Spermidine Cut Dry Mouth After Head and Neck Radiotherapy
Graded Moderate — 58 patients at one hospital were chosen at random for spermidine or a dummy pill; the group is small and follow-up lasted three months.
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Participants
- 58
- Duration
- 3 months
- Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China, China National S&T Major…
Spermidine capsules taken around head and neck radiotherapy made a dry mouth less common at three months than a dummy pill.
Radiation for cancer of the head or neck often damages the salivary glands. Many patients are left with a dry mouth that weighs heavily on their quality of life. In a small trial from China, the supplement spermidine made this less common. Three months after radiotherapy, 48 percent of patients taking it had a dry mouth, compared with 79 percent on a dummy pill.
The 58 patients were split into two groups at random. One group took spermidine capsules every day, from one week before radiotherapy until one week after. The other got identical capsules with no active ingredient. At three months, the spermidine group produced more saliva and reported milder symptoms. There were no serious side effects, only mild stomach upset in both groups. Earlier, spermidine had helped irradiated mice keep their saliva flowing.
During radiotherapy and right after it, the groups showed no clear difference yet. The trial ran at a single hospital with few patients. Whether the benefit lasts beyond three months, and which dose works best, was not settled.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.
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.
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