what are the benefits of using spirulina

Health Benefits

• High Cholesterol. Spirulina holds some promise for lipid disorders such as high cholesterol or high triglycerides, according to a study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism.
• Allergies. Spirulina holds some promise in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies), according to a review published in 2009. ...
• Diabetes. ...
• Oral Cancer. ...

Full Answer

What should I know before taking spirulina?

The study did not cover other safety concerns, such as in the following cases:

• When taken higher doses, 19 grams or over for more than two months may cause abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue.
• When pregnant or breast-feeding, it is not worth the risk of contaminated products. ...
• Children are more sensitive to contaminates and should not take products that are not regulated.

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Is spirulina good or bad?

While spirulina is safe, it’s important to be aware of potential dangers and to get it from a trusted and proven source. Many commercially-available brands of spirulina have low levels of heavy metals that do not fall within an unsafe range, according to a study published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences in 2013.

How does spirulina affect your health?

When consumed in excess, these compounds can present health concerns:

• High intake of protein, chlorophyll and iron may cause gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea, nausea or cramps.
• Excess phosphorus can adversely affect the kidneys.
• In high concentrations, manganese may contribute to neurotoxicity.

Why is Spirulina a superfood?

Spirulina is a good source of:

• Thiamine ( v itamin B1)
• Riboflavin ( v itamin B2)
• Niacin ( v itamin B3)
• Copper
• Iron

What does spirulina does to the body?

Spirulina is rich in a range of vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, like vitamins E, C, and B6. Research finds that spirulina also boosts the production of white blood cells and antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria in your body.

What happens if you take spirulina every day?

Some minor side effects of spirulina may include nausea, insomnia, and headaches. Still, this supplement is widely considered safe, and most people experience no side effects (2). Spirulina may be contaminated with harmful compounds, thin your blood, and worsen autoimmune conditions.

How much spirulina should I take daily?

How much Spirulina should you take, and when? As a dietary supplement, the recommended minimum amount is three grams daily – one teaspoon of powder or six 500 mg tablets. Since it is a pure and natural food, you may safely take more, to suit your personal health program.

When should I take spirulina morning or night?

When should I take spirulina? Generally, it doesn't matter how and when you take spirulina, the supplement will still be effective. However, some specialists recommend taking it at least four hours before going to bed.

How long does it take for spirulina to start working?

about 1-3 weeksIt takes about 1-3 weeks for you to notice a change in energy levels. The results differ from person to person and obviously depend on your condition. Tip; drink plenty of water every day. Most people around normally ask, where can spirulina be found?

Can spirulina cause weight gain?

Spirulina Calories and Nutrition It takes an extra 3,500 calories over and above your daily needs to gain a pound. A tablespoon of dried spirulina, which is how you're most likely to find it sold, contains only 20 calories, so it would take quite a bit of spirulina to cause weight gain.

Does spirulina help sleep?

Our results revealed that spirulina supplementation significantly reduced sleep disturbances (P = . 03), while no significant changes occurred in the sleep quality score or other sleep parameters, vs the placebo group (P > . 05). Furthermore, a significant reduction in stress score (P = .

Is spirulina good for hair?

Spirulina is being widely used for promoting hair growth and to combat hair problems like thinning hair and baldness. Spirulina contains amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamin A and beta-carotene, all of which are great for hair.

Is spirulina good for skin?

Spirulina can boost the overall health and radiant appearance of your skin, as well as preventing acne build up and swelling. Rich in nutrients, vitamins and both fatty and amino acids, Spirulina decreases inflammation, tones the skin and encourages cell turnover to promote a more youthful-looking complexion[1].

How does spirulina detox the body?

Detoxify with Spirulina With a powerful chelating agent, Spirulina reaches deep into bodily tissues and takes out toxins like mercury, radiation, arsenic, cadmium, pesticides, synthetic food chemicals, and environmental carcinogens, leaving them up for excretion.

Can spirulina make you sleepy?

Do not worry because this is merely an adjustment of your body. Over fatigue – The spirulina will help cleanse your colon and flush out toxins and other waste materials. As a result of this cleansing process, you may feel sleepy or tired because your colon and other excretory organs are working overtime.

Does spirulina help in weight loss?

Is spirulina good for losing weight? Yes, spirulina has been proven to help with weight loss if you also eat healthy and exercise. Spirulina improves metabolism and suppresses appetite.

What does spirulina do to the body?

Evidence suggests spirulina has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering properties. It may help treat or manage con...

How does spirulina affect weight?

Research suggests spirulina can help reduce body fat, waist circumference, BMI, and appetite, which could make it useful as part of a weight-manage...

Is spirulina safe?

A person should always buy from a reputable source, check it has undergone testing, and follow the instructions on the label. It may not be safe du...

Why is spirulina digested easily?

3. Improving gut health. Spirulina can be digested easily because of its structure where the cells do not have tough, fibrous walls.

How much sodium is in spirulina?

73 mg of sodium. 0.7 mg of vitamin C. It also contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and vitamins B-6, A, and K. Taking spirulina, as part of a balanced diet, may help a person to stay well nourished. 2.

How long does it take for spirulina to lower cholesterol?

Researchers found that taking 1 g of spirulina every day reduced participant’s total cholesterol after 3 months. 6. Reducing blood pressure. As discussed above, spirulina may lower cholesterol, and there is also evidence that it could help control a person’s blood pressure.

Does spirulina help with cholesterol?

Studies suggest that spirulina supplements can reduce total cholesterol. Taking spirulina extract may help to lower cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is an unhealthful fat in a person’s blood that medical experts link to heart disease. A 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis.

Is spirulina a superfood?

Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that people can take as a dietary supplement. People consider spirulina a superfood due to its excellent nutritional content and health benefits. Spirulina has a high protein and vitamin content, which makes it an excellent dietary supplement for people on vegetarian or vegan diets.

Does spirulina help with heart disease?

High blood pressure and cholesterol levels are both linked to heart disease. As spirulina may reduce both of these risk factors, is it possible that it could help prevent heart disease?

Is spirulina poisonous to humans?

In certain parts of the world, people are at risk of poisoning from contaminated drinking water and other sources of pollutants. Early research#N#Trusted Source#N#suggests that spirulina may offer a way to treat those affected.

What is spirulina good for?

Spirulina is rich in a range of vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining a healthy immune system , like vitamins E, C, and B6. Research finds that spirulina also boosts the production of white blood cells and antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria in your body.

What is the taste of spirulina?

Spirulina has a bitter taste, so people often mix it with yogurts, juices, and smoothies to improve its flavor. Spirulina is commonly available as a supplement at health food stores.

Does spirulina help with triglycerides?

These are fats in your blood that can contribute to the hardening of arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and pancreatitis . Spirulina increases nitric oxide production in your body as well, which helps your blood vessels relax.

Does spirulina cause cancer?

Chronic inflammation contributes to cancer and other diseases. Phycocyanin — the a plant pigment that gives spirulina its blue-green color — has been found to not only reduce inflammation in the body, but also block tumor growth and kill cancer cells.

Is spirulina a plant based protein?

Spirulina is a potent source of nutrients. It contains a powerful plant-based protein called phycocyanin. Research shows this may have antioxidant, pain-relief, anti-inflammatory, and brain-protective properties. This antioxidant and other nutrients in spirulina are linked with several health benefits:

Does spirulina help with cholesterol?

Heart Health. Research has found that the protein in spirulina can reduce the body’s absorption of cholesterol, lowering cholesterol levels. This helps keep your arteries clear, reducing strain on your heart that can lead to heart disease and stroke -causing blo od clots . Its protein also reduces triglyceride levels.

Can you take spirulina with diabetes?

Medication Interactions. Spirulina’s health benefits may interact with or counter certain medications' effects, including those used to treat diabetes, immunosuppressants, and blood thinners. B12 deficiency.

What is a spirulina plant?

Spirulina is a type of blue-green microalgae that is able to grow in both fresh and salt water and is consumed by humans and other animals. There are two species of the spirulina plant, including Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima.

Which is healthier, chlorella or spirulina?

Finally, although both are considered superfoods, spirulina and chlorella differ in their nutritional content. Arguably the healthier of the two, spirulina contains more essential amino acids, iron, protein, B vitamins, and vitamins C, D and E.

What is the difference between chlorella and spirulina?

Spirulina grows best in low-alkaline conditions — particularly, fresh water lakes, ponds and rivers. It also requires an abundance of sunshine and moderate temperatures. Chlorella, on the other hand, grows in fresh water typically occupied by other organisms, which makes it more challenging to harvest. 3.

How much spirulina should I take daily?

A common question when first trying out this incredible ingredient is: how much spirulina should I take daily? Although there’s no standard spirulina dosage, most studies have found a beneficial effect when consuming 1–8 grams per day. For reference, one tablespoon of blue spirulina is about 7 grams.

How long do rabbits need spirulina?

A recent animal study published in The Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology took rabbits, fed them a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) containing 0.5 percent cholesterol for four weeks, and then fed them a HCD with 1 percent or 5 percent spirulina for an additional eight weeks.

What is the shape of a spirulina?

Shape. First of all, spirulina is a spiral-shaped, multi-celled plant with no true nucleus. It’s blue-green in hue and can grow up to 100 times the size of chlorella. Comparably, chlorella is a spherical-shaped single-celled microorganism with a nucleus and is solid green. 2. How It’s Grown.

Where is spirulina grown?

Grown around the world from Mexico to Africa to even Hawaii, spirulina is renowned for its intense flavor and even more powerful nutrition profile.

Does spirulina help with cancer?

Whether or not spirulina can protect against cancer in humans is still very much untested however, it contains plenty of good antioxidants. A number of in vitro and animal studies have suggested that spirulina has the potential to boost immunity and increase the production of infection fighting proteins and antibodies. These actions may help the body ward off chronic illnesses like cancer and other infections.

Does spirulina help with weight loss?

Spirulina is a rich source of proteins and diets which are high in proteins and nutrients like spirulina can help stimulate weight loss and reduce body fat. Protein requires more energy in order to metabolize and helps maintain the body’s lean tissue which also contributes to the way fat is burned.

Does spirulina help with blood pressure?

As well as reducing your cholesterol levels, spirulina can also help keep blood pressure under control. According to research done in Japan, pigment found in spirulina called phycocyanin has antihypertensive properties. (7)

13 Benefits of Spirulina You Need to Know About

What are the health benefits of spirulina? This post will go over this question as well as how to take spirulina, some nutrition facts, and potential side effects.

Spirulina Nutrition Facts

Blue-green algae get their superfood status for their low-calorie, vitamin-rich, and mineral dense profile.

How to Take Spirulina

Depending on the type of spirulina product you have, there are different instructions for use.

Zesty Spirulina Smoothie Recipe

If you're a little unsure how to add spirulina to your diet, this smoothie recipe by Organika can get you started.

Best Spirulina Supplements

These Organika Spirulina Supplements are both sourced from freshwater pools in Mongolia and are of the highest purity and quality.

Side Effects

You may experience a little bit of digestive discomfort when first adding spirulina to your diet.

Wrapping Up

If you’re looking for a safe, all-natural, and effective way to boost your health, spirulina may be a great choice.

What are the benefits of chlorella and spirulina?

Omega-3s are a family of essential fatty acids that your body needs but cannot produce. Adding them to your diet can reduce inflammation in the body [ source].

How much vitamin E is in spirulina?

In addition, spirulina can provide you with 0.35 mg of vitamin E per 1-tbsp serving. 12. Calcium. Calcium is another essential mineral and electrolyte that your body uses to regulate a variety of functions, such as its electrical pulses, water balance, central nervous system function, and more.

How does chlorella differ from spirulina?

Another area where the spirulina and chlorella benefits differ is when it comes to vitamin B12. Chlorella contains significant amounts of B12 per serving, whereas spirulina only contains trace amounts of a form of B12 that is ineffective in humans [ source].

How much iron is in chlorella powder?

A single 2-tsp serving of chlorella powder comes with 12 mg of iron, whereas a 1-tbsp serving of powdered spirulina packs 2 mg of iron. Combining them can provide adult men with all of the iron they need for a day and can help adult women reach their daily target. 5. Contains potassium.

When was spirulina first used?

In liquid form as an extract. Processed into various snacks, such as crisps and bars. Consumption of spirulina as a food item dates all the way back to the 1600s when it was used by the Aztecs and other Mesoamericans.

Where does spirulina come from?

Originating in freshwater bodies such as lakes, rivers and ponds, Spirulina is a consumable cyanobacteria that grows in the form of algae. Historically, it has been consumed as a food item, and more recently, in supplemental form to aid with health and contribute to daily nutritional needs.

Is chlorella high in vitamin A?

High in Vitamin A. There’s no question that the spirulina and chlorella benefits are plentiful, but one of the more impressive feats would be the vitamin A content. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for vision, immune system function, and organ health [ source].