spirulina side effects and thyroid

What are the side effects of spirulina?

22/08/2021 · Spirulina has no direct effect on the thyroid, and to date, no study has yet demonstrated the action of spirulina on the secretion of thyroid hormones. This may seem like a disadvantage, but on the contrary, spirulina does not interact with drug treatments related to thyroid disorders, while participating, indirectly, in relieving thyroid-related ailments.

What is the connection between spirulina and thyroid?

01/06/2021 · These are some of the most common side effects, if spirulina does not suit us well: Thirst and constipation Fever Dizziness Stomach ache Itchy or rash on the skin Headaches Iodine can affect people with hyper or hypothyroidism.

Who should not take spirulina?

Even though it has not yet been clinically proven to help fight hypothyroidism, the range of nutrients in spirulina make it a beneficial addition to a thyroid health-supporting diet. The potent antioxidant properties of spirulina may help prevent certain thyroid gland diseases by protecting the thyroid from the harmful effects of free radicals.

Can you take spirulina while on blood thinners?

08/03/2020 · Some of the minor side effects of spirulina may include nausea, insomnia, and headaches. Still, this supplement is widely considered safe, and most people experience no side effects (2). Summary Spirulina may be contaminated with harmful compounds, thin your blood, and worsen autoimmune conditions.

Is spirulina good for the thyroid?

- Hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's or Graves' disease: Spirulina contains thyroid-supporting minerals like iodine, and the amino acid tyrosine, which together make up one form of thyroid hormone.23-Jun-2009

Is spirulina good for thyroid nodule?

In summary, the combination of spirulina-curcumin-Boswellia is effective in reducing the size of benign thyroid nodules and can be safely administered in the doses used in the presented clinical study.01-Jul-2019

Is spirulina high in iodine?

Spirulina contains iodine, a trace element that is naturally present in certain foods, especially foods that come from the ocean. Iodine plays an essential role in thyroid function, as well as the health of your skeleton and central nervous system.

Who shouldnt take spirulina?

May slow blood clotting While some studies suggest that spirulina does not affect blood clotting time, little is known about its effects on people who are already taking blood thinners ( 18 , 19 ). Thus, you should avoid spirulina if you have a bleeding disorder or are on blood thinners.

Does spirulina interfere with thyroid medication?

No interactions were found between levothyroxine and spirulina. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

What is the best tea for thyroid?

Chamomile, sage, and mountain tea have all been associated with a decrease in benign and malignant thyroid disease, and this effect appears to be the strongest for chamomile tea. ... Ashwagandha, also referred to as Withania somnifera and Indian ginseng, is derived from a nightshade plant.More items...•25-Aug-2021

What is the best multivitamin for hypothyroidism?

“Vitamin B is important for people with hypothyroidism because the B vitamins have many interactions with thyroid function and hormone regulation,” Metzak says.25-Feb-2019

Is spirulina safe to take everyday?

Up to 8 grams of spirulina per day is safe, and many people add it to their shakes or smoothies because it comes in powder form.05-Oct-2018

Can spirulina be harmful?

But Spirulina may become contaminated with toxic metals, harmful bacteria and microcystins — toxins produced from some algae —if it is grown in unsafe conditions. Contaminated Spirulina can cause liver damage, nausea, vomiting, thirst, weakness, rapid heartbeat, shock and even death.06-Feb-2018

Does spirulina affect hormones?

The presence of sterol-like compounds in the culture filtrate of Spirulina might be responsible for the disruption of sex hormones via interfering with the hormone-dependent signaling pathways.

Does spirulina make you gain weight?

It takes quite a lot of spirulina to cause weight gain. Any food, including spirulina, can make you fat if you eat too much of it. In the case of spirulina, however, you'd have to eat a very large amount of it for it to lead to weight gain.

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

What is spirulina algae?

What to Look For. Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that contains a number of nutrients, including B vitamins, beta-carotene, and vitamin E. Spirulina also contains antioxidants, minerals, chlorophyll, and phycocyanobilin and is commonly used as a source of vegan protein.

Is spirulina good for you?

Health Benefits. Among proponents, spirulina has been used to support a number of health conditions, including fatigue , high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and viral infections. Purported spirulina benefits also include weight loss, increased energy, and stimulation of the immune system.

What is spirulina supplement?

Although there are a large number of blue-green algae species commonly referred to as "spirulina ," most spirulina supplements contain Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Spirulina maxima, and/or Spirulina platensis . As with all supplements, it is important to examine the "Supplement Facts" label on any product that you buy.

Does spirulina help with cholesterol?

High Cholesterol. Spirulina holds some promise for lipid disorders such as high cholesterol or high triglycerides, according to a study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. For the study, healthy, older adults consumed spirulina or a placebo.

Can spirulina cause headaches?

Although few adverse effects are associated with the use of spirulina, consuming spirulina may cause headaches, allergic reactions, muscle pain, sweating, and insomnia in some cases. People with allergies to seafood, seaweed, and other sea vegetables should avoid spirulina.

Is spirulina safe for pregnant women?

If you have a thyroid condition, an autoimmune disorder, gout, kidney stones, phenylketonuria, or are pregnant or nursing, spirulina may not be appropriate for you. You should check with your healthcare provider before taking it.

Can spirulina absorb water?

It's possible that spirulina grown in the wild can absorb toxins from water, such as microcystins (known to cause severe liver damage), pollutants, and heavy metals. Most spirulina sold in the United States is grown in laboratories.

What are the side effects of spirulina?

These are some of the most common side effects, if spirulina does not suit us well: 1 Thirst and constipation 2 Fever 3 Dizziness 4 Stomach ache 5 Itchy or rash on the skin 6 Headaches 7 Iodine can affect people with hyper or hypothyroidism.

Can you take spirulina with water?

It does not matter if it is in powder, capsules or tablets, spirulina can be used as a complement to a balanced diet. It can be taken 15 minutes before each meal with two glasses of water to promote weight loss. In most cases, this seaweed is sold as a “superfood” and a supplement that is the most nutritious in the world.

Is spirulina a superfood?

In most cases, this seaweed is sold as a “superfood” and a supplement that is the most nutritious in the world. However, spirulina is still an algae that if you want to ingest constantly you must consult with our family doctor or a specialist. Otherwise, it is possible that you may misuse this algae, giving rise to a series ...

Can you misuse spirulina?

Otherwise, it is possible that you may misuse this algae, giving rise to a series of counterproductive effects to what you are looking for. Although spirulina is a natural product, this does not mean that it does not have side effects and that its excessive consumption cannot lead to different complications.

Can you eat spirulina while exercising?

If you are consuming spirulina to lose weight or to complement our physical exercise, you must be very attentive to the signals that our body sends us. In the case of noticing something strange or unusual, experts recommend not continuing to consume it.

Is spirulina a medicine?

Spirulina has great properties that range from its antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory factors, to its benefits to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. However, you must mark by fire that spirulina is not a medicine, so you must always take it in the appropriate doses.

Does spirulina cause anxiety?

For this reason, taking it under various circumstances can lead to different side effects that can range from constipation to anxiety. These are some of the most common side effects, if spirulina does not suit us well: Iodine can affect people with hyper or hypothyroidism.

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.

Is spirulina a supplement?

Spirulina & the Thyroid. Spirulina is a blue-green algae, and although it is a food, it is better known as a dietary supplement. It is commonly touted for all sorts of health-promoting purposes and sold in both powdered and capsule form.

Is iodized salt bad for you?

Although the introduction of iodized salt has reduced the likelihood of having an iodine deficiency, many pregnant women in the United States and people who consciously avoid iodized salt are still low in it. Since your body cannot make iodine, you need to get it from dietary sources, and spirulina is naturally very high in it.

Does spirulina help with hypothyroidism?

Since your body cannot make iodine, you need to get it from dietary sources, and spirulina is naturally very high in it. As such, natural health practitioners sometimes recommend spirulina to help treat hypothyroidism; however, this recommendation is based on anecdotal evidence alone.

Is spirulina good for thyroid?

Spirulina is also rich in a range of minerals including selenium, which is well-known for its thyroid-supporting properties. Finally, spirulina is an excellent source of protein and contains a healthy dose of vitamin B-12, which is helpful because many people with hypothyroidism are deficient in B-12.

Does spirulina contain heavy metals?

Also, depending on the water where it was grown, spirulina may contain high levels of heavy metals. A standard dose of spirulina for supporting health is 500 milligrams per day, but spirulina may interact with certain medications. People with the metabolic condition phenylketonuria should not take spirulina. 00:00.

Why is my thyroid gland sluggish?

Hypothyroidism, an insufficient production of thyroid hormones, is caused by a variety of factors, among them an iodine deficiency. Consuming a diet that is too low in iodine can cause your thyroid gland to become sluggish.

Does iodine make your thyroid less active?

A study published in 2012 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that while iodine usually helps stimulate the thyroid, too much iodine -- more than about 800 micrograms per day -- can actually cause the thyroid to become less active.

Why are spirulina and thyroid associated?

by Kyle. Spirulina and the thyroid are associated together because of one thing, iodine. Iodine plays a crucial rule in the function of the thyroid and the amount of iodine in spirulina can be beneficial.

What are the problems with iodine?

Iodine deficiency can lead to a number of problems including, thyroid enlargment, hypothyroidism, and even can lead to mental retardation in newborn babies if the mother is deficient due to the role thyroid hormones play in central nervous system development. Iodized salt was introduced in the United States around the 1920’s ...

Why is iodine important?

Iodine is NEEDED for your body to produce the thyroid hormone. And these hormones are involved in a number of different activities, ranging from protein synthesis, to enzyme activity, to metabolism. And unfortunately your body cannot make its own iodine, so it is necessary to get iodine through your diet. Iodine deficiency can lead ...

How much iodine is in Hawaiian spirulina?

Nutrex Hawaiian Spirulina is one of the only brands that makes their spirulina’s iodine content known. According to their website it contains about 15mcg of iodine for every 3 grams of spirulina. So lets say you are taking a tablespoon (7g) of spirulina a day, which is a rather common serving size.

When was iodized salt introduced?

Iodized salt was introduced in the United States around the 1920’s and this has helped to eliminate iodine deficiency. However, many people avoid eating salt, so these people may be low in iodine and need to get it from other foods.

Does spirulina have iodine?

Well the iodine content of spirulina varies greatly, and this is the main problem with spirulina supplementation for iodine. May distrubuters don’t make any note of how much iodine their spirulina actually contains, and this can be a big problem. For this reason I only have 1 suggestion.

Is spirulina high in sodium?

On a side note. Its important to mention the sodium content of spirulina, because many people looking for extra iodine are those that stay away from salt. And people stay away from salt due to the sodium content. So just to let you know spirulina is on the higher side of foods with 73mg of sodium for every tablespoon (7g) of spirulina.

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 is spirulina dangerous?

). For those taking blood thinners or who have bleeding disorders, spirulina may be dangerous because it could lessen your blood’s ability to clot, causing more bruising and bleeding ( 2 ).

What is spirulina algae?

Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that grows in both fresh- and saltwater. It’s also commercially produced for use in food and supplements ( 1. Trusted Source. , 2 ). Because it packs 60% protein by weight, as well as various vitamins and minerals, it’s widely used as a food source in certain parts of Mexico and Africa ( 1. Trusted Source.

Is spirulina a supplement?

Spirulina is a popular supplement and ingredient made from blue-green algae. Although it has several benefits, you may wonder if it has any side effects. This article reviews the potential downsides and side effects of spirulina. Share on Pinterest.

Is spirulina contaminated?

May be contaminated with toxins. Spirulina harvested in the wild poses a significant risk of contamination. The algae may harbor toxins if it grows in a body of water that’s polluted with heavy metals, bacteria, or harmful particles called microcystins ( 2 ).

Is spirulina lower in microcystins?

Spirulina grown in controlled environments is lower in microcystins, as scientists have developed methods to remove this compound, as well as limit its production ( 8. Trusted Source. , 9. Trusted Source.

Does spirulina cause autoimmune disease?

Because spirulina boosts your immune system, it may worsen certain autoimmune diseases — such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis — in which your immune system attacks your body ( 2 ).

Does spirulina help with cancer?

Spirulina bolsters your immune system by strengthening immune cells called natural killer (NK) cells, which attack perceived threats on a cellular level ( 10. Trusted Source. ). Animal and human studies show that this effect may help slow tumor growth, improve resistance to illness, and decrease inflammation ( 10.

Does chlorella affect HSC?

In one study the effects of both spirulina and chlorella extracts on live human cancer cells were studied. Both spir ulina and chlorella decreased the cell growth rates of HSC but spirulina inhibited the cells more due to its higher antioxidant content [4].

Why is my liver fatty?

One of the 2 causes of Fatty Liver Disease is excessive alcohol consumption. Once you have stopped then consider supplementing spirulina. There have been various animal studies that show spirulina is effective at reducing this disease but lets stick to the human studies.

What is liver fibrosis?

Liver fibrosis is when your liver becomes covered in scar tissue. It occurs in a lot of chronic liver diseases and can be very harmful. One treatment for this condition is to inhibit the increase of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) and to speed up the life cycle of these cells so that they die off faster.

Does spirulina help with fibrosis?

It can reduce fatty liver (steatohepatitis), regulates liver enzymes (increases function), and can help with liver fibrosis .

Why is spirulina hard on the liver?

First, spirulina absorbs heavy metals easily from its environment. If you consume spirulina that has high heavy metal content this can be VERY hard on your liver. As it would be working harder than normal to remove these toxins. However, the fix for this is simple.

Does spirulina sulfate slow down liver enzymes?

Thats a pretty significant decrease and indicates much less liver damage. And yes there have been studies on humans as well. One of which showed that a spirulina supplentation of 1g/kg a day slowed down the increase of the liver enzymes: SGOT, SGPT, and ALP after having Cisplatin injections.

Is spirulina bad for you?

There are plenty of spirulina products out there that are clean and are regularly tested for heavy metal content. The second reason why spirulina could be bad is due to the fact that it contains microcystins, which are groups of amino acids and can be toxic according to Purdue University if you take TOO MUCH.

Chemistry

• Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that contains a number of nutrients, including B vitamins, beta-carotene, and vitamin E. Spirulina also contains antioxidants, minerals, chlorophyll, and phycocyanobilin and is commonly used as a source of vegan protein.

See more on verywellhealth.com

Benefits

Health

Uses

Medical uses

Side effects

Contraindications

Toxicity

Example

Treatment

Availability

Species

Preparation

Results