Spirulina may improve blood lipid levels

Dyslipidemia is characterized by very high cholesterol and triglycerides. It is a major cardiovascular risk factor and a leading cause of illness and death in developed countries [1][2]. In 2010 [3], the US health system spent $444 million as a result of dyslipidemia-related illness.

A new study [4] shows that spirulina supplementation may help dyslipidemia. It included 52 residents of Crete, 32 men and 20 women aged 37–61, recently diagnosed with the condition. They received 1000 mg spirulina daily for 12 weeks, without a placebo group. Blood was sampled before and after, and physical examinations measured blood pressure, BMI and weight.
After 12 weeks, the following results were obtained for men and women:

No statistical significance was achieved for HDL cholesterol or weight. While total and LDL cholesterol remained “high” according to the National Institutes of Health, spirulina reduced triglycerides in men and women from “borderline high” (>150 mg/dL) to “normal” (<150 mg/dL). Despite the absence of placebo, researchers described the lipid reductions within just 12 weeks as remarkable.

Although “the active substances in spirulina responsible for lowering lipids should be known,” they concluded that “spirulina supplementation at 1000 mg per day has a strong lipid-lowering effectiveness.” They also stated that “the role of spirulina as a natural food supplement against hyperlipidemia at higher doses and/or combined with other treatments should not be overlooked.”