Blue-Green Algae

USAGE AND EFFECTIVENESS

Usage	Effectiveness
High Blood Pressure	Effective (Decrease blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure) Shown in several strong clinical studies to be effective in reducing blood pressure whether it is alone (as compared to pills without active ingredient) or add to high blood pressure medicines; reduction of systolic pressure (blood pressure when the heart contract) varied from trial to trial, from 7mm mercury to 13mm mercury. Do consult your health professional before taking blue-green algae.
Diabetes	Mild effectiveness (Decrease fasting blood sugar levels) Analysis of small clinical studies showed that blue-green algae may decrease cholesterol levels in patients with diabetes but did not prove that it can reduce the glycated hemoglobin (amount of sugar sticking on red blood cell pigment, a measure of blood sugar control over 120 days); another small study showed that blue-green algae may decrease fasting blood sugar by 27%; more evidence is needed to support its use.
High Cholesterol	Mild effectiveness (Reduce cholesterol levels) Several clinical studies showed that blue green algae may decrease total cholesterol by 8 to 27%, bad cholesterol by 10 to 65%, triglyceride by 0 to 23% and may increase good cholesterol by 0 to 66%; clinical studies may not be well-design enough to support extensive use; more evidence is needed.
Allergic Rhinitis	Mild effectiveness (Reduce allergy symptoms) One clinical study showing improvement in self-rated scores for allergy symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge, nasal congestion and itching; clinical studies is not robust enough; more evidence is needed to support the above
AIDS Medicine-induced Insulin Resistance	Mild effectiveness (Increase insulin sensitivity) One clinical study showing increase in insulin sensitivity; clinical studies is not robust enough; more evidence is needed to support the above
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)	Mild effectiveness (Improves ADHD scores) One clinical study showing improvement in ADHD scores but unclear if effects is due to blue-green algae or other ingredients or combination; clinical studies is not robust enough; more evidence is needed to support the above
Cognitive Function	Mild effectiveness (Improve mental performance) One clinical study showing improvement in mental performance; clinical studies not robust enough; more evidence is needed to support the above
Malnutrition	Mild effectiveness (Increase weight gain) Two clinical studies showing increase in weight gain; clinical studies not robust enough; more evidence is needed to support the above
Menopause	Mild effectiveness (Reduce anxiety and depression) One clinical study showing the reduction in anxiety and depression; clinical studies not robust enough; more evidence is needed to support the above
Obesity	Mild effectiveness (Increases weight loss) Several clinical studies showing increase in weight loss and reduces fasting blood sugar and total cholesterol levels; more evidence is needed to support the above
Oral Leukoplakia	Mild Effectiveness (Reverse disease regression) One clinical study showed that 45% of patients who received blue-green algae seen reversal of pre-cancerous sores as compared to 7% among those who received pills without active ingredient; more evidence is needed to support the above. Oral leukoplakia is a condition where white or grey spots are observed in the mouth. Approximately 3 to 17.5% of such cases may develop into oral cancer within 15 years.
Periodontitis	Mild Effectiveness (Decreased in pocket depth) In periodontitis, the gap between the tooth and the gum is known as pocket depth. As the dental disease worsens, the erosion of the tooth increase the pocket depth and this gap allows accumulation of dental plaque, leftover food and bacteria, worsening the issue. In a clinical study, the usage of dental gel containing blue-green algae after dental scaling and root planning reduced the pocket depth as compared to just doing dental scaling and root planing; more evidence is needed to support the above. Periodontitis is condition where there is a serious dental infection with symptoms such as swollen and bleeding gum, toothache and pus in the gum; it may lead to possible loss of teeth and other health complications (e.g. heart disease and worsening of blood sugar control).
Poisoning	Mild effectiveness (Increases clearance and reduce symptoms of arsenic poisoning) One small clinical study showing increase in excretion of arsenic in urine, reduction in arsenic levels and skin manifestations of chronic arsenic toxicity; clinical studies is not robust enough; more evidence is needed to support more extensive use of blue-green algae.
Hepatitis C	Unclear effectiveness Two studies producing conflicting results (One showing improvement in liver enzymes levels while one show worsening of the liver function test)
HIV/AIDS	Unclear effectiveness Two studies producing conflicting results (One showing reduction in incidence of infectious episodes while the other showing no reduction in incidence of infectious episodes)
Sports Performance	Unclear effectiveness Two studies producing conflicting results (One showing increase in sprinting time to fatigue while other shows no effect on exercise output)
Anxiety	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Blepharospasm	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above. Blepharospasm is a condition where there is uncontrolled blinking or other movements of the eyelid(s) e.g. twitching.
Cancer	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Depression	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Fatigue	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Heart Disease & Blood Vessel Diseases	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Indigestion	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Low Blood Count	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is a condition where excess fats are accumulated in the liver of individuals who drink little to no alcohol.
Premenstrual Syndrome	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Stress	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above
Wound Healing	Unknown effectiveness No clinical study to support the above point; More evidence needed to support the point above

General Safety

• Generally safe if consumed non-contaminated blue-green algae; Unsafe if consumed contaminated blue-green algae

Pregnant/Breastfeeding Women

• Little data to show it is safe or otherwise; avoid if possible

Children

• Unsafe for consumption due to heavy metals such as lead and mercury

Elderly

• Little data to show it is safe or otherwise; avoid if possible

Special to Note

• Individuals are advised to not take the supplement 2 weeks before the operation.

Contraindications

• Details:
  • May cause stimulated immune function in individuals with autoimmune diseases.
  • May extend bleeding time and increase risk of bleeding and bruising in individuals with bleeding disorders.
  • May increase risk of low blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes.
  • May cause disease flare up in people with autoimmune disease that causes skin blistering.
  • May worsen individuals with decreased metabolism of amino acids/ Phenylketonuria.
  • May interfere with blood sugar levels during surgery.

Side Effects

• Generally safe; side effects may include:
  • Skin: hives/ mosquito bite like rash and rash; one case of severe rash; one case of blistering skin, bleeding blisters, secreting pus, and softening and breaking down of skin.
  Hormone: one case of seizures due to high levels of calcium in blood was reported in a new-born infant; rare incidences of high serum calcium levels.
  • Muscle/Skeletal: one case of muscle weakness/ swelling and high levels of creatine kinase; another case of weakness, fatigue, elevated creatine kinase and liver function test.
  • Liver: one case of significant increase in liver function test.
  • Immune System: one case of anaphylaxis with hives, lip swelling and asthma; another case of rash, skin redness, swelling to the skin, wheezing and shortness of breath; another case of eczema; one case of nausea, headache, dizziness, fatigue, generalized weakness, stomach pain and thirst.
  • Blood: one case of mild gum bleeding and one case of mild bruising was reported.

• Medicines
  Medium severity interactions with medicines for blood clotting, diabetes, and immunosuppressants
• Supplements
  Medium to High severity interactions with herbs and supplements for blood clotting (e.g dang gui (angelica), clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax Ginseng, red clover, tumeric and others), lowering of blood sugar levels (e.g alpha-lipoic acid, devil's claw, fenugreek, garlic, guar gum, horse chestnut, Panax ginseng, psyllium, and Siberian ginseng) and Iron
• Food
  Interactions with food containing iron
• Lab Tests
  None known

• Allergic Rhinitis (Adults)
  Consume 2 grams of spirulina blue-green algae daily for 6 months
• AIDS Medicine-induced Insulin Resistance (Adults)
  Consume 19 grams powdered spirulina blue-green algae daily for 2 months
• Poisoning (Adults)
  Consume 250mg alcoholic extract plus 2mg zinc twice daily for 16 weeks
• Sports Performance (Adults)
  Consume 2 grams spirulina blue-green algae three times daily for 4 weeks
• Diabetes (Adults)
  Consume 1 gram specific product containing spirulina blue-green algae species twice daily for 2 months
• Hepatitis C (Adults)
  Consume 500mg spirulina blue-green algae three times daily for 6 months
• HIV/AIDS (Adults)
  Consume 5 grams powdered spirulina blue-green algae for 3 months daily
• High Cholesterol (Adults)
  Consume 1-10 grams spirulina blue-green algae for 4 weeks to 6 months daily
• High Blood Pressure (Adults)
  Consume 4.5 grams spirulina blue-green algae daily for 6-12 weeks; Consume 2 grams spirulina blue-green algae for 12 weeks daily
• Menopausal Symptoms (Adults)
  Consume 1.6 grams specific product containing blue-green algae species Aphanizomenon flos-aquae daily for 8 weeks
• Cognitive Function (Adults)
  Consume 3 grams spirulina blue-green algae daily for up to 8 weeks
• Obesity (Adults)
  Consume 1 gram specific product containing spirulina blue-green algae twice or four times daily for 3 months; Consume 2 grams spirulina blue-green algae daily for 3 months or 4.5 grams daily for 6 weeks, alone or with exercise
• Oral Leukoplakia (Adults)
  Consume 1 gram spirulina blue-green algae daily for 12 months
• Periodontitis (Adults)
  Inject 4% w/v gel prepared from spirulina blue-green algae into the gum after scaling and root planing
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disoder (Children)
  Consume 3mL specific extract of spirulina blue-green algae, peony, ashwagandha, gotu kola, bacopa and lemon balm, diluted in 50-60 mL of water and taken three times daily for 4 months in children aged 6-12 years old
• Malnutrition (Children)
  Consume 5-10 grams spirulina blue-green algae twice daily for 8 weeks in malnourished children under age of 5 years

• General Information
  • Blue-Green Algae is used by consumers for allergic rhinitis, arsenic poisoning, cognitive function, sports performance and others.
• How does it work?
  • Contains chemicals that affects blood clotting, reduces blood sugar levels, inflammation, cholesterol levels, have antioxidants effects and influence the immune system, heart function and remove heavy metals from the body.