7 Ways Spirulina Can Improve Health
Sometimes you can tell something is extremely healthy just from glancing at it. One such thing is spirulina, which has an exceptionally deep green color that is unparalleled by virtually any land vegetable. Spirulina is a cyanobacteria (photosynthetic bacteria) that grows all around the world in fresh and marine (high-salt) waters. It has a storied history of use by cultures in Mexico and Africa. For example, the Aztecs harvested spirulina from a Mexican body of water called Lake Texcoco and fashioned it into dry cakes. Spirulina was likely a very convenient food for the population, as it would have been available in large quantities and is a highly concentrated source of protein. In fact, up to 70% of the weight of spirulina is protein, which is easily digested due to the lack of a cell wall. This highly bioavailable protein is one of the incredible benefits of spirulina, but it’s just the start.
Although spirulina is sometimes referred to as a blue-green algae, it is not technically an algae and is formally classified as a type of bacteria. The colloquial name of blue-green algae derives from the color of spirulina and related organisms. The scientific name for spirulina is Arthrospira platensis, whereas its common name comes from the spiral appearance of the bacteria’s long outgrowths, known as filaments. A microscope image from an Australian spirulina company showed in detail what it looks like under 200x magnification.
Nutrients in Spirulina
There are an exceptionally wide variety of nutrients found in spirulina that impart its health effects. A 2017 study by researchers from Italy and Algeria summarized the functional compounds present. As noted, spirulina is most comprised of protein, and of this, the dominant amino acids are glutamate, leucine, and aspartate. There is also a healthy quantity of fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. A particularly powerful fatty acid found in spirulina is gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is a strong anti-inflammatory noted for use in treating inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and eczema. Interestingly, growing spirulina at low temperatures and with high light intensities seems to increase GLA levels.
The most prevalent minerals include potassium, sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, and calcium, while prevalent vitamins include Vitamin B6, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, folic acid, and Vitamin A/Vitamin E in the forms of beta-carotene and tocopherols. There are also phenol and flavonoid constituents that impart additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. A special class of nutrients is phycocyanins; they are exclusively found in cyanobacteria and have many potential health applications, which are described below. Phycocyanins work with the chlorophyll in the bacteria to produce energy. It is fascinating how many studies have showed the benefits of spirulina itself or its unique compounds.
Health Benefits of Spirulina
1. Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Most high-quality health foods exhibit some level of anti-inflammatory activity, and that is the case for spirulina as well. As early as 1997, spirulina was demonstrated to prevent anaphylactic shock in rats by inhibiting the release of histamine from immune cells. This result was reinforced by another study from the same team the next year, finding that spirulina inhibited systemic allergic reactions in rats by reducing histamine levels. Histamine is a compound that causes increased permeability of capillaries and allows blood to move into tissues; while histamine release is a normal process to help white blood cells fight infection within tissue, when uncontrolled it can lead to dangerous drops in blood pressure. Even somewhat elevated histamine levels induced by allergens can lead to unpleasant symptoms like a runny nose and watery eyes.
A 2019 study in the Journal of Infection and Public Health indicated several additional mechanisms by which spirulina limits inflammatory activity. By using two animal models of inflammation, researchers found that an extract of spirulina decreased the production of inflammatory mediators like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and nitric oxide. The activity of the enzyme COX-2, which produces inflammatory prostaglandin molecules, was also inhibited.
Human experiments confirm that spirulina can exert some level of practical anti-inflammatory effect. A 2005 double-blind study found that 2 grams of spirulina per day for 12 weeks could reduce IL-4 (another inflammatory mediator) levels by 32% in patients suffering from allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose). Another double-blind study examining patients with rhinitis found that spirulina consumption decreased nasal discharge, sneezing, congestion, and itching. This lead researchers to conclude, “Spirulina is clinically effective on allergic rhinitis when compared with placebo.”
2. Cardiovascular Benefits and Blood Sugar Control
Numerous human studies have pointed to the ability of spirulina to benefit the cardiovascular system and reduce risk factors for adverse cardiac events. One of the first studies in 1988 with healthy volunteers who had mild hypertension or above-average cholesterol levels found that 4.2 grams of spirulina for 8 weeks resulted in significant cholesterol reduction. Those who had higher cholesterol levels experienced the greatest effects. Another study with heart disease patients in 1996 further showed that spirulina lowered cholesterol in addition to helping patients lose weight.
More recent studies have lent additional support to the notion that spirulina improves the cardiovascular system. A 2008 controlled trial administered 8 grams of spirulina per day to 19 patients with Type 2 diabetes, who were prohibited from taking other dietary supplements to ascertain the effect of spirulina individually. 18 other patients were included in a control group. As one of the previous trials showed, patients who had higher initial triglyceride, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels experienced greater reductions in each category. IL-6 levels also fell in the spirulina group. Based on these results, the Korean researchers concluded, “The results suggest that spirulina is a promising agent as a functional food for diabetes management.”
It appears that not much spirulina is required to produce tangible outcomes. A later trial conducted in 2015 found that just 2 grams of spirulina per day for 2 months significantly reduced triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Blood sugar was also lowered.
Spirulina intake may also help improve exercise performance, as indicated by a comprehensive 2018 trial by researchers in Mexico. Overweight or obese individuals were put into four categories — spirulina with exercise, spirulina alone, exercise alone, or no intervention. Even without exercising, spirulina alone resulted in loss of body fat, overall weight loss, increased time to reach fatigue, and increased maximum oxygen intake. The effects were more pronounced in the spirulina and exercise group. Spirulina was dosed at 4.5 grams per day for 6 weeks. It was concluded that supplementing with spirulina “synergistically improves the effects of systematic exercise on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness parameters in overweight, but mostly in individuals with obesity.”
Another double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that three months of consuming 2 grams of spirulina per day significantly reduced weight and waist circumference. Cholesterol and the inflammatory marker IL-6 fell, while insulin sensitivity and total antioxidant status improved. Researchers concluded, “The favorable influence of Spirulina supplementation on insulin sensitivity, plasma lipid levels along with inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers reported in this study creates the promise for new therapeutic approaches in obese patients with well-treated hypertension.”
The above results were reinforced by another double-blind, placebo-controlled study that followed elderly individuals in Korea. Those who received spirulina consumed 8 grams per day for 16 weeks, which resulted in lower cholesterol, favorable improvements in immune markers, and increased total antioxidant status, especially of superoxide dismutase.
3. Gut Health and Associated Benefits
Some of the benefits of spirulina may derive from its ability to alter the gut microbiota, the collection of microorganisms that reside in our digestive tract. A 2017 study in the journal Nutrients found that giving spirulina to old mice changed the composition of their microbiota, including increasing members of the beneficial Lactobacillus genus. The supplement also reduced markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver, improvements which researchers stated may have been connected to the modulation of the microbiota.
Another study two years later found similar results, as spirulina intake over 24 days altered the microbial community in mice and reduced serum levels of oxidative stress biomarkers. Researchers stated that these findings may lead to the production of a spirulina-based pharmaceutical to selectively modulate the gut microbiota. Therefore, while more research is needed in humans, it is certainly looking like spirulina may function as a prebiotic to support our good bacteria.
A review article of spirulina’s benefits noted that spirulina’s ability to increase Lactobacillus bacteria may help facilitate energy release by augmenting the production of Vitamin B6. Clinical trial evidence discussed later definitely supports the ability of spirulina to enhance energy, although more research is still needed on this topic.
The capabilities of spirulina extend beyond effects on bacteria, as a 2019 study by researchers with Ain Shams University in Egypt indicated. Gastric ulcers were induced in mice by aspirin overdose, and spirulina was found to counter a large part of the damage. Endogenous enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants were increased in the mice, and a marker of lipid peroxidation (damage to fats in cell membranes) was decreased. Levels of the inflammatory mediators TNF-α, COX-2, and nitric oxide were also reduced. Interestingly, while COX-2 was decreased, the gastroprotective COX-1 was actually increased. It was concluded, “Spirulina has a therapeutic potential in aspirin-induced gastric injury by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation.”
4. Ameliorating Effects of Heavy Metals
The buildup of heavy metals in organisms can cause severe issues with normal functioning. A 2020 study from a team of researchers in the Middle East examined the impact of lead ingestion on rabbits and if spirulina could mitigate damage. Not surprisingly, the lead ingestion caused moderate to severe degeneration of the rabbits’ liver, kidneys, and heart; this damage was reduced by spirulina supplementation. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, in addition to certain immunostimulatory actions, may have been responsible for the protective effect.
A clinical trial supports the use of spirulina to help detoxify heavy metals. In 2006, researchers from a medical university in Bangladesh tested spirulina in combination with zinc in patients with chronic arsenic poisoning. 17 patients received a placebo, while 24 patients received 250mg spirulina and 2mg zinc twice daily for 16 weeks. The spirulina/zinc combination proved to be more effective than placebo, improving symptoms of arsenic poisoning, increasing urinary excretion of arsenic, and substantially reducing arsenic levels in scalp hair.
Although iron is an essential nutrient, its excessive accumulation can be problematic, especially in obese patients. A 2016 placebo-controlled clinical trial by researchers in Poland found that administering 2 grams of spirulina daily for 3 months decreased iron levels in 25 patients. Researchers concluded, “In the light of the recent finding, it may be supposed that the observed protective effect of spirulina in metabolic syndrome and obesity may be mediated by the improvement of iron homeostasis and the prevention of iron overload.”
5. Enhancing the Immune System
The immune system requires a broad spectrum of nutrients to function optimally, and given the nutrient-dense nature of spirulina, it makes sense it would support the immune system. Indeed, a 2010 trial by researchers in Denmark with the Institute for Inflammation research found concrete benefits in healthy volunteers who used 200mg or 400mg spirulina per day. Multiple tests showed that the supplementation protocol increased the efficacy of natural killer (NK) immune cells in fighting tumor cells. The number of NK cells, as indicated by measurement of a receptor on their cell surface, also increased, with a sharper increase being observed with the higher dose. Expression of a compound called perforin, which is used by NK and T-cells to kill pathogens or abnormal cells, increased by 75% as well.
Another trial in 2018 tracking athletes focused on 19 members of the Polish Rowing Team. 10 members received 1500mg spirulina extract for 6 weeks, while 9 members received a placebo. Two rowing tests were conducted at the beginning and end of the trial period to simulate intense exercise. Blood tests revealed that the spirulina group did not experience the same adverse immune system impacts as the placebo group. The researchers concluded, “The results of this study imply that supplementation with spirulina extract may protect athletes against a deficit in immune function (especially, anti-infectious function) associated with strenuous exercise, and may cause a beneficial shift in “overtraining threshold” preventing a radical deterioration of immunity.”
6. Improving Antioxidant Status and Physical Performance
Oxidative compounds damage the body by causing damage to numerous structures within cells, so antioxidant compounds are critical for countering this damage and lowering the risk of diseases associated with oxidative stress. Multiple studies show that spirulina can have a real impact on the antioxidant status of the human body. A previously mentioned clinical trial with obese individuals found 2 grams of spirulina per day for 3 months increased the total antioxidant status of the treated group. Another previously mentioned trial also showed an increase in antioxidant status among participants.
A 2010 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial carried out by researchers with the Institute of Human Performance and Rehabilitation in Greece found substantial benefits from adding 6 grams of spirulina per day for 4 weeks to the diets of moderately trained male athletes. After this supplementation period, the endogenous antioxidant glutathione was higher in the spirulina group than the placebo group, both at rest and 24 hours after exercise. Levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, a measure of lipid peroxidation, did not increase in the spirulina group as they did in the placebo group. Also, it took longer for the spirulina group to become fatigued after running exercise, indicating a benefit for improving energy. The conclusion stated, “Spirulina supplementation induced a significant increase in exercise performance, fat oxidation, and GSH concentration and attenuated the exercise-induced increase in lipid peroxidation.”
While the previous trial involved athletes, another trial with students showed that the benefits of spirulina extend to untrained individuals as well. The 16 students completed a treadmill exercise, added spirulina to their diets for 3 weeks, and then underwent the exercise again. Results showed that levels of the endogenous antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase were increased after spirulina intake, while levels of the lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde were decreased. Furthermore, the time required to reach exhaustion was increased. It was theorized that the prevention of muscle damage by spirulina contributed to the delay in the students’ becoming exhausted.
A 2016 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at Ohio State University in America indicated that spirulina has physical and mental health-promoting properties. After only 1 week of 3 grams per day of spirulina, there was a small but significant increase in exercise output in the spirulina group. Performance on a mathematical test designed to examine mental fatigue was greater 4 hours as well as 8 weeks later after spirulina supplementation. The same results emerged after a subjective survey on physical and mental fatigue was administered. This indicates the benefits of spirulina may be experienced quite rapidly and persist over time with continued ingestion.
Although impossible to ascribe the following results to spirulina alone, it is interesting to note that a controlled trial in Israel showed improvements in measures of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children after taking a “compound herbal preparation”. Attention, cognition, and impulse control all improved after taking the medication, which included spirulina as one of the six natural ingredients. Of course, it is possible that spirulina had no impact on these results and other ingredients were responsible, but the overall evidence suggests spirulina contributed at least somewhat meaningfully.
7. Liver Health
The liver is a critically important organ that filters and detoxifies the blood. Emerging evidence suggests that spirulina can help protect the liver. First, an animal study published in 2019 found that administering spirulina to rats with chemical-induced liver injury protected against the damage via anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. More importantly, a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in 2016 and published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that a phycocyanin-enriched water extract of spirulina impacted measures of liver health. Two enzymes, called aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), become elevated in the blood when the liver is damaged. 2.3 grams of the spirulina extract per day for 2 weeks resulted in lower AST and ALT levels, which suggested an improvement in liver function. Interestingly, the participants also experienced reduced chronic pain, both at rest and during physical activity.
Phytoremediation Potential
In addition to helping heal the human body, spirulina may be a key part of healing our planet. An exciting study published in the Annals of Agrarian Science found that spirulina could help purify water contaminated with the infamous explosive TNT. After 15 days, spirulina was found to remove 87% of toxicant from water contaminated with 22.5ppm TNT. It will be interesting to see if more research reveals the ability of spirulina to sequester other contaminants as well.
The Future of Spirulina
The evidence is clear that spirulina is a powerful food with real benefits, as indicated by numerous clinical trials in different areas. There is immense value in conducting further research so that one day spirulina may be used more widely in healthcare settings. The potential really is impressive. A 2013 review article published in Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry efficiently summarized several applications — ” Spirulina has several pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial (including antiviral and antibacterial), anticancer, metalloprotective (prevention of heavy-metal poisoning against [cadmium, lead, iron, and mercury]), as well as immunostimulant and antioxidant effects due to its rich content of protein, polysaccharide, lipid, essential amino and fatty acids, dietary minerals and vitamins.”
For myself, I can definitely say that spirulina has been one of the most powerful supplements I’ve taken, and when I do so continuously the effects are even more noticeable. If you are seriously intent on strengthening your mind and body, spirulina is an indispensable ally to have.
How to Use Spirulina
Spirulina usually comes as powder or pressed tablets. The powder is way cheaper and likely of higher quality as well since it is less processed. It can be quickly mixed into any kind of drink including plain water. As long as it is diluted enough it doesn’t have too strong a flavor. I used to put spirulina powder directly into oatmeal and it was surprisingly tolerable, although nowadays I prefer to just mix powders directly into drinks. As the trials show, it doesn’t take much to potentially benefit from spirulina. Using between 2 to 8 grams per day is a reasonable dose.
