What's the Best Spirulina And The Best Way To Use It?

In the twenty-first century, there's no reason not to insist on organic spirulina. That doesn't mean that the spirulina was harvested from nature, but it does mean that it was given nothing but natural, filtered, mineral-rich water and sunshine. 

If spirulina is something you don't use very often, the spirulina pills will keep longer on the shelf. If spirulina is something you use every day, then spirulina powder mixed in water or juice delivers spirulina nutrients more completely.

Why would you use spirulina every day?

• Spirulina provides complete protein, all the amino acids found in dairy, eggs, fish, or meat. It has slightly less cysteine, lysine, and methionine, however, due to the way the bacterium uses its version of vitamin B12.

• Spirulina is a good source of eye health nutrients lutein and zeaxanthine.
• Spirulina is a good source of vitamins, including vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), vitamin E (alpha- and gamma-tocopherol), and vitamin K1 (phylloquinone). Some strains of spirulina such as the product made by Nutrex Hawaii also contain vitamin K2 (menaquinone).
• Spirulina is a good source of minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.
• Spirulina is a source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 essential fatty acid that helps regulate the immune system and, in diabetics, reduces nerve pain from neuropathy.

The benefits of spirulina aren't limited to its nutritional power. Recent research finds that the product as a whole is supportive of recovery in an astonishing variety of conditions.

• Spirulina added to misola (soy,millet, and peanut) accelerated recovery from kwashiorkor and marasmus in children who had survived starvation.
• In an animal experiment, spirulina increases mineral deposits into bone after menopause.
• In an animal experiment, spirulina protected the liver from damage by fatty liver.
• In an animal experiment, spirulina protected against atherosclerosis caused by an excess of small particles of LDL cholesterol.
• HIV patients in Cameroon given spirulina for six months had more T-cells and lower viral load.
• In an animal experiment, giving both spirulina and fish oil reduced the progress of atherosclerosis even when cholesterol levels were high.
• In a clinical trial in Cameroon, spirulina reduced insulin resistance in patients with chronic infections.
• In a clinical trial in India, diabetic volunteers who took spirulina for two months had both lower blood sugar levels and lower LDL cholesterol levels.
• Spirulina is antibacterial against certain kinds of Gram-positive bacteria that cause infections in humans, including Staphylococcus aureus FRI 722 and Bacillus cereus F 4810.
• Spirulina contains compounds that act as ACE-inhibitors, lowering blood pressure.

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The producers of spirulina have made enormous strides in eliminating heavy metals and bacterial contamination, particularly with species that produce the toxic compound BMAA. Spirulina isn't really a superfood. It's not enough to knock out any disease condition, and you need basic nutrients in amounts greater than you are likely to get from spirulina alone. But if you are concerned about filling gaps in your nutrition, or you need support in recovery from chronic disease, spirulina is an excellent choice.