Spirulina supplementation has been shown in a variety of populations to improve markers of iron deficiency anemia, including increased levels of hemoglobin, a higher red blood cell count, and an increased hematocrit.[1][2][3][4][5]
This effect could relate to spirulina’s highly bioavailable iron (although there are only ~5 mg of iron per 10 grams of dried spirulina),[6] but the predominant protein in spirulina, phycocyanin, may also stimulate red blood cell production.[7]
There currently isn’t enough research to suggest that spirulina might be a replacement for standard anemia treatments such as iron supplementation. Additionally, the nutritional content of spirulina can vary depending on the cultivation and processing techniques used, which could alter its effectiveness for anemia.[8]
References
- ^Moradi S, Foshati S, Poorbaferani F, Talebi S, Bagheri R, Amirian P, Parvizi F, Nordvall M, Wong A, Zobeiri MThe effects of spirulina supplementation on serum iron and ferritin, anemia parameters, and fecal occult blood in adults with ulcerative colitis: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.Clin Nutr ESPEN.(2023-Oct)
- ^Selmi C, Leung PS, Fischer L, German B, Yang CY, Kenny TP, Cysewski GR, Gershwin METhe effects of Spirulina on anemia and immune function in senior citizensCell Mol Immunol.(2011 May)
- ^Othoo DA, Ochola S, Kuria E, Kimiywe JImpact of Spirulina corn soy blend on Iron deficient children aged 6-23 months in Ndhiwa Sub-County Kenya: a randomized controlled trial.BMC Nutr.(2021-Nov-09)
- ^Gurney T, Brouner J, Spendiff OTwenty-one days of spirulina supplementation lowers heart rate during submaximal cycling and augments power output during repeated sprints in trained cyclists.Appl Physiol Nutr Metab.(2021-Aug-16)
- ^Hubert Barennes, Laetitia Houdart, Caroline de Courville, Florent BarennesSpirulina as a daily nutritional supplement of young pre-school Cambodian children of deprived settings: a single-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over trialBMC Pediatr.(2022 Dec 7)
- ^Ahmad AMR, Intikhab A, Zafar S, Farooq U, Shah HBU, Akram S, Abid J, Parveen Z, Iqbal SSpirulina, an FDA-Approved Functional Food: Worth the Hype?Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand).(2023-Jan-31)
- ^Liu Q, Huang Y, Zhang R, Cai T, Cai YMedical Application of Spirulina platensis Derived C-PhycocyaninEvid Based Complement Alternat Med.(2016)
- ^Calella P, Di Dio M, Cerullo G, Di Onofrio V, Gallé F, Liguori GAntioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects of Spirulina in disease conditions: a systematic review.Int J Food Sci Nutr.(2022-Dec)