Several components of chlorella — essential and non-essential amino acids, fatty acids, pigments, vitamins, and minerals — make it attractive as an ergogenic aid for sports and exercise. Unfortunately, it’s hard to know which components of chlorella might be responsible for its exercise-related benefits.
A few studies have noted that a chlorella-derived supplement increased maximal oxygen consumption (i.e., VO2max or VO2peak) after 4 weeks.[1][2] In trained cyclists, 21 days of chlorella supplementation (6 grams per day) reduced their heart rate and blood lactate levels during a 1-hour submaximal cycling test and increased their average peak power during a set of short sprints. Hemoglobin — the oxygen-carrying protein in our blood — also increased after chlorella supplementation.[3] Supplementing with chlorella (1.2 grams per day) for 7 days also reduced the inflammatory response and improved insulin sensitivity after eccentric exercise (downhill running).[4]
Combining chlorella with exercise may also have benefits for reducing blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity,[5] as well as reducing waist circumference, visceral fat, total fat mass, and markers of atherosclerosis in women with overweight and obesity.[6][3]