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What & Why Spirulina?
- Supreeth Kashyap G
- Jun 28, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 5, 2020
Spirulina is a type of cyanobacteria often referred to as blue-green algae that is incredibly healthy.
It may improve your levels of blood lipids, suppress oxidation, reduce blood pressure and lower blood sugar..Spirulina has a high protein and vitamin content, which makes it an excellent dietary supplement for people on vegetarian diet.
Potential health benefits by adding Spirulina in your diets are as follows.
Excellent Nutritional Content
It is the concentrated source of protein, vitamins, especially B12, Provitamin A ( Beta carotene ) and vitamin E, minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and especially iron. It is also rich in gamma linolenic acid ( GLA ) an omega 3 fatty acid.
Improves Immunity
Spirulina increases productions of antibodies, infection-fighting proteins and other cells that improve immunity and help ward off infection and especially chronic illnesses.
Powerful Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Oxidative damage can harm your DNA and cells.
This damage can drive chronic inflammation, which contributes to cancer and other diseases. Spirulina is a fantastic source of antioxidants, which can protect against oxidative damage.
Its main active component is called phycocyanin. This antioxidant substance also gives spirulina its unique blue-green color.
Phycocyanin can fight free radicals and inhibit production of inflammatory signaling molecules, providing impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
Losing Weight
People can usually lose weight if they eat fewer calories than they use. Spirulina is a high-nutrient, low-calorie food that contains a lot of nutrition in a small amount of powder. Introducing spirulina to the diet may help people lose weight without losing nutrition.
Lowering cholesterol
Taking spirulina extract may help to lower cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is an unhealthful fat in a person’s blood that medical experts link to heart disease.
A systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that taking spirulina supplements may have a positive impact on blood lipids, which are fats in the blood. In the study, spirulina was found to significantly reduce total cholesterol and lower LDL - “bad” - cholesterol while increasing HDL -“good” -cholesterol.
Researchers found that taking 1 g of spirulina every day reduced participant’s total cholesterol after 3 months.
May Reduce Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a main driver of many serious diseases, including heart attacks, strokes and chronic kidney disease.
While 1 gram of spirulina is ineffective, a dose of 4.5 grams per day has been shown to reduce blood pressure in individuals with normal levels.
Reducing allergy symptoms
When a person has allergies to pollen, dust, or pets, the inside of their nose may swell. This reaction is called allergic rhinitis. There is some evidence that spirulina could help improve the symptoms of this condition.
spirulina can relieve nasal inflammation and reduce histamine in the body. It may reduce the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, including:
runny nose
sneezing
nasal congestion
itching
May Aid Blood Sugar Control
Animal studies link spirulina to significantly lower blood sugar levels.
In some cases, it has outperformed popular diabetes drugs, including Metformin.
There is also some evidence that spirulina can be effective in humans.
In a two-month study in 25 people with type 2 diabetes, 2 grams of spirulina per day led to an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels.
HbA1c, a marker for long-term blood sugar levels, decreased from 9% to 8%, which is substantial. Studies estimate that a 1% reduction in this marker can lower the risk of diabetes-related death by 21%.
Effective Against Anemia
There are many different forms of anemia.
The most common one is characterized by a reduction in hemoglobin or red blood cells in your blood.
Anemia is fairly common in older adults, leading to prolonged feelings of weakness and fatigue.
In a study in 40 older people with a history of anemia, spirulina supplements increased the hemoglobin content of red blood cells and improved immune function.
Summary
Initial research suggests taking spirulina may improve the following:
Excellent Nutritional Content
Improves Immunity
Powerful Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Losing Weight
Reducing Cholesterol & Risk of heart disease
May reduce blood pressure
Reducing allergy symptoms
Effective Against Anemia
Aids Blood sugar control
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