About spirulina benefits

Information on Spirulina

Spirulina lives in the both fresh and sea water and it isactually a unicellular alga. It is very popular and it is commonly used for theproduction of numerous different types of nutritional supplements. Spirulina isa cyanobacteria and it has a shape of a coil. Its color comes from the pigmentscalled phycocyanin and chlorophyll.

It can be found in alkaline water bodiesbut it is also cultivated everywhere around the world. It has been used as afood source even in the 16th century. Aztecs have used itextensively. Nowadays it is mostly cultivated in the United States, Pakistan,India, Thailand, Myanmar and China.

Spirulina Health Benefits

Spirulina is very good for overall health because itcontains all 8 different types of essential amino acids. Its content of proteinis up to 70 percent which is much higher than all other types of proteinsources.

Spirulina is an excellent source of various other types of essentialnutrients such as vitamin E, linoleic acid, beta-carotene, essential fattyacids, vitamin C, chromium, vitamins from the B complex, selenium, zinc,copper, iron and manganese. Spirulina is very efficient in boosting and strengtheningthe immune system which comes in very handy when it comes to fighting numerous differenttypes of infectious agents and infections.

Spirulina has very potentantioxidant properties, which means that is very beneficial in fighting thefree radicals and reducing the damage they cause to the human body. Freeradicals damage the human body by oxidizing different tissues and body cells.Spirulina is very helpful preventing hair loss, promoting a healthy growth ofhair and treating alopecia. It is also known for preventing certain types ofcancer.

Among its numerous health benefits is the fact that it is very efficientin lowering the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood and increasing thelevels of good cholesterol in the blood which reduces the risk of heartdiseases and improves the functioning of the entire cardiovascular system. Itmay also come in very handy when it comes to prevention and treatment ofnumerous liver disorders.

Spirulina is very efficient in improving thefunctioning of the digestive system and gastrointestinal tract. It eliminates the toxic substances from thebody, reduces the body weight and prevents allergic dermatitis.

Spirulina Side Effects

Common side effects of spirulina include diarrhea, hives, stomachache, skin rash and constipation. It may also interact with differentmedicaments and supplements.