Often referred to as a ‘miracle algae’, spirulina is a superfood highly recommended by the WHO. But what exactly is it? What benefits does it offer and how much do you need?
It was during the conquest of Central America that Europeans discovered spirulina. It was then consumed by the Aztecs, who grew it in Lake Texcoco, close to Mexico, to produce a highly-nutritious mash (1).
Westerners later discovered that a similar kind of algae was grown in Africa, particularly in Chad and the Sahara region, where the locals used it to make pancakes, which, for example, were given to expectant mothers in times of food scarcity to enable their pregnancies to progress well (2).
Spirulina has thus been consumed for thousands of years as a basic food in times of shortage in many parts of the world.
It is considered to be a type of micro-algae or more specifically, a mix of cyanobacteria, in particular Arthrospira platensis, which is easy to cultivate and control.
Today, spirulina’s many nutritional benefits, the most important of which is its very high protein content, have led to the creation of food programs aimed at producing large quantities of spirulina in areas affected by malnutrition, particularly Africa (3-5).
In addition, it is now widely grown for the manufacture of dietary supplements, in the form of powder, flakes or tablets, in China (the world’s largest producer), in the United States, in Africa and even in France by small specialist producers.
The reason so many programs aimed at combatting malnutrition use spirulina to help affected populations is that it contains:
However, in order to obtain these nutritional benefits, you need to consume large amounts of spirulina - several hundred grams a day to meet adult daily requirements and provide the necessary nutrients.
Thus in developed countries, it is not consumed for the protein, iron, beta-carotene or essential fatty acids it provides, since a ‘normal’ modern diet, even a vegan or vegetarian one, is far richer in these than is spirulina.
Instead, with interest in spirulina having grown steadily in the West since the 1970s, scientists have been focusing on its health benefits and have discovered that this cyanobacteria:
Note: spirulina is often mentioned as a plant source of vitamin B12, and thus a good choice for vegans who do not eat any animal products. However, most recent studies have shown that the vitamin B12 in spirulina may not be bioavailable to humans (13).
The majority of studies conducted on supplementation with spirulina have tested doses ranging from 1g to 6g a day. A daily dose of around 4g (that’s 8 tablets containing around 500mg each) would therefore seem to be a good compromise in order to benefit from spirulina’s revitalising and immunostimulant effects (14).
The time the supplement is taken does not seem to affect its efficacy. You can therefore either take your 4g in one go, or spread across the day with several meals.
In 2017, following several reports of adverse side-effects linked to taking spirulina, an investigation was conducted by an organisation dealing with health and safety called Anses which identified a number of risks associated with taking this blue-green algae. Indeed, like all forms of algae, spirulina grown in poor conditions can become contaminated by heavy metals, cyanotoxins and bacteria.
In addition to noting the risks of allergy which are difficult to assess prior to a first dose of a spirulina-based supplement, Anses primarily recommends that consumers choose a spirulina supplement produced via safe, regulated channels (15). This is precisely the case with Spirulina tablets, which are made by the top spirulina producer ‘Parry Organic Spirulina’, using strictly-controlled aquaculture.
References
Keywords
1 Days
I always receive my products on time.
Kelly
6 Days
Fast service and good products
PERCY
10 Days
fairly quick service. Decent prices
Vyril A
11 Days
Product always arrives timely and in good shape. Company is easy to work with. Website is user-friendly.
Diane
12 Days
The h pylori supplement has helped my digestive issues. I was diagnosed with h pylori more than once. Also was hospitalized with h pylori several times. Even after taking prescription meds for this condition I still had ongoing digestive issues. So I decided to give this product a try. It has helped with the bloating and inflammation in my stomach and chest. So I gave it a 4 star rating. It helps to calm the pain in my stomach and also acid reflux pains. It is a good product and I would recommend.
Sandra
15 Days
Have purchased from this company many times. A package arrived damaged and with an 1 email to customer service it was fixed. Thank you for great products and great customer service
jd
18 Days
Above and beyond customer service! Bravo. Love SuperSmart.
Isabella Jimenez
22 Days
Still great! I have given my opinion on this several times and it remains the same.
WRIGHT Connie
26 Days
I have been very happy with all my supplements from supersmart
kirstin Torres
26 Days
Quality supplements
Edward P
33 Days
Good products at a good price.
HELLAND Edward
35 Days
Any will be taken care of by SuperSmart staff.
DOMINIC
38 Days
Quality 3rd party tested products without fillers
Edward P
39 Days
great products and prices..
Marie
47 Days
product delivered on time and in good shape
Jack