Weight Loss Is One of Spirulina’s Many Purported Benefits
Friday, February 24th, 2012Spirulina, long recommended as a nutritional supplement for weight loss (among numerous other things) is a form of blue-green algae that includes several different species. Closely resembling algae, spirulina contains 60% protein in addition to several other nutrients. Most products that are supposed to be good for weight loss turn out to have bad side effects, but spirulina has been under the magnifying glass and is still around.
Spirulina is not only used to assist weight loss and provide protein. It is a detoxifier and helps with digestion and colon cleansing. Additional benefits have been stated to include boosting immunity, treating hypoglycemia, anxiety, depression and fatigue and preventing cancer and heart disease. Mental ability is supposed to be enhanced and memory improved from regular spirulina consumption.
Online reviews on medical info sites are less inspiring. One of them that addresses spirulina is a page by National Institutes of Health (NIH) that simply says there is not enough scientific evidence go rate spirulina in their system. NIH does confirm that spirulina is rich in protein, iron and other minerals. Equally importantly, they specify that these minerals are easily absorbed by the body when they are consumed. There is ongoing research into its benefits that is being conducted both in animal experiments and in humans.
The quality of spirulina that is available for purchase varies widely. Buyers should be sure to get spirulina that is grown under controlled conditions and that is inspected for quality. Some brands are certified organic, which is an additional sign of quality. There are also sales networks that sell a very expensive version and you probably don’t need to spend a lot of money to benefit from spirulina.
It is not unusual for traditional medicines to be labeled as unproven or worthless; on the other hand, marketers will say anything to make their product sell, so of course “the best,” “ultimate” and “top of the line” are meaningless claims. If you do decide to add spirulina to your nutritional regimen, be sure to find a high quality product, but know that you don’t need to be paying inflated sales network prices either.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hype on the Internet searching for facts about Minnesota Weight Loss Programs, but we make it our top priority to help you.