Two New Age foods which contain high concentrations of whole food nutrients are Chlorella and Spirulina algae. These algae are accepted as functional foods, which are defined as products derived from natural sources, whose consumption is likely to benefit human health and enhance performance. These foods are used as a supplement or ingredient or as a complete food to enhance the performance and state of the human body, or improve a specific bodily function. Functional foods are used mainly as products to nourish the human body after physical exertion or as a preventive measure against ailments.
   This simple, one-celled algae thrives in warm, alkaline fresh water. Certain species of Spirulina survive even when the water evaporates, and lie dormant on rocks as hot as 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Spirulina is naturally sterile because of its ability to grow in hot, alkaline environments, where other polluting organisms can't survive. In addition, Spirulina retains its nutrients even when exposed to high temperatures during processing.

Spirulina algae pills 500 mg

For over 30 years spirulina ( Spirulina platensis ) has been the premier choice for supplementing a vegetarian diet. Club Natural Spirulina is of the highest quality available. This special blue-green algae is a good source of numerous vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and essential fatty acids that are hard to maintain at adequate levels with a vegetarian diet. Most notable is the high quality protein, which contains all nine essential amino acids. Spirulina cell walls do not contain cellulose to slow down digestion. Spirulina is naturally grown and harvested without herbicides or pesticides.

Spirulina platensis, a blue-green alga (photosynthesizing cyanobacterium) has diverse biological activity. Due to high content of highly valuable proteins, indispensable amino acids, vitamins, beta-carotene and other pigments, mineral substances, indispensable fatty acids and polysaccharides, PS has been found suitable for use as bioactive additive. SP produces an immunostimulating effect by enhancing the resistance of humans, mammals, chickens and fish to infections, the capacity of influencing hemopoiesis, stimulating the production of antibodies and cytokines. Under the influence of SP macrophages, T and B cells are activated. SP sulfolipids have proved to be effective against HIV. Preparations obtained from SP biomass have also been found active against herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus, influenza virus, etc. SP extracts are capable in inhibiting cancerogenesis. SP preparations are regarded as functional products contributing to the preservation of the resident intestinal microflora, especially lactic acid bacilli and bifidobacteria, and to a decrease in the level of Candida albicans. The biological activity of SP with respect to microorganisms holds good promise for using these microalgae as components of culture media.

Spirulina algae and the Immune System
Apparently spirulina has the ability to stimulate the immune system which could be beneficial in some individuals, and potentially harmful in those who already have an overactive immune system or an autoimmune condition. Therefore, spirulina is not advised for those who have lupus, autoimmune thyroiditis, pemphigus vulgaris, and other such conditions.

Protection of kidney
Spirulina platensis protects against renal injury in rats with gentamicin-induced acute tubular necrosis.
Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2008 Nov; Avdagić N, Cosović E, Nakas-Ićindić E, Mornjaković Z, Zaciragić A, Hadzović-Dzuvo A. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The present study was carried out to evaluate the kidney protective antioxidant effect of Spirulina platensis on gentamicin-induced acute tubular necrosis in rats. The results from present study suggest that Spirulina platensis has renoprotective potential in gentamicin-induced acute tubular necrosis possibly due to its antioxidant properties.

Additional links of interest
Blue-Green-Algae supplement could have health benefits, so could Barley-Grass supplement. For a product that helps you lose weight.

Spirulina Research Update
Activation of autoimmunity following use of immunostimulatory herbal supplements.
Arch Dermatol. 2004 Jun;140(6):723-7. Lee AN, Werth VP. Section of Dermatology, University of Chicago, IL, USA.
Evidence for the scientific basis of purported therapeutic effects and adverse effects of herbal supplements continues to grow. Many herbal supplements are touted for their immunostimulatory properties, and both in vitro and in vivo experiments have supported this claim. Although this explains their beneficial effects in preventing or curtailing disease, to our knowledge, no immunostimulatory herbal supplements have been reported to exacerbate disorders of immune system overactivity. We describe 3 patients whose autoimmune disease onset and/or flares correlated with ingestion of herbal supplements with proven immunostimulatory effects. Echinacea and the alga Spirulina platensis are implicated in 2 patients' flares of pemphigus vulgaris, and a supplement containing the algae Spirulina platensis and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae was ingested by a third patient days before both onset and a severe flare of dermatomyositis. The third patient showed heterozygosity for a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) promoter polymorphism (-308A), leading to increased production of TNF-alpha, which may have predisposed her to developing dermatomyositis. CONCLUSIONS: Immunostimulatory herbal supplements may exacerbate preexisting autoimmune disease or precipitate autoimmune disease in persons genetically predisposed to such disorders. Increased production of TNF-alpha may play a role, although more research is needed to clarify the mechanisms of such phenomena.

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