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Spirulina, Blue-green Algae

Proposed Uses: Nutritional Support; Cancer Prevention; Fibromyalgia; Hay Fever; Herpes Infection; High Cholesterol; Hives; HIV Infection; Immune Support; Liver Protection; Weight Loss

The supplement called spirulina consists of one or more members of a family of blue-green algae. The name was inspired by the spiral shapes in which these plants array themselves as they grow. Other blue-green algae products are also available on the market, and they are discussed in this article as well.

Spirulina grows in the wild in salty lakes in Mexico and on the African continent. It reproduces quickly, and because the individual plants tend to stick together, it is easy to harvest. Records of the Spanish conquistadores suggest that the Aztecs used spirulina as a food source; we also know that the Kanembu people of Central Africa harvested it from what is now called Lake Chad.

This plant contains high levels of  various B vitamins, beta-carotene, other carotenoids, and minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc. It is also a source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Spirulina is a rich source of protein—dried spirulina contains up to 70% protein by weight2—but you'd have to eat an awful lot of spirulina capsules to obtain a significant amount of protein this way. Spirulina also contains vitamin B12, a nutrient otherwise found almost exclusively in animal foods. However, there's a catch: the B12 in spirulina is not absorbable.

Spirulina has not been proven effective for any medical condition, and there are significant safety concerns involving all forms of blue-green algae.

Requirements/Sources
Unless you live within 35 degrees of the equator, and on the shores of an alkaline lake, you will have difficulty finding spirulina anywhere but in a health food store. Most carry a number of brands of spirulina that has been dried and processed into powder or tablets.

Therapeutic Dosages
Researchers studying spirulina's effects on health have used a variety of doses, ranging from 1 to 8.4 g daily.

Safety Issues
Spirulina itself appears to be nontoxic. Studies in rats showed that high spirulina intake caused no weight reduction or toxicity symptoms in rats, nor did spirulina affect the rats' ability to reproduce normally.

Nevertheless, there are areas of serious concern for consumers.
Various forms of blue-green algae can be naturally contaminated with highly toxic substances called microcystins.

Some states, such as Oregon, require producers to strictly limit the concentration of microcystins in blue-green algae products, but the same protections cannot be assumed to have been applied to all products on the market. Furthermore, the maximum safe intake of microcystins is not clear, and it is possible that when blue-green algae is used for a long time, toxic effects might build up. Long-term use by children raises particular concerns, especially in light of the widely popularized but unsubstantiated belief that blue-green algae is useful for attention deficit disorder.

Blue-green algae can also contain a different kind of highly toxic substance, called anatoxin.

In addition, when spirulina is grown with the use of fermented animal waste fertilizers, contamination with dangerous bacteria could occur. There are also concerns that spirulina might concentrate radioactive ions found in its environment. Probably of most concern is spirulina's ability to absorb and concentrate heavy metals such as lead and mercury if they are present in its environment. One study of spirulinas grown in a number of locations found them to contain an unacceptably high content of these toxic metals. However, a second study on this topic claims that the first used an unreliable method of analyzing heavy metal content, and concludes that a person would have to eat more than 77 g daily of the most heavily contaminated spirulina to reach unsafe mercury and lead consumption levels.

These researchers, however, go on to suggest that it is not prudent to eat more than 50 g of spirulina daily. The reason they give is that the plant contains a high concentration of nucleic acids, substances related to DNA. When these are metabolized, they create uric acid, which could cause gout or kidney stones. This is of special concern to those who have already had uric acid stones or attacks of gout.

The safety of spirulina in pregnant and nursing women, young children, and individuals with kidney or liver disease has not been determined.

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