resilience
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💚 Better fertility, because egg quality, womb receptivity, and hormonal balance all depend on cellular integrity
The Role of Spermidine
So how do we activate this powerful cellular reset? One way is through a compound called spermidine.
Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine that turns on autophagy. Think of it as the gentle nudge that tells your cells, “It’s time to clean house.”
What spermidine does:
✔️ Activates autophagy (detox + repair)
✔️ Supports mitochondrial function (your egg/sperm energy powerhouses)
✔️ Promotes cellular renewal and longevity
✔️ Protects DNA from oxidative stress
✔️ Improves immune resilience
✔️ Regulates inflammation + supports the gut lining
✔️ Enhances cognitive clarity + hormonal balance
In short, it helps your body let go of the old so it can build the new.
Fasting and Food Sources
One of the body’s most natural triggers for autophagy is fasting. Around the 16-hour mark, digestion slows down and the repair cycle begins. But extended fasts aren’t realistic or even safe for many women, especially those under high stress or already dealing with hormonal chaos.
That’s why spermidine-rich foods are such a gift. They mimic some of the effects of fasting on a cellular level, supporting autophagy even when you’re not skipping meals.
Here are some of the best natural sources:
Grains and Legumes
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Wheat germ (highest natural source)
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Soybeans (fermented like natto and miso)
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Lentils, chickpeas, green peas
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Brown rice, corn
Mushrooms
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Shiitake, oyster, porcini, enoki, white button
Fermented and Aged Foods
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Aged cheeses (cheddar, gouda, parmesan)
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Tempeh, miso, natto
Fruits and Vegetables
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Broccoli, cauliflower, green peppers
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Mango, durian
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Amaranth grain
Nuts and Seeds
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Pumpkin seeds
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Sunflower seeds
A Word of Wisdom
If you have sensitivities to any of these foods, please don’t add them back in just because they’re high in spermidine. Listen to your body first. The most “powerful” superfood is useless if it causes you inflammation or discomfort.
And this isn’t about suddenly piling spermidine-rich foods into every meal to chase one outcome. The magic lies in balance and variety. Your body thrives on a wide range of nutrients, not perfection.
Supplements
Food is always first. But if you want extra support, there are spermidine supplements available. I trust Oxford Healthspan, and you can use code MONICA15 for a discount if you choose to explore that option.
Why This Matters for Fertility
This is about so much more than adding a nutrient to your plate. It’s about remembering that your body already has ancient, built-in systems for repair, renewal, and longevity.
Spermidine and autophagy are reminders that your biological age is flexible. Your cells can reset. Your nervous system can repair. Your fertility story isn’t set in stone.
This is nourishment that remembers.
This is how we reclaim health: from the inside out.
Want More?
Here's two powerful podcast episodes with Leslie Kenny where we unpack:
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How to reverse biological age for reproductive health
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Why thyroid + autoimmune healing matter so much
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The myths about egg quality and fertility “expiration dates”
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Why patience and time can be your superpowers
Let's Do This Together 💚
Monica
Listen up, lovelies: Everything I share about health, diet, or fertility magic is my opinion. Yep, it’s all based on years of trial and error, study, reading, listening, and side-eyeing the nonsense out there. What worked for me might be a jackpot for you—or it might be a total flop. Bodies are weird like that. 🤷♀️
Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not a doctor, nutritionist, dietitian, or any other kind of licensed health wizard. If you need medical advice, run—don’t walk—to an actual qualified professional. Don’t come back here saying Monique told you to eat kale for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, okay?
As for the products I mention, they’re either what I used during my own infertility rollercoaster or what I wish I’d known about back then. No guarantees, no promises, and absolutely no refunds on your hope budget if it doesn’t work out.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, proceed with curiosity and, above all, discernment. You’ve got this. 💪✨
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