Available in powder and tablets, spirulina is a small edible blue-green algae that is used as a cure to take advantage of its many benefits (rich in iron, vitamins, etc.).Composition, dosage, contraindication, danger: all you need to know.Spirulina is a soft, spiral-shaped micro-algae that belongs to the cyanobacteria family.It has existed for 3.5 billion years and grows naturally in the lakes of India, Mexico or Chad.Used in the 13th century by the Incas and the Aztecs, Europeans will discover it during the conquest of Central America.It will become extremely popular in the early 1970s in industrialized countries.Spirulina was declared in 1974 "the best food for humanity in the 21st century" by the World Health Organization and "the ideal and most complete food of tomorrow" by Unesco.Spirulina is used for food purposes (especially in Mexico and Chad), particularly in the form of supplements, because of its nutritional potential, or as a coloring agent.It is also used in animal feed.Three species of spirulina are listed in the decree of June 24, 2014 establishing the list of plants, other than mushrooms, authorized in food supplements and the conditions for their use (spirulina major, spirulina maxima, spirulina platensis).The best-selling species of spirulina is Spirulina platensis.The particularity of this seaweed is to be both low in calories and rich in nutrients: vegetable proteins, carotenoids, iron, Vitamin B12, E, potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, zinc, fluorine, gamma-linolenic acid or antioxidants.→ The carbohydrate content of spirulina varies from 14 to 19% of dry matter.→ The protein content varies from 60 to 70% of the dry matter of spirulina with a high proportion of essential amino acids.→ The total lipid content of spirulina (mainly in the form of di- and triglycerides) is generally less than 10%.In France, spirulina is marketed as a foodstuff in bulk, in the form of powder or food supplements, in the form of capsules or tablets.Spirulina is recommended for people with high cardiovascular risks, people with type 2 diabetes, people who have reduced or excluded animal protein from their diet (flexitarians, vegetarians, vegans), people on a low calorie diet, malnourished people, anemic people or adolescents.The recommended dosages vary from 1 g per day (as a slimming supplement) to 5 g per day in three doses for therapeutic uses (diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, etc.).If spirulina has slimming assets, it does not make you lose weight.It is mainly its high protein content (it contains 60%, or 3 times more than a beef steak!) that makes spirulina interesting as part of a diet.Proteins are satiating and help fight muscle wasting often associated with weight loss.However, keeping your muscles is essential to maintain your ideal weight because it is he who burns calories, even at rest.Another advantage of spirulina as part of a diet: its great richness in minerals and antioxidants, which make it possible to overcome deficiencies and keep in shape.Spirulina can be stored for a long time without its nutritional qualities being affected, provided that you take care to preserve it from humidity!So be sure to close its bag with a zip or pliers, or transfer it to an airtight container.It should ideally be stored away from heat and light.Spirulina is sold in health food stores or online, on dietary supplement sites.Favor Ecocert certified products and check that the information concerning the origin of the micro-algae is sufficiently detailed.Finally, the product must necessarily be 100% pure, it must not contain other ingredients than spirulina.The consumption of spirulina is not recommended for people suffering from phenylketonuria, those with an excess of uric acid, as well as those with allergic conditions.People with too high a ferritin level should also avoid undertaking a spirulina cure.In 2017, the National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) indicated in an opinion that it had received 49 reports of adverse effects likely to be linked to the consumption of food supplements containing spirulina.Spirulina has been the subject of preclinical and clinical studies, she explained."Preclinical data did not show toxicity of spirulina at high doses (for doses administered up to 30 g/Kg/d, see ad libitum in mice). Among the many clinical studies carried out at doses of up to 19g/d of dry spirulina, only a few adverse effects such as digestive disorders and headaches related to the consumption of spirulina have been reported.Nevertheless, the numbers of these studies are too small to highlight rare effects such as than an individual susceptibility/hypersensitivity."→ Among the adverse effects already observed after the consumption of spirulina-based supplements: stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and liquid stools.→ In 2014, ANSES published a case of an allergic reaction (allergic facial angioedema) that occurred after taking spirulina.Apart from the risk of contamination (traces of mercury, lead and arsenic have been found in samples of spirulina from Africa, Thailand, Mexico, India and even the United States, indicated the ANSES in 2017), spirulina does not seem to present a health risk at low doses (up to several grams per day), estimates ANSES.It recommends "favoring the supply circuits best controlled by the public authorities (compliance with French regulations, traceability, identification of the manufacturer)".Whatever happens, it is always recommended to take the advice of your doctor before starting a course of food supplements.Contents Definition Composition In what form?Benefits Indications Dosage Weight loss Contraindications Adverse effects Dangers What is spirulina?Spirulina is a micro...I manage my push subscriptionsThe information collected is intended for CCM Benchmark Group to ensure the sending of your newsletter.They will also be used, subject to the options subscribed, for advertising targeting purposes.You have the right to access and rectify your personal data, as well as the right to request its erasure within the limits provided by law.You can also review your targeting options at any time.Learn more about our privacy policy.