Spirulina and chlorella: what are their effects? How to take them?

Chlorella has survived on our planet for more than 2.5 billion years, offering a vast array of complex nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

Spirulina is a healthy elixir full of nutrients and vitamins. It is not a newcomer, its beneficial effects have been known since the Aztecs.

The Aztecs even used this algae as currency.

Properties of spirulina

Spirulina is a floating filamentous algae with cylindrical cells.

It is mainly found in tropical and subtropical lakes with high pH and carbonate and bicarbonate concentrations.

It occurs mainly in Africa, Asia and South America.

It is mainly cultivated in Japan, where it is used to make vitamin tablets.

It contains a huge amount of vitamins, such as:

• Vitamins B1
• vitamins B2
• vitamins B3
• vitamins B6
• vitamins B9
• vitamin C
• vitamin B12
• vitamin A
• vitamin E
• vitamin D

Vitamin B12, which is contained in spirulina, has 80% of the ineffective form of this vitamin and only 20% is the effective part in humans.

For its beneficial effects, it ranks among the most effective green foods.

Its use is also recommended, for example, for overweight(obesity), digestive problems, poor eating habits and also for diabetes.

Spirulina and its composition

Spirulina can be described as algae that grows in natural environments such as freshwater lakes, natural springs and seawater.

Spirulina gets its name from the spiral, helical filaments that make it up.

Its colour is blue-green. It comes from a combination of green chlorophyll and the blue dye phycocyanin.

Spirulina contains grouped nutrients that include:

• protein (highest concentration of protein)
• vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, E, K, etc.)
• minerals and trace elements (iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium)
• amino acids
• nucleic acids (chlorophyll, salts, phytonutrients and enzymes)
• fibre
• polysaccharides
• antioxidants

Nutritional values of spirulina

Properties of chlorella

Chlorella otherwise called Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Chlorella vulgaris is a freshwater green unicellular algae.

It is high in chlorophyll, protein, minerals and other nutrients.

It is used in the cosmetic industry or in biotechnology.

Currently, Asian countries are the largest producers of this algae.

Commercial cultivation began in the 1960s in Japan.

Chlorella and its composition

Due to its wide spectrum and high macronutrient and micronutrient content, it is mainly used as a dietary supplement.

Of the macronutrients, protein is the most abundant. Chlorella is also rich in vitamins and minerals.

Magnesium is part of the green dye contained in chlorella, making it a rich source of magnesium.

Other minerals represented include phosphorus, potassium, calcium or iron.

Vitamins include vitamins B, B12, which are present in bioactive form only in foods of animal origin.

Nutritional values of chlorella

Taking spirulina

Spirulina can be taken in powder or tablet form.

The dosage is adapted to the amount of spirulina in the powder or tablets.

When choosing a product, care must be taken to ensure that it is 100% natural, without added substances and genetic modifications.

When taking it, it is important to follow a sufficient drinking regime and always take it approximately one hour apart from taking other medications.

Spirulina is considered to be the most ideal food for vegans and vegetarians, as its content can fully replace animal protein.

A small amount of spirulina, approximately 2 to 3 grams, is a rich source of nutrients for the human body. Its nutrient content is equivalent to a daily dose of fruit and vegetables.

The most popular form of use is to add the green powder to various healthy drinks such as smoothies or fresh lemonades.

It can also be added to classic dishes such as soups, spreads or salad dressings.

Spirulina and digestion

Its effects have a positive impact on different areas of our body.

It is excellent for boosting immunity, gives the body energy, is beneficial for the cardiovascular system, has anti-cancer effects and is also very beneficial for the digestive tract and metabolism.

It is rich in fibre, which supports digestion and contributes to healthy digestion.

It also has excellent antibacterial and antifungal properties.

The cysteine content is beneficial in the treatment and prevention of stomach ulcers.

Its effects have also been shown in liver diseases such as cirrhosis and especially fatty liver.

Spirulina and body cleansing

Spirulina rids the body of harmful substances and promotes the cleansing of the liver and kidneys. This helps their regeneration. It contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. These are able to be absorbed immediately into parts of the body that lose the ability to fight free radicals.

With spirulina you can easily lose weight

It is the most effective weight loss helper.

It helps to maintain an ideal weight and balance between energy intake and expenditure.

It contains phenylalanine and tyrosine substances that affect hunger and sweet cravings.

It is also a source of amino acids and carbohydrates that keep the body in a state of satiety.

Its high nutritional value and low calorie content make it particularly suitable for use in low-calorie diets.

On low-calorie diets, people do not eat enough and the diet does not contain the necessary amount of nutrients and minerals that are essential for our bodies.

Regular intake of spirulina during dieting promotes proper function of the digestive system and regular excretion.

Spirulina as an aid in diabetes

It is also very useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Its action lowers the triglyceride level in the blood and increases the amount of HDL (good cholesterol) and helps in eliminating systemic inflammation caused by insulin resistance.

Not to be missed in a vegetarian's diet

It is considered a green superfood.

No food has yet been discovered that provides such a comprehensive source of protein to cover all the nutritional needs of the human body.

It can therefore be considered suitable for vegetarians.

In order to be able to supply the missing protein, vegetarians often reach for various plant sources of protein (nuts, beans, legumes or soya).

Spirulina contains 65 to 71 % pure protein.

This is more than beef (22%) or legumes (26%).

Absorption of this protein is much easier than absorption of animal protein.

It is also important for vegetarians because it contains amino acids, vitamins and minerals that are easily absorbed by the body. Particularly important for vegetarians is vitamin B12, which is responsible for the normal functioning of the nervous system and blood formation.

Taking chlorella

It can be found mainly in the form of capsules, powder or various extracts.

It is mostly promoted as a dietary supplement that is effective in preventing or treating various diseases.

It has the highest chlorophyll content among the foods usable in human nutrition.

Professor Beijerick first cultivated chlorella more than 100 years ago in the Netherlands.

The name was coined by combining the words 'chlor' (from its green colour) and 'ella' (from its small size).

Several dyes are present in one cell, for example chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b. It also contains carotene and xanthophyll dye, which are characteristic of taller plants.

As in higher plants, chlorella also undergoes photosynthesis.

As it is a natural supplement and a source of many nutrients, it is extremely beneficial for us.

The premise of chlorella was that it would become the food of the millennium.

Properties of chlorella

Chlorella is a huge source of various substances such as:

• Protein (60-70%)
• fibre (8 %)
• oligo- and polysaccharides (2%)
• chlorophyll
• carotenoid dyes
• fats (10 %) containing essential fatty acids
• vitamins
• folic acid
• minerals
• potassium (1 %)
• iron (0,15 %)

Chlorella as a natural source of iron

Because it is an excellent source of absorbable iron, it is considered the most suitable natural source of iron.

Its use is suitable for women during menstruation, but also as a support for iron deficiency related treatments.

It is healthier and preferable to synthetic preparations that are often used to supplement iron levels in the body.

Synthetic forms of iron often cause digestive problems when taken in higher doses. The iron in chlorella has a high absorption rate that does not cause digestive problems.

Chlorella and body cleansing

It is a rich source of chlorophyll, which can bind and eliminate toxins and heavy metals from the body.

By taking it, it provides the body with intestinal cleansing and cellular hygiene.

Cell renewal and regeneration

The high protein content (up to 70%) is a source for cell regeneration.

The active ingredient it contains is the so-called chlorella growth factor (CGF), which is the degraded nucleotides of the chlorella cell nuclei.

This "growth factor" provides our body with a rejuvenating and strengthening effect.

UV protection for eyes and skin

Due to its high content of carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), it is of great importance in retinal nutrition aimed at preserving visual acuity in old age.

The intake of these substances also increases the protection of the eyes and skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation.

Strengthening hair growth, nails and skin regeneration

The high content of vitamins such as vitamin A, B-12 and folic acid, along with proteins and nucleotides, acts as a stimulant in case of very weakened hair growth or hair loss. It also helps with brittle nails.

Its use leads to faster nourishment and regeneration of the skin, which thus regains a youthful and fresh appearance.

An overview of the effects of spirulina and chlorella:

• improve the immune system
• rejuvenate the body
• helps to cope with stress and strengthen psychological resilience
• improve digestion
• rid the body of heavy metals
• ensure muscle growth
• reduce cholesterol levels
• improve blood pressure
• regulate blood sugar levels
• help with chunting

Spirulina cannot be grown in an artificial environment.

Growing spirulina is more demanding than growing other less demanding green foods.

Chlorella is also grown in artificial tanks where water quality can be better controlled.

Another common characteristic of chlorella and spirulina is where they are grown.

They need plenty of sunlight to grow and reproduce.

Sunlight is essential for both micro-organisms to produce nutrients, which they obtain by photosynthesis directly from the sun.

Spirulina and chlorella

These plants are similar in many ways. Not only do they look similar, they even taste similar.

Many people therefore see no difference between them.

From a scientific point of view, there are a number of important differences between them, because they both belong to different types of microalgae.

Spirulina is a multicellular marine plant.

Chlorella is a unicellular algae, whose thick cell walls place it closer to plants than to algae.

Each belongs to a different group of organisms, although both obtain energy through photosynthesis.

The colour of spirulina is blue-green. Chlorella is classified as a green algae.

Both plants are grown in warm waters and need light for at least 12 hours a day to grow.

Chlorella, due to its size, requires much more sophisticated equipment to harvest.

How do we know chlorella and spirulina?

Algae and cyanobacteria

Chlorella pyroneidosa is a freshwater and unicellular algae and comes from the class Trebouxioplhycea, Chlorellales, family Chlorellaceae and genus Chlorella.

Chlorella was only discovered in the 1890s and is involved in the oxygenation of our atmosphere.

It is, however, several million years old. It was one of the first organisms to live on Earth.

It has a high content of nutrients and trace elements. It helps nourish the body, cleanses it and helps in eliminating harmful substances from the body.

Therefore, this algae is often mentioned in weight loss.

Spirulina platensis is not an algae, but a cyanobacteria. Taxonomically, it is classified as a bacteria, in the phylogeny of cyanobacteria, Oscillatoriales and the genus Spirulina.

Because of its coloration, it is often referred to as a cyanobacterium.

Like chlorella, spirulina contains a large amount of highly digestible protein (of animal origin).

Digestibility and influence of micro-organisms

The effects of chlorella and spirulina may seem similar, but the opposite is true.

The first difference is their digestibility.

The coating of spirulina is made up of polysaccharides. This means that humans can digest it without any problems and do not need to process it in any way, only press it.

Chlorella, on the other hand, has a tough cellulose coating. This means that our digestive system cannot get through it. If the coating is not properly disturbed, it only serves us as fibre.

By grinding chlorella, its cell envelope is disrupted and its contents are made available.

This disintegration quickly dries out the chlorella.

Chlorella is a reservoir of vitamin K, pantothenic acid, tryptophan, phosphorus and especially CGS (growth factor), which ensures the regeneration of our body.

In some cases, this substance can stop the development of various diseases.

It has a beneficial effect in the regeneration of the body, cleansing and disinfection of the intestines and digestive tract.

In contrast, spirulina does not contain any growth factor.

It is a reservoir of phycocyanin (vitamin B12), which is essential for people suffering from anaemia.

It contributes to the growth of muscle mass and ensures the vitality of a person.

However, it is most appreciated in strengthening the immune system, body building and various diet programs.

Side effects

Despite the immense benefits to our health, spirulina and chlorella also have their side effects.

Side effects of spirulina

An important influence on the quality and effect of spirulina is its origin.

A plant that grows in polluted water can have undesirable effects.

From a hygiene point of view, natural lakes are the most risky.

The most common side effects are stomach upset, heartburn, bloating or diarrhoea.

Some people may also experience headaches, fatigue or skin deterioration.

These negative effects are especially common in sensitive people.

These are mainly temporary symptoms that will adjust and subside over time.

Side effects of chlorella

Like spirulina, chlorella also has its side effects.

The most common side effects include:

• Acne
• diarrhea
• nausea, fatigue
• gas, bloating
• abdominal cramps
• green colouring of stools (presence of chlorophyll dye)

The cause of the green colour of the stool is chlorophyll, which is abundant in the stool.

These side effects occur especially at the beginning of use. Over time, as the body gets used to it, the problems usually subside.

Chlorella, like some herbs (e.g. St John's wort) or medicines (tetracycline antibiotics or corticosteroids), can cause skin sensitivity to the sun.

It is therefore important, especially in summer, to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or to use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.

However, a SPF of 30 or higher is recommended for sufficient skin protection.

As with any other medication or dietary supplement, there is a risk of an allergic reaction, which can develop into anaphylactic shock.

Manifestations of an allergic reaction are rash, reddening of the skin, itching, swelling or breathing difficulties.

Allergic reactions have been reported with chlorella, mainly involving asthma and inflammation of the kidneys.

People allergic to various types of moulds are particularly prone to this reaction.