Biohacking Beauty: The Anti-Aging Skincare Podcast

Dr. Melissa Cano: How to Actually Reprogram Your Skin to Act Younger (Forget Collagen!)

Apr 30, 2025

Dr. Melissa Cano, Director of Science at Longevity Labs, dives into the groundbreaking potential of spermidine for skin health and anti-aging. She reveals how spermidine can trigger autophagy, the body’s natural cleanup process, and enhance mitochondrial function. Listeners learn why traditional approaches fall short and how spermidine supplementation can rejuvenate skin on a cellular level. Melissa also discusses its impacts on gut health, hair growth, and sleep, making a compelling case for this powerful molecule as a key player in longevity.

58:04

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Episode guests

Melissa Cano

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Spermidine is crucial for enhancing autophagy, which rejuvenates skin cells and improves overall cellular health as we age.

The decline of spermidine levels with age highlights the importance of dietary sources and potential supplementation for youthful skin.

Deep dives

Understanding Spermidine and Its Role in Aging

Spermidine is a water-soluble molecule essential for cellular processes and is found in all living organisms. It supports cell proliferation and protects cellular life, making it crucial for maintaining youthful skin and overall health. As levels of spermidine decline with age, it impacts processes such as autophagy, which is vital for cellular renewal and combating age-related diseases. Enhanced autophagy leads to better cellular function, impacting both skin appearance and energy levels.

Intro

2min

Spermidine: Age-Defying Benefits for Skin Health

6min

Understanding Spermidine: The Benefits of Natural Polyamine Complexes

2min

Exploring the Skin Benefits of Spermidine and Mitochondrial Health

2min

Unlocking the Secrets of Spermidine: A Key Player in Longevity

3min

Spermidine: The Key to Longevity and Skin Health

14min

Exploring the Interplay of Gut and Skin Microbiomes with Spermidine

5min

Spermidine for Skin and Longevity

18min

Spermidine: Timing, Sources, and Gender-Specific Benefits

2min

10.

The Benefits of Spermidine for Hair Growth and Skin Aging

3min

What if your skincare routine could actually trigger your body’s built-in anti-aging pathways? Most products just treat the surface, but aging starts much deeper, at the cellular level.

In this episode of the Biohacking Beauty Podcast, I’m talking with Dr. Melissa Cano, Director of Science at Longevity Labs and one of the smartest voices out there when it comes to spermidine, autophagy, and cellular health. Melissa has spent years teaching practitioners and biohackers how polyamines like spermidine can activate the body’s natural cleanup process, support mitochondrial health, and actually help cells function younger.

We get into why autophagy is the key to skin renewal, why spermidine levels drop as we age, and how to use it (internally and topically) for real results. We also dig into what the latest research says about spermidine for gut health, sleep, hair—and why I believe it’s one of the most important molecules in longevity science today.

Dr. Melissa Cano is the Director of Science at Longevity Labs. Dr. Melissa is recognized for her work helping biohackers, clinicians, and health enthusiasts understand how molecules like spermidine support autophagy, mitochondrial function, and healthy aging.

Get 20% off on spermidinelife.us with code YOUNGLIFE

We Also Discuss:

(00:01) Why spermidine might be the most important longevity molecule

(05:13) Autophagy: the real anti-aging mechanism

(14:38) Why fasting isn’t enough without spermidine

(25:10) How spermidine boosts collagen and skin renewal

(31:20) The skin microbiome + topical spermidine connection

(55:48) How long until you see results?

Learn more about:

Young Goose

Use code PODCAST10 to get 10% off your first purchase, and if you’re a returning customer use the code PODCAST5 to get 5% off at https://www.younggoose.com/
Instagram: @young_goose_skincare

Dr. Melissa Cano