Label: Dietary Supplement
Off label claims: Energy booster for the brain and the body
Dosage: 2-4 capsules daily, before meals on an
empty stomach
Fitness
Spirulina
Chromium
Benefit of spirulina supplement Spirulina platensis, a blue-green alga (photosynthesizing
cyanobacterium) has diverse biological activity. Due to
high content of highly valuable proteins, amino acids,
vitamins, beta-carotene and other pigments, mineral
substances, fatty acids and polysaccharides, spirulina
has been found suitable for use as bioactive additive.
Spirulina stimulates the immune system by enhancing the
production of antibodies and cytokines and thus
improving resistance of humans, mammals, chickens and
fish to infections. Under the influence of spirulina,
macrophages, T and B cells are activated. Spirulina
sulfolipids have proved to be effective against
HIV. Preparations obtained from SP biomass have also
been found active against herpes virus, cytomegalovirus,
influenza virus, etc. Spirulina preparations are
regarded as functional products contributing to the
preservation of the resident intestinal microflora,
especially lactic acid bacilli and bifidobacteria, and
to a decrease in the level of Candida albicans. The
biological activity of spirulina with respect to
microorganisms holds good promise for using these
microalgae as components of culture media.
Spirulina and the Immune System Apparently spirulina has the ability to stimulate the immune system
which could be beneficial in some individuals, and potentially harmful
in those who already have an overactive immune system or an autoimmune
condition. Therefore, spirulina is not advised to be taken regularly for
those who have
lupus, autoimmune thyroiditis, pemphigus vulgaris, and other such
conditions.
Spirulina and blood
cholesterol
Hypocholesterolemic effect of spirulina in patients with hyperlipidemic
nephrotic syndrome.
J Med Food. 2002 Summer;5(2):91-6. Department of Foods and Nutrition, M
S University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
In nephrotic syndrome, large amounts of plasma proteins are lost in
urine, causing a decrease in the plasma oncotic pressure. This leads to
enhanced hepatic synthesis of albumin and other proteins, including
lipoproteins, causing a secondary hyperlipidemia. In this study 23
patients (age 2 to 13 years) with nephrotic syndrome received either
medication (group I) or medication plus 1 gram a day Spirulina. It can
be concluded that spirulina capsules, rich in antioxidants, GLA, amino
acids, and fatty acids, helped reduce the increased levels of lipids in
patients with hyperlipidemic nephrotic syndrome.
Spirulina and exercise
performance
Preventive effects of Spirulina platensis on skeletal muscle damage
under exercise-induced oxidative stress.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006 Sep;98(2):220-6. Sport Science Research Center,
National Taiwan College of Physical Education, Taichung, Taiwan.
The effects of spirulina supplementation on preventing skeletal muscle
damage on untrained human beings were examined. Sixteen students
volunteered to take Spirulina platensis in addition to their normal diet
for 3-weeks. The results showed that plasma concentrations of
malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly decreased after supplementation
with spirulina. The activity of blood superoxide dismutase (SOD) was
significantly raised after supplementation with spirulina or soy
protein. Both of the blood glutathione peroxidaes (GPx) and lactate
dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were significantly different between
spirulina and soy protein supplementation. In addition, the lactate
concentration was higher and the time to exhaustion was significantly
extended in the spirulina trail. These results suggest that ingestion of
Spirulina platensis showed preventive effect of the skeletal muscle
damage and that probably led to postponement of the time of exhaustion
during the all-out exercise.
Spirulina and allergic
rhinitis Effects of a Spirulina-based
dietary supplement on cytokine production from allergic rhinitis
patients.
J Med Food. 2005 Spring;8(1):27-30. Mao TK, Van de Water J, Gershwin ME.
Division of Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of
California at Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, California, USA.
We evaluated the impact of a Spirulina based dietary supplement
(Earthrise Nutritionals, Inc., Irvine, CA) on patients with allergic
rhinitis by assessing the production of cytokines [interleukin (IL)-4,
interferon (IFN)-gamma, and IL-2] critical in regulating immunoglobulin
E-mediated allergy. These results indicate that Spirulina can modulate
the Th profile in patients with allergic rhinitis by suppressing the
differentiation of Th2 cells mediated, in part, by inhibiting the
production of IL-4. To our knowledge, this is the first human feeding
study that demonstrates the protective effects of Spirulina towards
allergic rhinitis.
