Scientific Name: Spirulina
Other Names: Arthrospira, BGA, Blue-Green Algae, Cyanobacteria, Cyanophyta

Who is this for?

Uses

Note: Although spirulina species are only a few of the many types of blue-green algae, the name spirulina is often used to identify the whole group of edible blue-green algae.

Spirulina has many potential medicinal uses. It contains antioxidants such as beta carotene and zeaxanthin. Antioxidants are thought to protect body cells from damage caused by a chemical process called oxidation. Oxygen free radicals, natural chemicals that may suppress immune function and damage body cells, are the result of oxidation. Both beta carotene and zeaxanthin decrease the activity of oxygen free radicals. In addition, zeaxanthin is thought to strengthen the retina of the eyes, helping to prevent macular degeneration – a condition that distorts or destroys sight as parts of the eye deteriorate. Early results from ongoing animal studies indicate that antioxidants in spirulina may also help to prevent a type of kidney stones that are caused by chemicals known as oxalates. Spirulina may also help to protect against damage that certain prescription drugs may cause to body organs.

Furthermore, in laboratory, animal, and human studies, spirulina has shown the ability to enhance immune function. In a study of middle-aged men, increased immune system function persisted up to 6 months after the study participants stopped taking spirulina. Results of animal studies appear to show that spirulina may increase the production of anti-inflammatory chemicals known as interferons and interleukins. Therefore, it may decrease or prevent some allergic responses. Spirulina may also block the release of histamine from mast cells during an allergic reaction. By blocking histamine release, spirulina may prevent or lessen histamine’s effects, which include blood vessel expansion, muscle contraction, and stomach acid production. In one small study of children who had high levels of an antibody known as immunoglobulin E (IgE), dietary supplementation with spirulina seemed to help their IgE return to near normal levels. IgE may be one indicator of an allergic response.

Both the antioxidant and immune-enhancing effects of spirulina may give it some anticancer properties. Spirulina appears to have additional anticancer effects, as well – possibly by promoting the release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, a chemical in the body that attacks tumor cells. In several studies of laboratory animals, spirulina prevented the development and spread of experimentally-produced cancers. In other animal studies, when extracts of spirulina were injected into already existing cancerous tumors, the tumors stopped spreading and some disappeared completely. One human study involved individuals who had oral leukoplakia, a condition of the mouth that usually develops into cancer if it is not treated. Oral use of spirulina for one year prevented the progression to cancer in 45% of the study participants. More human studies are underway to confirm the exact anticancer effects that spirulina might have.

Additionally, spirulina has shown antiviral effects in laboratory and animal studies. In several of the published studies, it appeared to block the entrance of viral cells into host cells. Spirulina may also prevent, delay, or decrease viral cell division through actions that are not yet understood. In some studies, several viruses, including HIV – the virus that causes AIDS — were apparently killed or damaged by spirulina or chemicals derived from it. At least one group of researchers suggests that regular consumption of algae may help prevent or lessen infections by viruses including cytomegalovirus, herpes, and influenza. Laboratory and animal studies support these antiviral effects, but much more study is needed to prove spirulina’s possible role in the treatment and prevention of viral diseases.

Early results from animal studies and a few human studies suggest that spirulina supplementation may also prevent or treat numerous other conditions, but all of these potential uses for spirulina need much more research.

In one study of individuals with diabetes, spirulina has shown the ability to lower blood sugar levels – a result confirmed by animal research but not in further human studies.

Although spirulina has also been promoted as a weight reduction aid, only one small human study supports this use.

In several studies of both animals and humans, taking spirulina has lowered cholesterol levels significantly more that placebo (inactive sugar pills). One theory is that spirulina blocks the body’s absorption of fat by decreasing production of enzymes that break down fats in the body. It may also promote the elimination of bile, causing the body to use more cholesterol from food to manufacture additional bile.

Phycocyanin, a chemical derived from spirulina, has been shown in animal studies to block the action of an enzyme known as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Decreased COX-2 activity may provide pain relief from conditions such as arthritis.

In additional animal studies, spirulina may have protected against cell damage caused by radiation and prevented liver damage due to environmental poisons such as lead. In Asia, humans who have chronic arsenic toxicity due to drinking contaminated water, have been treated successfully with a combination of spirulina and zinc.

Precautions

In a very few individuals, taking spirulina may have caused sudden worsening of relatively rare autoimmune conditions known as pemphigus vulgaris and dermatomyositis. Therefore, individuals who have these conditions should take spirulina carefully and discontinue taking it if their conditions seem to be getting worse.

Spirulina contains all the amino acids, including phenylalanine. Individuals with a genetic disorder known as phenylketonuria do not produce an enzyme that digests phenylalanine. As a result, phenylalanine may build up in the body, possibly causing eczema, seizures, and brain damage. Individuals with phenylketonuria should not take spirulina.

Spirulina may be contaminated with other types of blue-green algae that are harmful when ingested. Additionally, in the past, some spirulina products have been found to contain lead, mercury, or other heavy metal pollutants. Individuals who decide to take spirulina should purchase a product certified as pure from a reliable commercial source.

What side effects should I watch for?

Pure spirulina has not been reported to cause any side effects. However, other types of blue-green algae may be mixed with it, especially if it is harvested from wild algae. If algae from the genus Microcystis are included, liver damage may result. Symptoms of liver damage, which may be apparent between one-half hour and 24 hours after ingesting Microcystis, include:

• Excessive fatigue
• Extreme widespread itchiness
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Pain or swelling in the upper right part of the abdomen
• Yellowing of the skin or the white parts of the eyes

What interactions should I watch for?

No interactions are known to occur between spirulina and prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, other herbal products, or foods. However, because few reliable studies of spirulina have been conducted in humans, its possible interactions may not be understood completely.

Some interactions between herbal products and medications can be more severe than others. The best way for you to avoid harmful interactions is to tell your doctor and/or pharmacist what medications you are currently taking, including any over-the-counter products, vitamins, and herbals. For specific information on how spirulina interacts with drugs, other herbals, and foods and the severity of those interactions, please use our Drug Interactions Checker to check for possible interactions.

Should I take it?

Spirulina species include a few of the hundreds of species collectively known as blue-green algae. Algae are tiny organisms that usually grow in water. Because so many different kinds of algae exist, they are grouped by their general color – blue-green, green, yellow-green, red, and brown. Algae do not have leaves, stems, or roots like plants, but most of them contain chlorophyll, the pigment needed by plants to turn sunlight into food energy. Like plants, they also remove carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen. Like animals, however, algae make proteins and sugars. They multiply rapidly, sometimes making them a nuisance on ponds where they are not wanted. Unlike other algae which may be flat or round, spirulina are shaped like springs or corkscrews.

Wild algae provide food for fish, birds, and water animals. Humans have also collected them for both animal and human food at various times and in various parts of the world. Records left by the Spanish explorers of South America, for example, show that Aztec people were harvesting what appears to be some type of blue-green algae from lakes as early as the 16th century. Spirulina’s popularity as a food source has been inconsistent, though, with most use in cultures that have few field crops. During the 1970s, researchers rediscovered spirulina as a plentiful and economical source of minerals, proteins, and vitamins. It also contains a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid known as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Fatty acids such as GLA are known as essential fatty acids because the body needs them to regulate activities that include heart function, insulin utilization, and mood balance. The body cannot produce essential fatty acids, so they must be taken in the diet or as supplements.

Now, commercial cultivation of spirulina and other types of algae is well-established in several parts of the world. Farmers in warm weather areas of Africa, Japan, North America, and South America cultivate several types of algae, including spirulina, in artificial ponds that have controlled nutrient supplies. In cool countries such as Belgium, Britain, and the Netherlands, algae are grown in large, flooded greenhouses warmed by waste heat produced by power generation. Insects do not usually attack algae, so pesticides are not needed and most algae can be grown organically – even outside. Harvested essentially all year, spirulina is collected and cleaned. It is then blended into a thick bluish green liquid, which is fast-dried into a powder. Spirulina powder may then be made into capsules or tablets, or it may be left as a powder to be added to foods.

In a closed environment such as a space station, spirulina and other types of algae may serve as both a food source and an air purification system. Because they are rich sources of nutrients, algae are used extensively for poultry and animal feed in some countries and they have also been used to fertilize crops. Some evidence from recent studies shows that they can be used to remove lead and other contaminants from polluted water. Commercially pure spirulina and other algae provide coloring agents that are used in manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. As an antioxidant, spirulina may be added to cosmetics for potential anti-aging effects or to foods and chemicals as a preservative.

Dosage and Administration

Typically, supplemental spirulina is available in oral dosage forms – most commonly tablets. Powdered spirulina is also available. One tablespoon of spirulina powder is about 7,000 mg (7 grams) and directions for taking it usually indicate that it can be mixed into liquids or soft foods. Doses used in the few human studies that have been conducted varied from about 1,000 mg (one gram) per day to more than 5,000 mg (5 grams) per day. If spirulina is taken, the directions on the package that is bought should be followed for the condition being treated.

Summary

A source of protein for human or animal diets, spirulina also contains antioxidants and chemicals that may increase immune function. Therefore, spirulina may be useful for preventing and treating allergies and cancer. It may have antiviral effects and it may help to lower the amounts of sugar and cholesterol in the blood.

Risks

Phenylketonuria may be worsened by taking spirulina. Its possible contamination with other types of blue-green algae has resulted in liver damage.

Side Effects

Although no side effects have been identified for spirulina, other types of blue-green algae may cause liver damage.

Interactions

Spirulina is not known to interfere with drugs, other dietary supplements, herbals, or foods.

Last Revised September 21, 2006

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Last Revised September 21, 2006

Note: The above information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not meant to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.

In general, herbal products are not subject to review or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not required to be standardized, meaning that the amounts of active ingredients or contaminants they contain may vary between brands or between different batches of the same brand. Not all of the risks, side effects, or interactions associated with the use of herbal products are known because few reliable studies of their use in humans have been done.

This information is provided for your education only. Please share this information with your healthcare provider and be sure that you talk to your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take before you begin to use any herbal product.

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