What is the health benefits of blue spirulina? It is a type of algae that grows in fresh or salt water. It is available in supplement and powder form. The nutrient benefits of spirulina are the following:
What is the health benefits of blue spirulina? iStock-photo credit: Teodor Costachioiu
- Protein- 4 grams
- Thiamin- 14% of the Daily Value
- Riboflavin- 20% of the Daily Value
- Niacin- 6% of the Daily Value
- Copper-47% of the Daily Value
- Iron- 11% of the Daily Value
There is also high-quality protein in Spirulina which provides all the essential amino acids that your body needs to function.
And it contains lesser amounts of magnesium, potassium, and manganese. One of the main components of Spirulina is phycocyanin. It has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that gives it its blue color.
Research studies show that Spirulina can help lower bad cholesterol levels and triglycerides while helping to improve HDL, good cholesterol levels. Another review study showed that spirulina can improve health markers in people that have metabolic syndrome and any related disorders.
Some research studies show in animals that spirulina can help reduce cancer occurrence and shrink the size of tumors. There are research studies that also suggest that taking 1.8 grams of spirulina can reduce your blood pressure levels.
A study shows that spirulina supplementation was able to improve oxygen uptake in arm cycling exercise. Studies have also shown that spirulina improves muscle strength and endurance.
There are animal research studies that show that spirulina can lower blood sugar levels. One study showed in humans that spirulina supplementation can significantly reduce fasting blood sugar glucose levels in people that had Type 2 diabetes.
More human research is still needed on these potential benefits.
The Bottom Line is the health benefits of spirulina is it can help reduce cholesterol levels, lower blood sugar levels in people that have Type 2 diabetes.
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References
- Hatami E, Ghalishourani SS, Najafgholizadeh A, Pourmasoumi M, Hadi A, Clark CCT, Assaroudi M, Salehi-Sahlabadi A, Joukar F, Mansour-Ghanaei F. The effect of spirulina on type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2021 Mar 2;20(1):883-892. doi: 10.1007/s40200-021-00760-z. PMID: 34178867; PMCID: PMC8212345.
- Hannan JMA, Ansari P, Azam S, Flatt PR, Abdel Wahab YHA. Effects of Spirulina platensis on insulin secretion, dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity and both carbohydrate digestion and absorption indicate potential as an adjunctive therapy for diabetes. Br J Nutr. 2020 Nov 28;124(10):1021-1034. doi: 10.1017/S0007114520002111. Epub 2020 Jun 10. PMID: 32517842; PMCID: PMC7547908.
- Gurney T, Spendiff O. Spirulina supplementation improves oxygen uptake in arm cycling exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2020 Dec;120(12):2657-2664. doi: 10.1007/s00421-020-04487-2. Epub 2020 Sep 5. PMID: 32892320; PMCID: PMC7674321.
- Machowiec P, Ręka G, Maksymowicz M, Piecewicz-Szczęsna H, Smoleń A. Effect of Spirulina Supplementation on Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2021 Aug 31;13(9):3054. doi: 10.3390/nu13093054. PMID: 34578932; PMCID: PMC8468496.
- Fais G, Manca A, Bolognesi F, Borselli M, Concas A, Busutti M, Broggi G, Sanna P, Castillo-Aleman YM, Rivero-Jiménez RA, Bencomo-Hernandez AA, Ventura-Carmenate Y, Altea M, Pantaleo A, Gabrielli G, Biglioli F, Cao G, Giannaccare G. Wide Range Applications of Spirulina: From Earth to Space Missions. Mar Drugs. 2022 Apr 28;20(5):299. doi: 10.3390/md20050299. PMID: 35621951; PMCID: PMC9143897.
- Serban MC, Sahebkar A, Dragan S, Stoichescu-Hogea G, Ursoniu S, Andrica F, Banach M. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of Spirulina supplementation on plasma lipid concentrations. Clin Nutr. 2016 Aug;35(4):842-51. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2015.09.007. Epub 2015 Sep 25. PMID: 26433766.
- USDA- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170495/nutrients
- LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-. Spirulina. [Updated 2019 Apr 10]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548312/
