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Description
Spirulina or Arthrospira is a blue-green alga that became famous after it was successfully used by NASA as a dietary supplement for astronauts on space missions. It has the ability to modulate immune functions and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the release of histamine by mast cells. Multiple studies investigating the efficacy and the potential clinical applications of Spirulina in treating several diseases have been performed and a few randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews suggest that this alga may improve several symptoms and may even have an anticancer, antiviral and antiallergic effects. Current and potential clinical applications, issues of safety, indications, side-effects and levels of evidence are addressed below.
Spirulina is a microscopic and filamentous cyanobacterium that derives its name from the spiral or helical nature of its filaments. It has a long history of use as food and it has been reported that it has been used during the Aztec civilization. Spirulina refers to the dried biomass of Arthrospira platensis, an oxygenic photosynthetic bacterium found worldwide in fresh and marine waters. This alga represents an important staple diet in humans and has been used as a source of protein and vitamin supplement in humans without any significant side-effects. Apart from the high (up to 70%) content of protein, it also contains vitamins, especially B12 and provitamin A (β-carotenes), and minerals, especially iron. It is also rich in phenolic acids, tocopherols and γ-linolenic acid. Spirulina lacks cellulose cell walls and therefore it can be easily digested.
Nakaya et al., in the first human study, gave 4.2 g day−1 of Spirulina to 15 male volunteers and, although there was no significant increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, they observed a significant reduction of high-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol after 8 weeks of treatment. The atherogenic effect also declined significantly in the above group. (1)
Fatty structures known as lipids in your body are subject to what is known as lipid peroxidation which studies have shown to be a source for many diseases. (2) One the primary steps in the development of heart disease is the oxidation of LDL cholesterol otherwise known as the bad cholesterol. (3) The antioxidants found in Spirulina seem to be effective at fighting lipid peroxidation in both humans and animals. (4)
Spirulina supplementation also has the ability to increase exercise performance in regards to endurance capacity. 9 moderately trained males partook in a study where they were given either Spirulina or a placebo for 4 weeks. The results showed that the time to fatigue was significantly longer after spirulina supplementation and increased fat oxidation (fat burning), by 10.9% compared to taking the placebo. (5)
Spirulina contains vitamins b1, b2, and b3, iron, potassium, zinc, calcium as well it contains all nine essential amino acids. Just a tablespoon of spirulina has 4 grams of protein. As well it has only 20 calories and 1.7 grams of carbs. So if you’re in a cutting cycle where you’re trying to lose fat and reduce your carb intake and increase protein, Spirulina may very well your superfood of choice.
Citations:
(1) Nakaya N, Homa Y, Goto Y. Cholesterol lowering effect of Spirulina . Atherosclerosis. 1988;37:1329–1337.
(2) Mylonas C1, Kouretas D. Lipid peroxidation and tissue damage. In Vivo. 1999 May-Jun;13(3):295-309.
(3) Ishigaki Y1, Oka Y, Katagiri H. Circulating oxidized LDL: a biomarker and a pathogenic factor. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2009 Oct;20(5):363-9
(4) Md. Ismail, Md. Faruk Hossain, Arifur Rahman Tanu, and Hossain Uddin Shekhar. Effect of Spirulina Intervention on Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Status, and Lipid Profile in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients. Biomed Res Int. 2015; 2015: 486120
(5) Kalafati M1, Jamurtas AZ, Nikolaidis MG, Paschalis V, Theodorou AA, Sakellariou GK, Koutedakis Y, Kouretas D. Ergogenic and antioxidant effects of spirulina supplementation in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Jan;42(1):142-51
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