What are the side effects of spirulina?
30/11/2012 · What Are the Dangers of Spirulina? Heavy Metal Toxicity. Many commercially-available brands of spirulina have low levels of heavy metals that do not fall... Cytotoxin Contamination. Commercial brands that use proper quality control methods produce safe spirulina products. Not for Pregnant and ...
Are spirulina and Chlorella bad for You?
In addition to liver damage, contaminated spirulina can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, rapid heartbeat, shock and death. Spirulina is widely marketed as a “superfood” and protein source, available commercially in capsules, tablets, and powder, as well as in some foods (energy bars) and smoothies.
Who should not take spirulina?
23/01/2020 · Spirulina may be tainted with microbes, radioactive metal ions and heavy metals — including mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic. Harvard Health Publishing adds that spirulina, like other dietary supplements , is not regulated by the FDA.
Does Spirulina contain heavy metals?
Spirulina harvested in the wild may be contaminated with heavy metals and bacteria. In high amounts, some of these toxins may stress or damage your liver. Pregnancy Concerns
Is it safe to take spirulina everyday?
A standard daily dose of spirulina is 1–3 grams, but doses of up to 10 grams per day have been used effectively. you need.
What is the side effect of spirulina?
What are the side effects of taking spirulina? Spirulina rarely causes side effects, but the potential side effects include headaches, muscle pain, sweating, and insomnia. Some people can be allergic to spirulina and may experience an allergic reaction.15-Dec-2021
Is spirulina safe long term?
Prolonged consumption of spirulina that comes from such undependable sources results in damage to your vital organs, such as the kidneys and liver. Compared to adults, children are at a higher risk of developing fatal complications due to heavy metal poisoning from contaminated spirulina.17-Feb-2022
Can spirulina harm your liver?
Spirulina has been implicated in isolated case reports in causing clinically apparent liver injury, but the role of spirulina as opposed to other herbal components or contaminants has not been shown. Liver injury due to spirulina must be very rare if it occurs at all.10-Apr-2019
Does spirulina make you poop?
And while it's difficult to consume sufficient dietary forms of magnesium to achieve a laxative effect, increasing your intake will certainly help. The best sources of magnesium include dark leafy green veggies like spinach and micro-algae superfoods like chlorella and spirulina.27-Jul-2017
Does spirulina thicken hair?
Promotes Hair Growth: External use of Spirulina can speed up hair growth. Besides consumption, this algae is used as an ingredient in shampoos and conditioning treatments. It also helps in hair re-growth.14-Feb-2017
Is spirulina worth taking?
Spirulina is rich in a range of vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, like vitamins E, C, and B6. Research finds that spirulina also boosts the production of white blood cells and antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria in your body.06-Oct-2020
How do you know if spirulina is safe?
In order to ensure that you are getting a quality product, the label must include terms such as “spirulina”, “spirulina platensis”, or “Arthrospira platensis”. When purchasing tablets, the spirulina content should be at least 98% and they must not contain any preservatives or artificial colorings.
Can you take too much spirulina?
Many sources say you can't overdose on spirulina as it's a natural food source, but when taken in excess (as with any foodstuff), it could cause problems. In this case, it could lead to a vitamin A overdose.04-Sept-2015
Can you take vitamin C with spirulina?
Tests revealed that when combined with vitamin C, spirulina also prevented elevated levels of liver enzymes, a signal of cell death. The levels of two liver damage enzymes, ALT and AST, were reduced in mice that had been given spirulina and vitamin C.29-Nov-2011
Is spirulina good for seniors?
Older women appeared to benefit more rapidly from Spirulina supplements. Similarly, the majority of subjects manifested increased IDO activity and white blood cell count at 6 and 12 weeks of Spirulina supplementation. Spirulina may ameliorate anemia and immunosenescence in older subjects.
Is it best to take spirulina on an empty stomach?
You can take spirulina whenever you like- with, before, or between meals; before or after working out; or whenever your energy is low. Because high –protein foods have been found to increase alertness - and spirulina is one of the richest whole food sources of protein.22-Jun-2018
Is spirulina a toxins?
Presence of toxins and salmonella in spirulina! Toxins, such as microcystins and salmonella are dangerous to the liver, and have sometimes been found in some spirulina samples from Asia imported into Europe. Be vigilant and favour serious producers and close productions.
Does spirulina contain iodine?
Thyroid and iodine. People with thyroid problems regularly wonder if spirulina contains iodine: this is not the case, spirulina does not contain iodine. Only seaweed contains it, but spirulina is not an algae and is not grown with seawater, except in some rare cultures.
Is spirulina good for pregnant women?
Spirulina is an excellent food supplement that pregnant women can consume if the quality of it is impeccable. For all foods that expectant mothers consume on a daily basis, it is important to be even more vigilant about the quality and origin of the products!
Is spirulina a microalgae?
Spirulina is commonly referred as blue-green algae and is considered a microalgae because it grows in water. In fact, it’s a cyanobacteria! This appellation is obviously of little importance, only its health properties are really important.
Does spirulina cure cancer?
Lie #4 : Spirulina cures cancer. If spirulina cured cancer, it would be wonderful and it would surely have been known for a very long time! Spirulina alone obviously cannot cure cancer. However, it has proven anti-tumor properties, such as chlorella.
Is spirulina a good source of cobalamin?
Even if spirulina is a super food full of valuable nutrients for your health, on average only 20% of the cobalamin contained in spirulina is bio-available. The remaining 80% represents what researchers call “pseudo-vitamin B12”.
Does pseudo vitamin B12 monopolize physiological sites?
This pseudo vitamin will mobilize physiological targets but it will not be “usable” by our body. Moreover, the pseudo vitamin B12 which will monopolize the physiological sites will compete with the real vitamin B12 present, to the detriment of the latter which is essential to us.
Why does the body produce ammonia?
Our body produces a significant amount of ammonia as it metabolizes the protein in spirulina, which gets converted into urea. This puts excessive pressure on the kidneys to flush out such a large amount of urea from the blood, ultimately resulting in decreased efficiency of the kidneys and even renal failure.
What is the name of the disorder that causes the patient to not metabolize phenylalanine?
1. Worsens Phenylketonuria. Phenylketonuria is a genetically acquired disorder in which the patient cannot metabolize the amino acid called phenylalanine due to the lack of an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase.
Is spirulina a single cell supplement?
If so, you’d be shocked to learn about the other side of one such popular single cell supplement – spirulina. Scroll down to find out how spirulina, the superfood, is harmful to you, how it introduces toxins in a healthy body, and more fatal side effects.
What is an autoimmune disease?
Shutterstock. An autoimmune disease develops when the immune system attacks the healthy tissues in your body, causing organ damage and inflammation. Arthritis, asthma, periodontitis, vitiligo, type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and pernicious anemia are a few examples of autoimmune diseases.
Is spirulina a microalgae?
Spirulina is free-floating filamentous microalgae growing in alkaline water bodies. Due to its high nutritional value, spirulina has been consumed as food for centuries in Central Africa. It is now widely used as a nutraceutical food supplement worldwide. People consume spirulina orally in the form of powder, flakes, ...
What happens when you have too much iodine in your blood?
The build-up of excessive nutrients, along with iodine, in the blood leads to fluid retention (edema) in your limbs, imbalance in calcium, phosphate, and iodine absorption, and sudden weight gain or loss, lethargy, and cardiovascular diseases. 7. Digestive Discomfort And Nausea. Shutterstock.
Can you take spirulina powder in a smoothie?
People consume spirulina orally in the form of powder, flakes, or tablets for several health benefits. Spirulina powder and flakes are usually added to fruit juices and smoothies. It can have an adverse impact on your health if you do not take it in controlled doses. Read on to find out how.
What are the side effects of spirulina?
Even though Spirulina is beneficial for a lot of people, as with everything else, it too has a few side effects. Contaminated or low-quality Spirulina can lead to a variety of side effects, including: 1 Nausea. 2 Stomach cramps. 3 Thirst. 4 Shock. 5 Weakness. 6 Kidney stones. 7 Insomnia. 8 Liver damage. 9 Rapid heartbeat. 10 Headaches. 11 Allergic reactions. 12 Muscle Pain. 13 Sweating.
What is spirulina algae?
What Is Spirulina? Spirulina is a biomass of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) that can be consumed by both humans and animals. There are two species of Spirulina, namely Arthrospira platensis and A. maxima. Arthospira is cultivated worldwide and used as a whole food or dietary supplement.
How many grams of protein are in a spoonful of spirulina?
A spoonful of Spirulina contains approximately 4 to 5 grams of Proteins. Iron in spirulina: Spirulina is a favorite among vegans and vegetarians because it provides high amounts of iron. And unlike the iron derived from meat, it is easier to digest the iron that comes from Spirulina.
Is spirulina good for you?
Benefits of Spirulina: Spirulina is a highly beneficial supplement and can be consumed for a variety of reasons, some of which are listed below. 1. High Nutritional Values. Spirulina has a high concentration of vitamins and proteins.
What is the purpose of B1?
Vitamin B1 is essential for the digestion of fats and proteins. It is also taken for improvement in eye health, increased energy, brain health and for improving nerve functioning. A spoonful of Spirulina contains 11% of the RDA of Vitamin B1. Spirulina is also a good source of:
Is spirulina a complete protein?
Spirulina is considered to be a complete source of Protein, i.e. it contains all the proteins that our body needs but is unable to produce by itself. The protein in Spirulina has a net protein utilization rate of 50% to 60%. A spoonful of Spirulina contains approximately 4 to 5 grams of Proteins. Iron in spirulina:
Is spirulina a good antioxidant?
Powerful Antioxidant Qualities: Spirulina is a fantastic source of antioxidants. It can protect you against oxidative damage. Oxidative damage can harm your DNA and even lead to Cancer. The main active component in Spirulina, Phycocyanin, has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
What are the contraindications for spirulina?
The specificity of spirulina lies in the richness of its composition, which one finds in abundance, for example, iron, vitamins, trace elements, or even phenylalanine or phycocyanin.
People who need to be careful
As a precautionary principle, some people are often advised not to consume spirulina, at least without the advice of a doctor. We are not talking here of absolute contraindication, but caution. It is :
What are the side effects of consuming spirulina?
It is very rare to have side effects if you consume spirulina correctly, that is to say: respect the dosages and start a cure gradually, that is to say, start with low consumption and l ‘gradually increase each week.
The dangers of poor quality spirulina
There is as many spirulina as there are people who “cultivate” it, a spirulina from China and spirulina from France will not be equivalent.
How to avoid the inconvenience (dosage)?
Beyond the firm contraindications, it is possible to avoid the appearance of undesirable effects by starting to take spirulina in small doses. Start with 1 g per day for the first week, then increase the dose by 0.5 g every 5 days until the cure dose is reached, to give the body time to get used to the effects.
Is spirulina good for you?
Good Nutrition. By Janet Renee Updated December 06, 2018. With a full spectrum of essential nutrients , spirulina is considered a nutritional powerhouse. As such, it has experienced a recent surge in popularity among the health-conscious. However, it’s not without dangers.
What is independent lab certification?
Many reputable commercial brands display independent lab certification on their labels confirming that their product is free of contamination. These labels contain unique numbers that you can verify with the independent lab confirming that the brand has passed independent testing.
Is spirulina a heavy metal?
Many commercially-available brands of spirulina have low levels of heavy metals that do not fall within an unsafe range, according to a study published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences in 2013. However, some brands are found to contain toxic levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic. These metals in levels that exceed safe amounts are highly toxic to the body. For instance, lead exposure through contaminated water has toxic effects on various body systems, including the nervous system and liver.
Is lead a heavy metal?
However, some brands are found to contain toxic levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic. These metals in levels that exceed safe amounts are highly toxic to the body. For instance, lead exposure through contaminated water has toxic effects on various body systems, including the nervous system and liver.
Is spirulina a cytotoxic?
Cytotoxin Contamination. Commercial brands that use proper quality control methods produce safe spirulina products. Because spirulina is harvested in natural waters, failure to adhere to quality control methods allows for contamination with toxins known as microcystins.
Can pregnant women take spirulina?
Not for Pregnant and Nursing Women. Because nutritional demand is increased during pregnancy, it’s necessary to take prenatal supplements under the supervision of your doctor. However, supplementing during pregnancy with additional nutrients like spirulina is not proven safe.
Can spirulina cause seizures?
The megadoses of certain vitamins in spirulina may harm your unborn child. There is a case report of spirulina supplements taken during pregnancy causing excessively high calcium levels that led to seizures in an infant after birth, according to the report published in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
What is the neurotoxin in cycad seeds?
Researchers identified the responsible neurotoxin – BMAA (β-methylamino-L-alanine) – in the cycad seeds the Chamorros use to make flour for a kind of tortilla. BMAA is produced by blue-green algae, including those species that live in the roots of cycad plants on Guam, making their seeds toxic.
Where can BMAA be found?
Research has also shown that BMAA can accumulate in fish and shellfish in South Florida and other areas where algae blooms occur, raising the possibility that it can enter the human food chain in many places with potentially serious health consequences.
Is spirulina safe to take?
No. To my mind, spirulina and other blue-green algae supplements are unsafe. For years, I have been warning against consuming them. My main concern is the neurotoxins that spirulina and related organisms may contain. The possible connection between one compound and a fatal nervous system disorder ...
Where do microcystins accumulate?
Microcystins accumulate in the liver, where they can cause irreversible damage, especially in children who have been exposed to high levels. A 2011 German study that analyzed 13 commercially distributed algae products found harmful toxins in all of them.
Is aging a risk factor for Alzheimer's?
Aging is the major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease worldwide. The causes of ALS and Parkinson’s disease are unknown, but it is possible that environmental toxicity is a factor, including, in some cases, BMAA exposure.
Can spirulina cause heart failure?
In addition to liver damage, contaminated spirulina can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, rapid heartbeat, shock and death.
Is spirulina a superfood?
Spirulina is widely marketed as a “superfood” and protein source, available commercially in capsules, tablets, and powder, as well as in some foods (energy bars) and smoothies. It is promoted as a preventive or treatment for a wide range of health problems: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, and more.
What are the side effects of chlorella?
Chlorella and spirulina side effects may be attributable to their high content of certain compounds, including protein, chlorophyll, phosphorous, iron and manganese, says the Journal of Applied Phycology. When consumed in excess, these compounds can present health concerns: 1 High intake of protein, chlorophyll and iron may cause gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea, nausea or cramps. 2 Excess phosphorus can adversely affect the kidneys. 3 In high concentrations, manganese may contribute to neurotoxicity.
What is chlorella and spirulina?
In the quest for supplements to boost your health, you may encounter chlorella and spirulina, two types of blue-green algae. You may also encounter a number of claims about these supplements' health benefits, from spirulina for heavy metal detox to chlorella for chronic conditions like hypertension. Video of the Day.
Who is Karen Spaeder?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Karen Spaeder. Karen Spaeder is a versatile writer and editor with experience in print and online publications, SEO articles, social media, marketing communications and copywriting.
Is chlorella a good medicine?
At best, chlorella and spirulina may offer certain health benefits, though those benefits are generally not scientifically proven, according to Harvard Health Publishing. At worst, there can be adverse results of taking chlorella and spirulina.
What is the microalgae that contains gamma linolenic acid?
Spirulina, another microalgae, contains protein, gamma-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, iron, vitamin B12 and other nutrients, says the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). Spirulina and other microalgae may be used as a source of protein and certain vitamins. However, Winchester Hospital notes that spirulina, while nutritious, ...
Is spirulina regulated by the FDA?
Harvard Health Publishing adds that spirulina, like other dietary supplements, is not regulated by the FDA. Therefore, there's no guarantee that any supplement you buy will be free of contaminants or contain the amount of spirulina indicated on the label. Advertisement.
What are some good sources of protein?
There are more inexpensive sources of protein you can eat, such as legumes, nuts, grains and animal meat. For iron, options include dark greens, prunes and meat. For carotenes and vitamins, you can eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Advertisement.
What is the oldest organism on Earth?
Spirulina is a blue-green algae, and is believed to be one of the oldest life forms on Earth. First used by the Aztecs as an endurance-booster, spirulina is considered a superfood — an all-in-one source of nutrients including protein levels comparable to eggs. The Aztecs also used spirulina to treat various diseases, ...
Is spirulina a plant based protein?
Spirulina is a potent source of nutrients. It contains a powerful plant-based protein called phycocyanin. Research shows this may have antioxidant, pain-relief, anti-inflammatory, and brain-protective properties. This antioxidant and other nutrients in spirulina are linked with several health benefits:
What did the Aztecs use to treat diseases?
The Aztecs also used spirulina to treat various diseases, and legends say that the kingdom’s messengers used the algae to sustain their marathon runs. Modern research supports many of the alleged benefits of taking spirulina, and continues to study its potential for treating health concerns.
Does spirulina cause cancer?
Chronic inflammation contributes to cancer and other diseases. Phycocyanin — the a plant pigment that gives spirulina its blue-green color — has been found to not only reduce inflammation in the body, but also block tumor growth and kill cancer cells.
What is the taste of spirulina?
Spirulina has a bitter taste, so people often mix it with yogurts, juices, and smoothies to improve its flavor. Spirulina is commonly available as a supplement at health food stores.
Does spirulina help with cholesterol?
Heart Health. Research has found that the protein in spirulina can reduce the body’s absorption of cholesterol, lowering cholesterol levels. This helps keep your arteries clear, reducing strain on your heart that can lead to heart disease and stroke -causing blo od clots . Its protein also reduces triglyceride levels.
What is spirulina good for?
Spirulina is rich in a range of vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining a healthy immune system , like vitamins E, C, and B6. Research finds that spirulina also boosts the production of white blood cells and antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria in your body.