Spirulina Powder
Spirulina contains several nutrients, including fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, and K), fatty acids (DHA, EPA), beta carotene, and minerals. It's also a source of protein, but it lacks high enough levels of some of the amino acids that your body needs to function at its best (unless you have a medical condition where you need to avoid specific amino acids, like phenylketonuria or "PKU"). Since spirulina comes from bacteria (cyanobacteria), it may be considered a protein source for vegans.
It's also important to note that the B12 in spirulina is in a different form as "pseudovitamin B12" than the type typically absorbable by your body.2 You'll likely need to look elsewhere for your B12 needs, especially if you follow a vegetarian or vegan way of eating, which can be low in B12. Lower levels of B12 are also found in adults over 60.3 And why's B12 important? Because your body needs B12 to make red blood cells, it's also crucial for brain and nerve cell development.4 Not getting enough B12 can cause tiredness, memory loss, depression, and even different types of anemia.
Uses of Spirulina
Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare provider, such as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RD/RDN) or pharmacist. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease.
Spirulina has fat-soluble vitamins (like A, E, and K), beta carotene and minerals, protein, and phycocyanins (pigments that produce a blue color and have antioxidant effects).
Spirulina is a plant-based powerhouse of protein often compared to eggs for its delivery of all nine essential amino acids, via Healthline. Only the protein in spirulina can reduce cholesterol absorption and triglyceride levels while increasing nitric oxide that relaxes blood vessels, making it a major defender against heart disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, and blood cots, per WebMD. This tiny alga is also rich in vitamins like vitamin A as beta carotene and vitamins C, D, and E, which are all great for the immune system, eye and bone health, and energy production, according to Mount Sinai. Finally, spirulina is a powerful source of antioxidants, the most potent being phycocyanin, which gives it its rich blue-green color. It has also been shown to eliminate cancer cells and prevent the growth of tumors.