Spirulina: Nutritive values and health benefits!

1. -Akshay P Salunke
T.E - 25

2. Introduction
Spirulina (Arthrospira Platensis) is a unique freshwater plant that has
been of an enormous interest to nutritional scintists over the past
decade.
It is the most nutritionally concentrated compact whole food known to
humankind, which owe a potential to drastically lower your chances of
developing cancer, heart disease, or stroke, or of contracting a life-
threatning virus such as HIV.
Spirulina's concentrated nutrition makes it an ideal food supplement for
people of all ages and lifestyles. Spirulina is about sixty percent
complete, highly digestible protein. Spirulina contains every essential
amino acid.
Its impressive protein content and its rapid growth in entirely mineral
enviornment s have attracted the attention of researchers and
industrialists alike.

3. Spirulina: One of Nature’s Near-Perfect Food
• Spirulina is similar to sea vegetables, belonging to
blue green family – but not truly algae.
• Primarily produced by two species: Arthrosipra
Platensis and Arthrospira maxima.
• Spirulina is about sixty percent complete, highly
digestible protein with very high “protein efficiency
ratio.”
• It grows naturally in alkaline waters of lakes which
ensure crop hygiene.
• Spirulina has 5-6% fatty acids usually not
metabolized by higher organisms.

4. Comparing spirulina
Comparing Spirulina with other foods shows just how packed it is with
nutrients.
A gram-per-gram comparison of Spirulina from Hawaii (which contains the
highest nutrient levels of any Spirulina) shows how powerfully nutritious
it is:
• Hawaiian Spirulina has 180% more calcium than whole milk
• Hawaiian Spirulina has 5100% more iron than spinach
• Hawaiian Spirulina has 3100% more beta carotene than carrots
• Hawaiian Spirulina has 670% more protein than tofu
•Three grams of Spirulina have more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
activity than five servings of fruits and vegetables
• Comparing phytonutrient levels, Spirulina is 31 times more
potent than blueberries, 60 times more potent than spinach and
700 times more potent than apples.

5. Complete protein
• Spirulina is about sixty percent protein - far more than any
other food.
• Spirulina's protein is easily digested and assimilated. Other
plants have cell walls of hard, indigestible cellulose, while
Spirulina's cell walls consist of soft mucopolysaccharides,
making it easy for the body to digest.

6. lipids
• Spirulina has total lipid content of 5.6-7% of dry weight.
• lipids are low-level branched chain fatty acids containing
essentially saffolipids, paraffin, pigments, terpene alcohol and
sterols.
• One of the best source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, an
important fatty acid for heart and joints.)

7. carbohydrates
• Constitute 15-25% of dry weight of Spirulina.
• Simple sugars- fructose, glucose and sucrose present in small
quantities; polyols such as glycerol, mannitol and sorbitol also
occur.
Vitamins
• Pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene) => accounts for 80% of
carotenoids
present in Spirulina. Remainder consist of cryptoxanthin and
physoxanthin.
• Dry Spirulina contains 50-190 mg/kg of Vitamin E (tocopherols)
which
has excellent antioxydant properties.
• Spirulina has high content of vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which is
difficult to

8. Minerals
• Spirulina has the highest content of iron so far, about 580-
1800 mg/kg.
• Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus occur in spirulina in
quantities comparable to found in milk.
• Spirulina is also enhanced with high potassium content.
( Typical Analysis per 3 grams – one
teaspoon)

9. Research-Based
Health Benefits of Spirulina
 Research on Spirulina’s health benefits has been far-ranging.
 The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have been documented
in the literature. As a result, there is really no way to cover all of the
literature related to its potential benefits because there are so many!
 “Spirulina has been experimentally proven, in vivo and in vitro that it
is effective to treat certain allergies, anemia, cancer, hepatotoxicity
[toxicity of the liver], viral and cardiovascular diseases, hyperglycemia
[high blood sugar], hyperlipidemia [high cholesterol and triglycerides],
immunodeficiency, and inflammatory processes.”
 There are scientific studies supporting nutrients in Spirulina, such as
superoxide dismutase, glycolipids, sulfolipids, various carotenoids,
RNA, and DNA having potential usefulness in preventing and/or
treating the following health conditions:-

10. 1. Iron defeciency anaemia
2. Pernicious anaemia
3. Vitamin A deficiency
4. Protein energy disorders
5. Inhibition of mother-child transmission of HIV
6. Cancer prevention through provision of carotenoids
7. Radiological protection
8. Antioxidants against ARMD(Age-related macular
degeneration)
9. Strengthening immune defences
10. Cardiovascular diseases (including stroke)
11. Type 2 Diabetes
12. Obesity & hypertension
13. Neurodegenrative disorders (Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s
disease)
14. Control of allergic rhinitis

11. Other health Benefits
 Reduced pain sensitivity by inhibiting prostaglandins, which
contribute to pain and inflammation.
 Removal of heavy metals from the body
 Improvement of blood quality and prevention of anemia.
 Protection of the liver and kidneys
 Anti-Viral Properties
 Spirulina shows far ranging cardiovascular benefits
including improvement of blood lipid profiles, prevention of
atherosclerosis, and control of hypertension.
 Provides with Phytopigments (phycocyanin, chlorophyll, and
carotenoids)
 Metallo-thionine compounds (proteins combined with
metals that bind heavy radioactive isotopes)
 Naturally rich in iodine.
 One of best known sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA,
an important fatty acid for heart and joints).

12. Major impact of Spirulina
• Bone marrow and blood health5 (especially during use of
anticancer drugs)
• Reduced allergy symptoms
• Protection from the damage of ionizing radiation
Spirulina and Type 2 Diabetes
*Role of Spirulina in the Control of Glycemia and Lipidemia in
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
• Reducing systemic inflammation
• Favorably altering your lipid profile by reducing serum triglycerides and
increasing HDL.
• Improving vasodilation in those who are obese as a result of high
fructose diets (which has benefits for diabetics, as well as for those
with hypertension and cardiovascular disease)

13. Spirulina and Your Eyes
*Role of Spirulina in preventing cataracts
• Reducing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) i.e deterioration of
your macula (the region in your eye that controls acute vision)
• Spirulina provides carotenoid pigments called xanthophylls—lutein,
zeaxanthin, and possibly astaxanthin which help protect the eyes from
damage by slowing down ultraviolet-induced oxidation of lipid
membranes, thereby helping prevent degeneration of the macula.
Spirulina and Your Cardiovascular Health
*Role of Spirulina in terms of creating better lipid profiles, controlling
hypertension, and increasing blood vessel elasticity
• Decreases in blood pressure and plasma lipid concentrations, especially
triacylglycerols and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol have been
demonstrated as a result of oral consumption of Spirulina.
• Results also showed that HDL levels saw a significant increase, while
both systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased.
• improved glycosylated hemoglobin and prevented hypertension and
vasoconstriction.

14. Spirulina and Your Liver
*Role of Spirulina in preventing Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Prevents the buildup of triglycerides in your liver
• Inhibits lipid peroxidation
• Reduces liver inflammation
• Protects your liver from damage by heavy metals, like lead and mercury.
Spirulina and Your Brain
*Role of Spirulina in preventing stroke
• Reduces platelet aggregation, reducing risk for thromboembolism.
• Highest neuroprotective effect.
• Phycocyanin in spirulina can suppress NADPH oxidase, lowering your risk
for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
*Spirulina has long been associated with immune building and anti-viral
properties also.

15. CONCLUSION
Spirulina is highly nutritious and shows great diversity and
higher concentrations of nutrients compared to other food
sources.
Research on this uni-cellular, blue-green microalgae began
in the 1970’s, and has increased in the last ten years.
Spirulina is marketed throughout the world as a food
supplement or as an active ingredient in functional foods
and beverages. It has attained considerable acceptance
for the health benefits it bestows on consumers in Europe,
North America, parts of Asia and Oceania. Spirulina’s
concentrated nutrition makes it an ideal food supplement
for people of all ages and lifestyles.
Cultured Spirulina grows extremely fast: In fact, Spirulina
farms are the most productive agricultural systems in the
world. A typical output for yearround production, such as
that realized in Hawaii, is over 400,000 kilograms a year
on just 40 hectares of land. When you consider that
Spirulina is typically 60% protein, that means over 240,000
kilograms of pure protein is produced each year, far
surpassing the per-hectare yields of high-protein crops such
as soybeans and triticale wheat. And, unlike other forms of
farming, there is no fertilizer or manure runoff to pollute
ground water or streams. It's refreshing to know that the
world's most productive agricultural systems are non-
polluting and use no herbicides or pesticides! Spirulina production
(microscopic)

16. References
 The Medical Research of Spirulina -> Cyanotech Corporation, Kailua-Kona,
Hawaii, USA.
 The Nutritional aspects of Spirulina -> Jacques Falquet (Antenna Technologies).
 Potential health benefits of spirulina microalgae -> Bob Capelli, Gerald R.
Cysewski (Cyanotech Corporation).

17. Thank You!