Grip Strength, Longevity, And Tips For Your Strength Program

Q: What is spermidine?

Spermidine is a powerful polyamine that promotes autophagy , the body’s cellular “clean-up” process, and inhibits 9 of the 12 scientifically identified root causes of aging, known as the “Hallmarks of Aging.” While two-thirds of the body’s spermidine is produced by the gut and body tissues, the remaining third comes from food. As we age, natural spermidine production declines, so maintaining youthful levels requires external sources, either from spermidine-rich foods or supplements like Primeadine.

Dec 20, 2023

By Georgia Pilling

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Exercise and strength are an important piece of the longevity puzzle.

In recent years, one specific test of physical fitness, one which a personal trainer would rarely tell you to work on directly, has been blowing up in mainstream news for its link to longevity: grip strength.

The research on the link is both clear, robust, and unsurprising. It’s summed up nicely in a review of 45 studies on grip strength. "Low grip strength was shown consistently to be associated with a greater likelihood of premature mortality, the development of disability, and an increased risk of complications or prolonged length of stay after hospitalization or surgery.” (1)

However, practically speaking, what does this mean for how you should exercise? Should you grab one of the hand grippers and dedicate yourself to 10 minutes a day?

No, I don’t think you should, even though I’ve seen doctors cited in articles recommending exactly that. The link between grip strength and longevity requires a bit more scrutiny before providing actionable steps.

Grip Strength is a Proxy for Overall Strength

Suggesting a stronger grip itself leads to a longer, better life is a classic case of mistaking correlation for causation.

Grip strength is used as an easy way to assess overall strength. While a strong grip is associated with longer life expectancy, it's not the grip strength itself that extends life.

Somebody with a strong grip is more likely to be stronger in general. It's more likely a symptom, not the cause, of a healthier, more robust body.

Is Strength Important For Longevity?

From this, we may assume that strength is important for longevity. While I agree with that statement, we can scrutinize this idea as well.

That’s because there are also correlation vs causation factors to examine here.

Somebody who’s stronger is more likely to exercise more in general. That means they’re likely to have better cardiovascular fitness, another key factor in long-term health. It also means they’re the type of person who’s more likely to eat healthy, to prioritize sleep.

In other words a stronger person is more likely to do nearly all of the right things.

However, I do believe strength itself is also a key variable, for both lifespan and healthspan. Here are some reasons why.

Stronger People Fall Less, Break Fewer Bones When They Do

According to 2016 statistics, unintentional injuries were the 7th leading cause of death for Americans 65 and older (2). For an aging population, falling is a risk to their lives. However, that’s not all, because once somebody is hospitalized for a fall (often a result of broken bones), it’s typically all downhill from there.

Once somebody falls, they’re going to spend even more time bedridden and inactive. This hastens the decline because they lose some ability to do any form of exercise.

People who are stronger and more coordinated reduce their risk of falling, and reduce the risk of injuring themselves when they fall. If you’ve ever seen an athlete, or even a child, suddenly catch themselves after tripping, you’ve seen rapid coordination in action.

Stronger People Can Enjoy Life More

Stronger more coordinated people are able to simply enjoy the later years of life. It means picking up the grandkids, going on hikes, playing golf, pickleball, or your choice of sport.

This is why strength is in my view a key component of healthspan, even if the jury is still out on its direct links to longevity and lifespan.

Strength Matters Whether You’re Young or Old

After age 30, muscle mass decreases approximately 3-8% per decade. This decline speeds up after age 60 (3).

Strength training is the number one thing you can do to put off this decline. If you’re young, carrying more muscle mass now means even after you lose some, you’ll still have enough to stay strong. If you’re already at the age of decline or in the third age, then strength training can put off this decline and help you keep your muscle.

That’s why these tips for a longevity-focused resistance training program will have the same principles regardless of age or ability.

The difference is from some of the exercise selection, and of course in the weights you use, but otherwise should be similar.

Note while the studies focus on grip strength, it’s full-body strength that matters.

Straightforward Exercise Tips For Grip Strength, Strength, and Longevity

Now that you understand it’s not grip strength that matters, but full-body strength, giving an actual prescription is that much easier. While I won’t write a full program here, I’m going to give a few items that should be in your resistance training checklist.

Single-Leg Training

When I say single leg training, I’m talking about lunges, split squats, stiff-leg deadlifts, single-leg squats, and more. It refers to any leg training exercise where you train one leg at a time.

I prefer single leg exercises over traditional squat movements for everyone, but it’s even more the obvious choice if your goal is longevity.

Single leg training more closely mimics real-life. Humans are not kangaroos. We don’t bounce two legs at a time. We always move, whether walking or running, one leg at a time. When an older person walks and is at risk of falling, it’s often because they lack stability when standing on one leg.

Training with single-leg movements will help you develop the stability and coordination necessary to both stay athletic and prevent falls.

This type of strength is what’s called “functional strength.” That is, it functions for real-life activities.

Another benefit of single-leg exercises is they require less weight overall to get a training effect. Whereas a squat may require a lot of weight, placing strain on the back and other joints, single-leg exercises give you the strength benefits with fewer risks.

A few staples include Bulgarian split squats, reverse lunges, and single-leg stiff-leg deadlifts (SLDLs), all of which you can make harder by holding a pair of dumbbells.

Here’s an SLDL variation I use with beginners to help them improve balance and strength.

Hold Weights In Your Heads

When you do compound movements that require you to hold heavy objects, you’ll improve your grip strength while improving full-body strength.

The classic example of this is the deadlift.

While the traditional deadlift is a wonderful exercise, I tend to gravitate towards stiff-leg deadlift variations because they target the glutes and hamstrings more. They’re also easier to perform correctly.

Another category for this includes “loaded carries.” While not a staple of typical “gym” workouts, loaded carries are when you hold a dumbbell or two, and just walk. It trains your grip, forearms, abdominals, all while making you stay stable.

Do “Power” Training

Although a lot of people think that power training is reserved for athletes trying to perform at their peak, adults also need to train for power.

Power and athleticism will help you respond to fast moving, unpredictable circumstances. It’ll help you catch yourself from falling, and allow you to keep doing all the sports and activities you love.

Power is also one of the first attributes to deteriorate. According to one study, leg power declines 3.5% annually, compared 1-2% for strength in men aged 20-70 (4).

For adults, this can look like so many things, from in-place jumping (with a focus on sticking the landing), to using battle ropes, to doing stationary bike sprints. As long as you choose the right exercises to ensure safety, there’s no reason to include some sort of power training.

I outline exactly what this looks like, including video demos from my adult fitness classes, in this article on power training for adults.

In many programs, I see trainers cutting this for older populations because they’re not confident they can do it safely. I think this is a big mistake because there are lots of ways to train for power in a controlled environment, preparing people for the uncontrolled environments of real life.

Bringing It All Together: Don’t Neglect Resistance Training

As the research and news headlines have poured out about the link between grip strength and longevity, for me it has only affirmed what I’ve done for years with older clients. Strength is for everybody. Athleticism is for everybody. Everybody in some form should train with similar goals as athletes, which means prioritizing single-leg strength and power.

My call to action for you, if you don’t do some form of resistance training, is to aim for 2-3 times per week for 30-45 minutes, training all of your major muscle groups with compound movements. If you need some help with building a simple program or have any questions, feel free to reach out to me directly.

References

(1) Bohannon RW. Hand-grip dynamometry predicts future outcomes in aging adults. J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2008;31(1):3-10. doi: 10.1519/00139143-200831010-00002. PMID: 18489802.

(2) National Center for Health Statistics (US). Health, United States, 2016: With Chartbook on Long-term Trends in Health. Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US); 2017 May. Report No.: 2017-1232. PMID: 28910066.

(3) Volpi E, Nazemi R, Fujita S. Muscle tissue changes with aging. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004 Jul;7(4):405-10. doi: 10.1097/01.mco.0000134362.76653.b2. PMID: 15192443; PMCID: PMC2804956.

(4) Skelton DA, Greig CA, Davies JM, Young A. Strength, power and related functional ability of healthy people aged 65-89 years. Age Ageing. 1994 Sep;23(5):371-7. doi: 10.1093/ageing/23.5.371. PMID: 7825481.

David William Rosales

David William Rosales is a writer, NSCA-CPT, and the co-owner of Roman Fitness Systems. Since becoming a personal trainer at age 18, David has trained athletes of all levels, from Division 1 hockey players, to middle schoolers, to adults. Originally from Vermont, David loves maple syrup, punk music, and heavy split squats.

FAQs

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What is spermidine?

Spermidine is a powerful polyamine that promotes autophagy, the body’s cellular “clean-up” process, and inhibits 9 of the 12 scientifically identified root causes of aging, known as the “Hallmarks of Aging.” While two-thirds of the body’s spermidine is produced by the gut and body tissues, the remaining third comes from food. As we age, natural spermidine production declines, so maintaining youthful levels requires external sources, either from spermidine-rich foods or supplements like Primeadine.

What are the benefits of spermidine?

Studies link higher levels of spermidine with longevity. Human trials show that food-derived spermidine supports cognition, heart health, hormonal balance, hair growth, collagen production, and nail strength, with potential benefits for fertility and circadian rhythm. These effects stem from spermidine's ability to trigger autophagy—the body's cell renewal process—and inhibit nine of the twelve "Hallmarks of Aging," including inflammation, stem cell and mitochondrial dysfunction, and gut imbalance. Clients also report deeper sleep, increased energy, gray hair reversal, improved skin, and better gut health. Read this blog post to learn more.

What makes Primeadine superior to other spermidine supplements?

While we can’t speak directly about the formulation of other spermidine products, here are some of the main differentiators of Primeadine®/Oxford Healthspan.

We source our raw materials from Japan, which is known for its Nobel Prize-winning scientific leadership on autophagy, or cell renewal. Japan has the most rigorous quality control and testing policies in the world, meaning our ingredients have the most advanced extraction process and meet the incredibly high standards of the Japan Health Food and Nutrition Food Association. They are tested for heavy metals, mold, fungi, and bacteria at the Japan Food Research Lab (JFRL), a third party independent testing lab.
Every single batch is tested for its amount of food-derived spermidine so we ensure it contains the minimum effective dose of 1mg stated on our labels.
Primeadine® is manufactured in Japan in an FDA-registered and -inspected facility with ISO22000 standards, the highest in food quality control. It is then encapsulated in an FDA cGMP facility in the USA and undergoes purity testing there as well at Eurofins or Delta.
Our capsules and tablets do not contain any synthetic ingredients, whereas other supplements typically contain magnesium stearate (of which circa 80% has hydrogenated fats in it; the supplement industry is not legally required to get rid of hydrogenated oils the way the processed food industry has been mandated by law to), shellac, talc and glycerin. Our products are all suitable for vegans. Learn more about our sourcing, quality, and testing standards.
The Primeadine® Original formulation includes a special type of prebiotic fiber, called FOS (fructooligosaccharide), that selectively feeds the friendly, spermidine-producing bacteria in the gut microbiome. The idea is to increase both supplemental, or 'exogenous' spermidine, as well as encourage your own body's natural ability to produce spermidine in your gut microbiome.
Primeadine® GF comes from a sub-strain of chlorella singled out from over 100 others because it alone contains a high level of spermidine and also contains putrescine, the precursor polyamine to both spermine and spermidine. Our chlorella is grown in the nutrient-abundant longevity islands of Okinawa, Japan, and exposed to sunlight to increase the chlorophyll and other nutrient content, such as vitamins D and K, which together help drive calcium to the bones. We combine the chlorella with two other anti-inflammatories and autophagy inducers, Okinawan turmeric and nobiletin (from Okinawan "Shikuwasa" citrus lime peel).
We do not use liposomes in Primeadine® because this is unnecessary for absorption and would prevent the benefits that happen when spermidine is exposed directly to the gut lining. There is no evidence that spermidine cannot be taken up by the cells on its own. Similar to amino acids, polyamines do not need a liposome to cross into the cell or to be taken up with epithelial cells. The process of creating a liposomal version also creates unnecessary expense.
We do not synthetically enrich our product with synthetic spermidine. Be wary of labels that say "wheat germ with spermidine" as this indicates that the wheat germ has been soaked in synthetic spermidine, thereby increasing the overall amount of spermidine but meaning it is no longer a natural source.
We do not use doses beyond what the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has mandated as safe for human consumption, which is 6mg daily. Please note that this is related to food-derived spermidine. Synthetic spermidine and synthetically enriched spermidine have never been tested in humans for safety or efficacy and are being sold without regulatory oversight.
We work closely with our scientific and clinical advisers at the University of Oxford and abroad, all of whom take our product and share it with their loved ones. Learn more about our scientific advisory board here.
We are also the only non-Japanese member of the Japan Autophagy Consortium, whose Senior Adviser is the 2016 Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine or Physiology, Prof Yoshimori Ohsumi, and whose Director is Prof Tamotsu Yoshimori, Osaka University. Prof Yoshimori conducted all of the mammalian research in autophagy that helped underpin Prof Ohsumi's work in yeast cells. Find out more about our story here.

What is the best spermidine dose to take?

The US FDA has not set a safe upper limit for food-derived spermidine, but the European Food Safety Authority considers up to 6 mg safe. Most studies use a daily dose of 1 mg of natural spermidine, along with spermine and putrescine, which are absent in synthetic versions. Synthetic spermidine has not been tested for human safety or efficacy.

Why is your spermidine supplement more expensive compared to other products I see on the internet?

We prioritize the highest quality, avoiding common additives like industrial seed oils, magnesium stearate, and talc often used in supplements. Unlike cheap synthetic spermidine often "cut" into products, we use food-derived spermidine sourced and manufactured in Japan under strict regulatory standards. Our products undergo rigorous third-party testing to ensure purity and effectiveness. This commitment to quality, like choosing the best ingredients for a child’s birthday cake, is our guiding philosophy.

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