What so good about spriluna as diet supplement ? Are taking spirulina alone is enough ?

Answer 1

I find that it really helps you detox, in addition to providing a lot of nutrients. It's a super-green food! I take it fairly regularly, but it's not a stand alone supplement. I beleive we need to take a balanced approach to diet and supplements. Supplement where your diet may be lacking. Eat enough greens? If so you probably don't need it.

Here's some science, history and , nutritional info:

Spirulina is the common name for food supplements produced primarily from two species of cyanobacteria: Arthrospira platensis, and Arthrospira maxima. These and other Arthrospira species were once classified in the genus Spirulina. There is now agreement that they are distinct genera, and that the food species belong to Arthrospira; nonetheless, the inaccurate term "Spirulina" remains the popular name. Spirulina is cultivated around the world, and is used as a human dietary supplement, available in tablet, flake, and powder form.

Spirulina is believed to have been a food source for the Aztecs in 16th century Mexico, as its harvesting from Lake Texcoco and sale as cakes is described by one of Cortés' soldiers. The Aztecs called it Tecuitlatl, meaning stone's excrement. Spirulina was found in abundance at the lake by French researchers in the 1960s, but there is no reference to its use there as a daily food source after the 16th century. The first large-scale Spirulina production plant, run by Sosa Texcoco, was established there in the early 1970s.

Spirulina may have an even longer history in Chad, as far back as the 9th century Kanem Empire. It is still in daily use today, dried into cakes called Dihé which are used to make broths for meals, and also sold in markets. The Spirulina is harvested from small lakes and ponds around Lake Chad.

Spirulina has been proposed by both NASA (CELSS) and the European Space Agency (MELISSA) as a one of the primary foods to be cultivated during long-term space missions.


Nutrients and Other Chemicals
Protein
Spirulina contains unusually high amounts of protein, between 55 and 77% by dry weight, depending upon the source. It is a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, though with reduced amounts of methionine, cysteine, and lysine, as compared to standard proteins such as that from meat, eggs, or milk; it is, however, superior to all standard plant protein, such as that from legumes.

Essential Fatty Acids
Spirulina is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). However, one needs to use 5-10 grams of dried spirulina to obtain similar quantities as that found in 1000 mg evening primrose oil or 500 mg borage oil. Spirulina also provides small quantities of other fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), stearidonic acid (SDA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA). [

Vitamins
Spirulina contains most vitamins in high quantities, but are richest in vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin B12. The bioavailability of vitamin B12 in Spirulina is in dispute. Several biological assays have been used to verify the presence of vitamin B12. The most popular is the US Pharmacopeia method using the Lactobacillus leichmannii assay. Studies using this method have shown Spirulina to be a minimal source of bioavailable vitamin B12. However, this assay does not actually differentiate between human bioavailable and non-human bioavailable B12. A more recently developed assay performed by a grower of spirulina has shown Spirulina to be a significant source of bioavailable B12.

Minerals
Dried spirulina has a very high concentration of mineral ash. It is a very rich source of iron, and also contains many other minerals such as manganese, chromium, selenium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. Some spirulina brands add zinc during the cultivation period, so that the supplement ends up very rich in this mineral. It should be noted, that even though spirulina is rich in many minerals, the dosages used for supplementation - 0.5-10 grams daily - provides relatively little of most of those minerals compared to the RDAs. Using more than 10 grams of dried spirulina could in time lead to iron and vitamin D toxicity.

Photosynthetic Pigments
Spirulina contains many pigments including chlorophyll-a, xanthophyll, beta-carotene, echinenone, myxoxanthophyll, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, diatoxanthin, 3'-hydroxyechinenone, beta-cryptoxanthin, oscillaxanthin, plus the phycobiliproteins c-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin.

Evidence of Health and Healing Effects
Advocates can overstate claims of Spirulina's health and healing properties, though often there is research upon which such claims are based. Conversely, health food detractors often dismiss all such claims without acknowledging existing research. Two online publications exemplify these opposing positions, respectively: Superfoods For Optimum Health: Chlorella and Spirulina, and Wellness Letter on Blue Green Algae. Many positive claims are based on research done on individual nutrients that Spirulina contains, such as GLA, various antioxidants, etc., rather than on direct research using Spirulina. What follows is research on the health and healing effects of Spirulina. In vitro research may suggest the possibility of similar results in humans, but cannot be taken as proof of human effects. Animal research provides stronger evidence, but again, does not represent proof of similar effects in humans. The results of Clinical trials are the best evidence available.

In Vitro Research
Spirulina extract inhibits HIV replication in human T-cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and Langerhans cells.

Animal Research
Spirulina helps prevent heart damage caused by chemotherapy using Doxorubicin, without interfering with its anti-tumor activity. Spirulina reduces the severity of strokes and improves recovery of movement after a stroke; reverses age-related declines in memory and learning; and prevents and treats hay fever.

Clinical Trials
Spirulina is effective for the clinical improvement of melanosis and keratosis due to chronic arsenic poisoning; improves weight-gain and corrects anemia in both HIV-infected and HIV-negative undernourished children; and protects against hay fever.

Blessings, Rani

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I have spirulina in my protein powder supplement. As a vegan bodybuilder I use it not only for the protein, but also the chlorophyll and other super green nutrients (antioxidants for instance) to help my body repair the damage I do by lifting heavy weights. It is just a supplement, and I wouldn't take it alone as my only source of food for the day. Unless of course you are going to do a fast or something for only a week, but even then you have to be careful cause it is a good detoxifier. If you detoxify your body too much, you can get headaches and flu-like symptoms as the tissues release the toxins into your bloodstream (which your liver will clean at night when it filters the blood). Moderation with everything.

Answer 4

You can get b12 from fish and eggs and if you include it,dairy. You can also get it from spirulina and flax seeds/oil Don't believe the one who says "spinach". You need to eat 23 cups of spinach a day to meet your daily b12 requirements. And most b12 from veggies are analouges. Take supplements if you think you need them. By the way, if you are old enough before you became "semi vegetarian", you have enough b12 in your body for at least 20 to 30 years. B12 is recycled/reused by the body.

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Answer 5

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