Spirulina

Introduction

Spirulina, a blue-green alga, has garnered significant attention due to its high nutritional value and potential health benefits. It is rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, making it a popular dietary supplement. This synthesis explores the various applications and benefits of Spirulina as highlighted in recent research.

Key Insights

Nutritional Value and Health Benefits:
- Spirulina is rich in macro and micronutrients, essential amino acids, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it a complete food supplement .
- It exhibits therapeutic effects such as reducing cholesterol, enhancing the immune system, and providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits .
Clinical Applications:
- Spirulina has shown potential in modulating immune functions, exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties, and possibly having anticancer, antiviral, and antiallergic effects .
- It has been used successfully by NASA as a dietary supplement for astronauts, highlighting its efficacy and safety.
Animal Feed and Livestock Supplement:
- Spirulina improves animal growth, fertility, and health, making it a valuable feed resource for agriculturally important species like ruminants, poultry, swine, and rabbits.
- It enhances animal productivity and welfare due to its nutritive and protein-rich composition.
Food Industry Applications:
- Spirulina is incorporated into various food products such as dairy items, snacks, cookies, and pasta, due to its high nutritional value and health benefits .
- Fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis improves Spirulina's odor and protein availability, making it more palatable and nutritious.
Hypolipidemic Effects:
- Spirulina supplementation significantly reduces triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in dyslipidemic patients, indicating its potential as an alternative treatment for dyslipidemia.
Antioxidant and Protective Effects:
- Spirulina supplementation in fish exposed to toxins shows enhanced antioxidant biomarkers and reduced lipid peroxidation, indicating its protective role against oxidative stress.

Conclusion

Spirulina is a highly nutritious alga with diverse applications in human health, animal feed, and the food industry. Its rich composition of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds contributes to its therapeutic effects, including immune modulation, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, Spirulina shows promise in clinical applications for managing dyslipidemia and protecting against oxidative stress. Its incorporation into various food products and animal feed further underscores its versatility and potential for widespread use.

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Spirulina - From growth to nutritional product: A review

Spirulina is a safe and nutritious dietary supplement with potential applications in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, with potential for mass cultivation and innovative formulations to fortify conventional foods.

Spirulina in Clinical Practice: Evidence-Based Human Applications

Spirulina may improve symptoms and have anticancer, antiviral, and antiallergic effects, with potential clinical applications in treating various diseases.

Spirulina as a livestock supplement and animal feed.

Spirulina supplementation in livestock feed improves growth, fertility, and overall health, making it a cost-effective means to boost productivity and food security.

Current knowledge on potential health benefits of Spirulina

Spirulina may have therapeutic effects, including reducing cholesterol, cancer, enhancing immune system, reducing nephrotoxicity, and radiation protection.

Trends and Technological Advancements in the Possible Food Applications of Spirulina and Their Health Benefits: A Review

Spirulina offers high nutritional value and health benefits, making it a promising addition to food products like dairy, snacks, cookies, and pasta due to its low fat and cholesterol content.

Pharmacodynamic interaction of Spirulina platensis and deltamethrin in freshwater fish Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus: impact on lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress

Spirulina platensis supplementation at 0.5 and 1% in the diet can minimize deltamethrin-induced toxic effects in freshwater Nile tilapia by its free radical scavenging and potent antioxidant activity.

Mixed fermentation of Spirulina platensis with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis by random-centroid optimization.

Mixed fermentation of Spirulina platensis with Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis effectively improves odor and protein availability, yielding a creamy aroma and increased amino acid ratio.

The hypolipidaemic effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) supplementation in a Cretan population: a prospective study.

Spirulina supplementation at 1g daily significantly lowers triglyceride levels in Cretan dyslipidaemic patients, making it a potential alternative treatment for this condition.

Convective drying of Spirulina in thin layer

Spirulina can be dried in thin layers by convection at temperatures below 40°C and air speeds of 2.5 m/s, with a first drying phase appearing under these conditions.

Spirulina in health care management.

Spirulina is a complete source of nutrition with potential health benefits such as antioxidant, anti-bacterial, antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic properties.

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