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Who knew an algae could be so beneficial?
Spirulina is a blue-green algae which is commercially produced and widely marketed as a "superfood" and immune booster. It is also a rich source of natural, plant-based iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C, and an excellent source of plant protein, with up to 70% of its dry weight being protein. The alpha-linolenic acid profile in spirulina is the highest in the plant kingdom, coming in third overall behind milk and evening primrose oil.
A study published in the Spring 2005 isssue of theJournal of Medicinal Food indicated that ingested spirulina made a significant improvement in human patients with nasal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis.
This study was a typical randomized, double-blind clinical study. Allergic rhinitis sufferers were given either a placebo or a daily dose of either 1000 mg or 2000 mg spirulina for twelve weeks. There was no improvement for the participants taking the placebo. There was also no notable improvement for participants taking 1000 mg spirulina daily. However, the allergy sufferers who took 2000 mg spirulina every day saw significant improvement in their allergy symptoms.
A January 2010 research study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise reported that spirulina had a positive impact on exercise performance. In this study, nine physically fit men took either a placebo or spirulina for four weeks. The men ran on a treadmill for two hours every day, running at 70-75% of their VO2 max and 95% of their VO2 max to exhaustion. Both exercise performance and respiratory function were measured. Blood samples were drawn at regular intervals during the study.The results were impressive. The time to fatigue after the two hour run was significantly longer among the men who took spirulina. The carbohydrate oxidation rate was decreased by over 10% and the fat burning rate was increased by almost 11% over the placebo group. The study concluded that spirulina really does enhance exercise performance.
As always contact a health care professional before starting a new dietary supplement.
