Spirulina Benefits and Side Effects

According to WHO, malnutrition isn’t just the deficiency of certain nutrients, but it also refers to an excess or an imbalance in them. It remains one of the biggest cause of mortality in the world, especially among children under five years of age. Poverty has a major role in the prevalence of undernourishment in developing countries. Being a host to several nutrients, spirulina is produced on large scale to be used as a nutritional supplement. In fact, it has been suggested that the protein content of spirulina is comparable to that of eggs.

A study was conducted on undernourished children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa to assess the nutritional effect of Spirulina. In this pilot study, a significant and quick improvement was seen in the nutritional status of these children when they were administered a dose of 10g per day of Spirulina.

In another study, 550 undernourished children were given a combination of spirulina and millets for a period of 8 weeks. The study concluded that this combination is much more effective in improving nutritional status than spirulina proteins alone.

The main reason underlying exercise-induced muscle fatigue is the development of oxidative stress. A healthy and balanced diet is usually recommended to maintain performance and health. However, there are particular plant foods that have antioxidant properties and can help athletic and physically active people to minimize this damage.

The phycocyanin pigment present in spirulina is shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which reduce muscle soreness.

In another research, spirulina was found to increase endurance along with reducing skeletal muscle damage.

Some studies also claim that spirulina inhibits exercise-induced lipid peroxidation along with increasing exercise performance.

Anaemia is one of the most common mineral deficiency in the world. Not only does it cause weakness and malaise but anaemia in pregnant women may lead to premature births and birth defects. The most common type of anaemia is caused by iron deficiency and is said to reduce haemoglobin or red blood cells. Studies indicate that spirulina supplements improve haemoglobin levels in young anaemic females. Being rich in several nutrients, spirulina is an excellent addition to the pregnancy diet. It not only reduces anaemia but also it provides essential nutrients to pregnant women.

Apart from young and pregnant women, anaemia is also known to be found in elderly people leading to protracted symptoms of depression and fatigue. In a clinical study, 40 elderly persons with a history of anaemia were asked to consume spirulina supplements for 12 weeks. A significant increase in haemoglobin consistency was observed in all the subjects. The immunity function had also improved.

Chronic hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar level) is often difficult to handle. Diabetic people rely on a combination of drugs and healthy lifestyle habits to keep blood glucose under control. However, some foods can also aid in this. Several studies have been on the hypoglycemic (reduces blood sugar) properties of spirulina. Preclinical studies indicate that spirulina has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant which increases insulin sensitivity thereby improving glucose metabolism

There is also proof that Spirulina can work well with humans. In a study done on 25 people with type 2 diabetes, 2 grams of spirulina led to a considerable improvement in the blood sugar levels of the patients.

In a recent study on type 1 diabetes, spirulina consumption was found to reduce inflammation and improve the function of pancreatic beta cells. These cells are responsible for insulin secretion.

Interestingly, spirulina not just improves diabetes, but it also helps reduce the risk of certain diabetic complications. According to animal-based studies, regular consumption of spirulina improves haematological parameters like white blood cells and haemoglobin while also balancing cholesterol levels in diabetics.

Clinical studies also report similar effects, concluding on the fact that spirulina has a strong potential in diabetes management and anti-diabetes therapies.

Allergic rhinitis is a term used to denote inflammation and swelling of the nasal cavity due to exposure to an allergen. pollens, dust and, animal hair are some of the common allergens. Spirulina is considered an excellent anti-inflammatory agent and is specially studied for its use in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. In one particular research including 127 individuals with allergic rhinitis, a daily dose of 2 grams reduced reactions like nasal discharge, sneezing, nasal congestion, itching and skin reactions.

In another study, spirulina consumption was found to increase Ig A antibodies, which is known to possess potent anti-inflammatory properties. It has further been suggested that spirulina supplements, at a dosage of 2000 mg per day, significantly inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines thereby reducing inflammation.

There is a particular set of studies that claim that Spirulina has anti-cancer properties. Animal studies indicate that spirulina can inhibit cell cycle in cancer cells thereby preventing its growth and spread. It has also been found to selectively kill tumour cells.

In vivo (animal-based) studies also suggest the antiproliferative effects of spirulina in pancreatic cancer.

Phycocyanobilin and chlorophyllin have been reported to be the active anticancer agents present in this microalgae.

(Read more: Cancer treatment)

Oxidative stress refers to an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and natural antioxidants. Accumulation of free radicals can have a negative impact on the body tissues. It has also been linked to DNA damage. All of these, in turn, increase the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and arthritis.

Studies indicate that spirulina is a wonderful resource of natural antioxidants, which can shield our body against oxidative harm. Polyphenols, phycocyanins are the primary antioxidant compounds present in spirulina.  

Interestingly, phycocyanin is the pigment which gives spirulina its extraordinary blue-green colour. It can fight against radicals and inhibits the production of inflammatory signal molecules, leading to substantial antioxidant and anti-swelling effects.

(Read more: Antioxidant rich foods)

Heart diseases are one of the biggest cause of hospitalization and death in the world. Some of the common risk factors of heart diseases include high cholesterol, high blood pressure and inflammation. It turns out that spirulina has shown many considerable effects on these risk factors. It can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL, which is good cholesterol.

In a study including individuals with high cholesterol, 1 gram of Spirulina daily had shown a decrease in triglycerides by 16.3% and LDL by 10.1%.

Another research reportes\ favourable results with intake of Spirulina; up to about 4.5 grams per day, for a period of 6 weeks. Additionally, spirulina has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that have been found to be highly beneficial in preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Atherosclerosis is a condition characterized by narrowing of arteries due to the deposition of fats on the inside of arterial walls. This is mainly caused due to an excess of LDL (bad) cholesterol and problems like diabetes and high blood pressure. However, lipid peroxidation is the chief driver of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.

As a hypolipidemic, spirulina makes sure that your body doesn’t accumulate excess LDL cholesterol and as an antioxidant it scavenges free radicals, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

Arsenic poisoning is a global concern and millions are getting affected by this problem due to contaminated drinking water.. Symptoms of acute arsenic poisoning include nausea, diarrhoea and abdominal pain while in chronic conditions it can harm multiple body systems. Additionally, it is a well-documented carcinogen.

No particular treatment is available currently for arsenic poisoning.

In a clinical study done in Bangladesh, 41 people suffering from chronic arsenic poisoning were given 250 mg of spirulina along with 2 mg Zinc two times a day, for a period of 16 weeks. At the end of 16 weeks, marked reduction in melanosis (skin hyperpigmentation) and keratosis (skin keratinisation) was noticed in all the test subjects. These are two of the most common diagnostic features of arsenicosis. The study concluded that spirulina and zinc may have a therapeutic potential in the treatment of arsenic poisoning.