Concerns about spirulina supplements extend to liver toxicity.
Update on Spirulina
What about the microscopic greens, like spirulina? Of all the controversial findings I’ve shared from the medical literature over the years, this is the one I get the most mail about. People love their pond scum.
So, I’ve stayed on top of the literature, and it’s time for an update. There’s no doubt that spirulina does some amazing things, but as with everything in life, it’s all about risk/benefit. And so, although in 2007, the data pointed against spirulina, and I threw mine out and encouraged others to do the same, is it possible that the balance of evidence has shifted back in favor? Still harmful? Half and half? Or, crept back to helpful?
In 2007, I was concerned about spirulina because of muscle breakdown, and these new findings have me concerned about liver cancer, too. 94% of samples were found to be contaminated with hepatotoxic microcystin toxins.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
Image thanks to Music4thekids via Wikimedia Commons.
What about the microscopic greens, like spirulina? Of all the controversial findings I’ve shared from the medical literature over the years, this is the one I get the most mail about. People love their pond scum.
So, I’ve stayed on top of the literature, and it’s time for an update. There’s no doubt that spirulina does some amazing things, but as with everything in life, it’s all about risk/benefit. And so, although in 2007, the data pointed against spirulina, and I threw mine out and encouraged others to do the same, is it possible that the balance of evidence has shifted back in favor? Still harmful? Half and half? Or, crept back to helpful?
In 2007, I was concerned about spirulina because of muscle breakdown, and these new findings have me concerned about liver cancer, too. 94% of samples were found to be contaminated with hepatotoxic microcystin toxins.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
Image thanks to Music4thekids via Wikimedia Commons.
Republishing "Update on Spirulina"
You may republish this material online or in print under our Creative Commons licence. You must attribute the article to NutritionFacts.org with a link back to our website in your republication.
If any changes are made to the original text or video, you must indicate, reasonably, what has changed about the article or video.
You may not use our material for commercial purposes.
You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that restrict others from doing anything permitted here.
If you have any questions, please Contact Us
Update on Spirulina
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Content URLDoctor's Note
Check out my other “HHH” videos (Harmful, Harmless, or Helpful?) – listed below the post.
For more context, see my associated blog post: Soy milk: shake it up! and Toxin Contamination of Spirulina Supplements.
Here are some newer related videos that came out after this video:
If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here. Read our important information about translations here.