4/22/2019 Spirulina: Nutrition Facts & Health Benefits

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TECH 
Spirulina: Nutrition Facts & Health
HEALTH

Benefits 
PLANET EARTH
By Lauren Cox, Live Science Contributor | February 6, 2018 09:20pm ET

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ANIMALS 
Spirulina is a microalgae that has been consumed for centuries due to its
high nutritional value and supposed health benefits. Today, popular
HISTORY  personalities endorse Spirulina as a secret, potent "superfood,"
lifestyle
 and a "miracle from the sea."
CULTURE
Spirulina powder can 
"Spirulina" sounds so much better than "pond scum," but that's what the
be used to make a
drink. The algae is popular supplement really is — a type of blue-green algae that grows
also made into
SPACE
tablets, lower left.

naturally in oceans and salty lakes in subtropical climates. The Aztecs
harvested Spirulina from Lake Texcoco in central Mexico, and it is still
Credit: Madlen |
harvested from Lake Chad in west-central Africa and turned into dry
 
Shutterstock 
cakes.

Spirulina was once classified as a plant because of "its richness in plant pigments as well as its
ability of photosynthesis," according to a study published in the journal Cardiovascular
Therapeutics. New understanding of its genetics, physiology and biochemical properties
caused scientists to move it to the Bacteria kingdom and the Cyanobacteria phylum. At first it
was classified in the genus Arthrospira, but later it was placed into the genus Spirulina. There
are several species, but three — Spirulina platensis, Spirulina maxima and Spirulina fusiformis
— are studied extensively because of their high nutritional as well as potential therapeutic
values, according to the study's authors.

Spirulina grows in microscopic spirals, which tend to stick together, making it easy to harvest. It
has an intense blue-green color, but a relatively mild taste. Aside from supplements, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows manufacturers to use Spirulina as a color additive
in gum, candy and other packaged foods.

Health claims about Spirulina

Many people promote Spirulina as a treatment for a range of metabolism and heart health
issues, including weight loss, diabetes and high cholesterol, according to the National Institutes
of Health (NIH). People may also recommend Spirulina as an aid for various mental and
emotional disorders, including anxiety, stress, depression and attention deficit-hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD).
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Spirulina is said to help a range of eclectic health problems, including premenstrual symptoms

and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), according to the NIH. A combination
of zinc and Spirulina may help the body clear arsenic in people whose drinking water has
NEWS 
unusually high levels, according to the NIH.

Does
TECH Spirulina work?

The NIH says there is not enough scientific evidence to determine if Spirulina is effective in
HEALTH 
treating any health conditions. However, Spirulina is rich in nutrients, some of which aren't
found in the average daily vitamin. According to the FDA, Spirulina contains significant amounts
PLANET EARTH
of calcium,  magnesium, B vitamins and iron. It also has essential amino
niacin, potassium,
acids (compounds that are the building blocks of proteins). In fact, protein makes up about 60
to 70 percent of Spirulina's dry weight.
STRANGE NEWS 
Nevertheless, a person would have to take Spirulina supplements all day to come close to the
ANIMALS
recommended daily amounts  of the nutrients it contains, said Heather Mangieri, a
spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Nutrition Checkup in
Pittsburgh, Pa. And that's not the only issue with superfood supplements.
HISTORY

"There's lots of foods that, yes, they have a lot of nutrients in them, but we don't necessarily
CULTURE  we don't know how much of that nutrient you are actually getting,"
know the bioavailability so
Mangieri said.
SPACE 
Bioavailability describes how much of the nutrients you swallow are actually used by the body.
In some cases, eating two different foods at once will help the body absorb nutrients better than
if the person
 ate  the foods separately. For example, Mangieri said, the leucine found in
tomatoes is better absorbed by the body if you eat oil with tomatoes. Scientists are still studying
the bioavailability of nutrients in individual foods, as well as how nutrients work to help prevent
disease.

"As a registered dietitian, I highly recommend people get their nutrients from foods in a healthy
diet because nutrients work synergistically, and that increases the bioavailability," Mangieri said.

Spirulina to stop malnutrition

Given its high nutritional profile, scientists examining malnutrition have shown an interest in
Spirulina. Several studies have looked at the effects of its supplementation among
malnourished populations, including anemic pregnant women and children in developing
countries with high poverty rates, according to a 2017 review published in the Journal of
International Medical Research.

One such study, published in Maternal and Pediatric Nutrition in 2016, involved 87
malnourished and anemic children under age 5 from Gaza. Researchers gave half the children
vitamin and mineral supplements and half Spirulina supplements for three months. The children
who received Spirulina saw significantly more improvement in weight and height gain, ferritin
and iron levels and hemoglobin volume than in children who received regular vitamin and
mineral supplements. The authors noted the small size of the study and that more research is
needed.

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A year-long 2015 study published by Nutrition Journal that looked at the effects of Spirulina

supplementation among nearly 200 malnourished HIV-positive people in Cameroon saw
similarly positive results. The participants, who were primarily women, were given standard
care, a balanced diet andSpirulina supplements, or standard care and a balanced diet without
NEWS
supplements. In the participants receiving Spirulina, immune system cells that are greatly
reduced by HIV increased, as did hemoglobin levels.
TECH 
In 2016, the government of the Indian state of Karnataka, in conjunction with JSW Energy,
HEALTH 
instituted a statewide program providing malnourished children with Spirulina supplements,
according to India Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Network. The JSW website
reportsEARTH
a 46 percent reduction in malnutrition cases among young children, pregnant women,
PLANET 
and lactating mothers, and scientific studies are underway to better understand the effects of
this program.
STRANGE NEWS 
Spirulina as an antioxidant
ANIMALS 
Antioxidants are compounds that help combat cell and DNA damage that leads to cancer, heart
disease and other chronic diseases. The body makes some antioxidants, and others are found
HISTORY
in food. Despite the presumed benefits of taking extra antioxidants, extensive research has not
shown that taking antioxidant supplements lowers cancer risk, according to the National Cancer
CULTURE  supplements likely won't help other diseases such as diabetes,
Institute. Taking antioxidant
according to a 2011 abstract published in the journal Current Diabetes Reviews.
SPACE 
Although antioxidant supplements have failed to stave off disease in studies, it may be "that the
lack of benefit in clinical studies can be explained by differences in the effects of the tested
antioxidants
 when they are consumed as purified chemicals as opposed to when they are
consumed in foods, which contain complex mixtures of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals,"
according to the National Cancer Institute.

Since Spirulina is considered a food, it remains an open question as to whether dried Spirulina
in supplements has antioxidant health benefits.

One preliminary study of Spirulina's antioxidant effects tested the supplement on 87 people in
Kerala, India, who regularly chewed paan tobacco. Paan is prepared from the leaf of the betel
tree and various spices, and is typically chewed after meals and ceremonies such as weddings
and receptions. Paan tobacco chewers are at increased risk of an oral cancer called oral
leukoplakia. Over the course of one year, 45 percent of the tobacco users who took daily
Spirulina supplements saw a complete regression of lesions. Just 7 percent of people in the
placebo group saw a complete regression in tumors in the same period, according to the 1995
abstract published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.

Antioxidants may help athletes recover from exercise-induced oxidative stress that contributes
to muscle fatigue – and Spirulina happens to contain several compounds shown to have
antioxidant properties, including phenolic compounds, phycocyanins, tocopherols and beta-
carotene, according to a 2010 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Researchers in the study investigated Spirulina's possible exercise benefits among nine male
recreational runners over four weeks. They found the runners showed a greater increase in
exercise performance and levels of antioxidants after taking Spirulina than they did when taking

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no supplements or taking a placebo. Although these preliminary findings are promising, they

are too small to draw a conclusion about Spirulina's effect on exercise fatigue, according to the
study's authors.
NEWS 
Several research studies looking into Spirulina's effects on cholesterol and triglycerides (or
hypolipidemic effects) have found Spirulina to be beneficial. However, most human trials
investigating these effects have been limited to studies of fewer than 100 people, and many did
TECH

not have a control group of people taking a placebo.

HEALTH 
One 2008 study tested Spirulina's lipid-lowering effects on 78 adults, ages 60 and 87. The
volunteers took 8 grams of Spirulina supplements, or a placebo, a day for 16 weeks. At the end
PLANET EARTH 
of the study, there were significant reductions in cholesterol among those who were treated,
according to the abstract published in Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism.
STRANGE NEWS 
Another study of 52 adults, ages 37 to 61, examined Spirulina's effects on people recently
found to have high cholesterol. Study participants took 1 gram of Spirulina supplements a day
ANIMALS 
for 12 weeks, and gave fasting blood samples at the beginning and end of the study. By the end
of the experiment, average levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and the potentially harmful
HISTORY  cholesterol decreased. However, blood pressure, weight and body
LDL (low-density lipoprotein)
mass index readings did not change, according to the July 2013 paper published in the Journal
 Agriculture.
of the Science of Food and
CULTURE

Doctors now recognize that heart disease is not just a disorder of high cholesterol and
SPACE 
triglycerides, but also a chronic inflammatory disease, according to a July 2010 review of
Spirulina's hypolipidemic effects published in the journal Cardiovascular Therapeutics. Spirulina
may thenhelp manage and prevent heart disease through antioxidant properties, however
more study is needed.

Ongoing studies on Spirulina

Medical studies are currently under way to determine Spirulina's effect on viral infections,
swelling, wound healing and the immune system in general, according to the NIH. Preliminary
studies have not shown Spirulina to be effective at treating blepharospasm, a chronic twitching
of the eyelids.

There is not enough evidence to determine if Spirulina supplements can help digestion or
weight loss, nor is there enough evidence to determine whether Spirulina treats memory
problems, anxiety or depression, according to the NIH. Studies have yet to prove that Spirulina
has any effect on energy levels and chronic fatigue. Research has not shown whether Spirulina
has a meaningful effect on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or premenstrual
syndrome (PMS), according to the NIH.

Are Spirulina supplements safe?

Doctors consider Spirulina to be safe in general, especially in light of its long history as a food.
But Spirulina may become contaminated with toxic metals, harmful bacteria and microcystins —
toxins produced from some algae —if it is grown in unsafe conditions. Contaminated Spirulina
can cause liver damage, nausea, vomiting, thirst, weakness, rapid heartbeat, shock and even

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death. Contaminated Spirulina may be especially dangerous for children. The NIH recommends

researching the source of Spirulina in supplements to ensure they are grown in safe conditions
and tested for toxins.
NEWS 
People with certain autoimmune conditions should avoid Spirulina supplements, according to
the NIH. Since Spirulina enhances the immune system, Spirulina supplements may worsen
TECH 
symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), rheumatoid
arthritis and other conditions linked to overactive immune systems. For the same reason,
Spirulina may weaken the effect of immunosuppressants, which are often prescribed to treat
HEALTH
autoimmune conditions and prevent the body from rejecting organ transplants. Spirulina may
also interfere
EARTHwith drugs that
PLANET  slow blood clotting, including blood thinners such as warfarin as
well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) pain medications. Combining Spirulina with
herbal supplements that slow blood clotting may increase a person's risk of bleeding. Such
STRANGE NEWS 
herbs include cloves, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng and turmeric, according to the
NIH.
ANIMALS 
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should avoid Spirulina since there is a lack of
safety studies in this group. People who have the genetic condition phenylketonuria should also
HISTORY 
avoid Spirulina, as it may aggravate their condition, according to the NIH. Since there are not
enough studies to establish a safe dose range of Spirulina, it is best to consult a doctor and
CULTURE 
follow instructions on all supplements to avoid unsafe doses.

Additional reporting by Jessie Szalay, Live Science contributor.

SPACE 
Additional resources
  
The National Institutes of Health discusses Spirulina, or "blue-green algae," noting that
there isn't enough scientific evidence to determine whether or not products made from the
organisms are effective.
The Spirulina finds it to be high in protein.
A 2010 study published in the journal Cardiovascular Therapeutics: Hypolipidemic,
Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Microalgae Spirulina

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AuthorNEWS
STRANGE Bio 

ANIMALS Lauren Cox, Live Science Contributor

Lauren Cox is a contributing writer for Live Science. She writes health and technology
HISTORY  emerging science and specializes in news of the weird. Her work has
features, covers
previously appeared online at ABC News, Technology Review and Popular Mechanics.
Lauren loves molecules, literature, black coffee, big dogs and climbing up mountains in her
CULTURE  earned a bachelor of arts degree from Smith College and a master of science
spare time. She
degree in science journalism from Boston University.

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