WHAT EXACTLY IS CHLORELLA?

Unlike spirulina and AFA algae, chlorella algae have a cell nucleus, making chlorella a microalgae. Spirulina and AFA, on the other hand, are just bacteria (so-called cyanobacteria), although they are often referred to as "microalgae."

Although the chlorella algae is tiny, it is one of the most highly developed organisms and has managed to survive for more than two million years despite all the changes in its living conditions. This is probably the reason why scientists are so interested in this type of algae and why there are now numerous scientific studies on its health effects.

Another special feature of the Chlorella algae is its high chlorophyll content, which is reflected in its deep green colour and which in this concentration  has not yet been measured in any other plant. In terms of its chemical structure, chlorophyll is almost identical to the human blood pigment hemoglobin.

NUTRIENTS IN CHLORELLA ALGAE

Vitamin B12 in Chlorella algae

Chlorella algae is a plant-based alternative to supplying vitamin B12 for vegans and vegetarians: 100 g of dried algae contain around 25-100 μg of vitamin B12. Unlike spirulina, chlorella mainly contains real vitamin B12 and not so-called vitamin B12 analogues. These are chemically similar to vitamin B12 and bind to the same transport molecules in the body, but have no effect. Chlorella is therefore the only algae that is suitable for substituting vitamin B12.

Other vitamins, trace elements and minerals in Chlorella

Chlorella contains all water-soluble vitamins (B vitamins and vitamin C) and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K) in a natural combination. The chlorella algae also contains the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium as well as the trace elements iron, zinc, manganese, copper and selenium. Important for Graves' disease and Hashimoto's patients with iodine sensitivity: since chlorella is a freshwater algae, it is almost iodine-free.

For example, a study from 2010 was able to show that, due to the iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid it contains, the risk of anemia in pregnant women can be significantly reduced by taking 6 g of chlorella per day.

Chlorella as a protein source

Microalgae are one of the most important plant-based sources of protein. The protein content of dried Chlorella vulgaris is over 50%, which is higher than that of fish, chicken or beef.

In addition, the biological value, i.e. the proportion of the ingested protein that can be converted into the body's own protein and thus made available to the body, of the proteins from the chlorella algae is 88.

However, since chlorella is usually only taken in small amounts, little protein is absorbed in absolute terms. Nevertheless, chlorella can help to cover protein requirements: a daily dose of 7 g of chlorella provides 4 g of protein. For a 60 kg person who wants to consume the officially recommended 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight, this would already be a good 8% of the protein requirement.

Chlorella regulates carbohydrate metabolism

Chlorella accelerates the transport of glucose into the liver and muscle cells, so that the energy obtained from it is available noticeably faster. This fact is particularly interesting for athletes, among others.For these reasons, chlorella supplementation has also proven effective in diabetes mellitus.

Chlorella is rich in detoxifying fiber

The cell wall of chlorella contains a wealth of fiber, which enters the intestine undigested and stimulates intestinal activity. Toxins and other harmful substances in the intestinal fluid are bound by the fiber and excreted in the stool.

fatty acids in chlorella

The fat content of the dried algae is 12%, but can be more than 30% depending on cultivation and processing.

Chlorella provides more than 30 fatty acids, one third of which are saturated, one third unsaturated and one third polyunsaturated fatty acids. Together, they help to ensure that every cell in the body remains stable, but still flexible and therefore healthy. Capric and lauric acid are worth mentioning among the saturated fatty acids, as they can kill bacteria, viruses and intestinal parasites. The high amounts of oleic acid (unsaturated fatty acid) contained in it have a preventive effect on various types of cancer and can also prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Chlorophyll in the microalgae Chlorella

The high chlorophyll content of the microalgae is responsible for its green color and has anti-carcinogenic effects on humans. Chlorophyll is also known for its detoxifying properties.

CURRENT STUDIES ON POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS OF CHLORELLA ALGAE

detoxification

• Chlorella is characterized by a variety of detoxifying ingredients. In addition to the chlorophyll mentioned above, the algae contains a unique mix of cell-protecting and detoxifying carotenoids (e.g. lycopene), glycoproteins (see CGF and CVE) and sporopollein (a highly detoxifying component of the chlorella cell wall). Chlorella also contains protectonien and de-noxilipidnin:
• Protectonia are storage proteins and are among the phyto-chelatins that are formed by the chlorella itself. On the one hand, they have a strong antioxidant effect, and on the other hand, they form an indissoluble bond with heavy metals (chelate formation), which are then easily excreted as a complex via the intestine. The substance de-noxilipidnin has a similar detoxifying effect. In addition to heavy metals, it also binds organic toxins and neutralizes them.
• For ethical reasons, there are almost exclusively animal-based studies on the connection between heavy metal poisoning and chlorella. In one of these studies, chlorella showed a kidney-protective effect in rats with cadmium poisoning. The kidney values ​​in the blood improved and the protein excretion in the urine, which is a marker for kidney health, decreased.⁠
• Chlorella can be used to support detoxification due to its heavy metal binding properties (chelate formation). In animal experiments, the microalgae also proved to be beneficial in cases of mercury poisoning in the mother during pregnancy. Chlorella prevented the transport of methylmercury to the fetus and thus protected the unborn child from poisoning. In addition, less mercury was deposited in the brains of the mothers in the chlorella group than in the animals in the placebo group.
• In the human body, dioxin accumulates in fatty tissue and is broken down very slowly. Since breast milk is particularly high in fat, it is considered a good marker for the mother's total dioxin exposure.Women who take chlorella during pregnancy have lower levels of dioxin in their breast milk. It can therefore be assumed that chlorella ensures that less dioxin reaches the unborn child via the umbilical cord.
• Animal experiments also showed that chlorella increases the excretion of dioxin in the urine. Test animals that received an oil containing dioxin and chlorella at the same time excreted more dioxin in the urine than the control animals. This result suggests that chlorella reduces the absorption of dioxin in the intestine and can thus protect against (chronic) dioxin poisoning.

immune system

• Taking 6 g of chlorella daily for one month leads to a significant increase in immunoglobulin A in saliva.
• Increased IgA levels are also found in breast milk if the mother has taken chlorella during pregnancy. Immunoglobulin A in breast milk offers the breastfed child protection against infections.

Pains

• In a study from 2000, the pain of fibromyalgia patients was significantly reduced by taking chlorella. The patients reported an improvement in symptoms of 20-50% after taking chlorella.

Gastrointestinal

• In animal experiments, an increase in lactobacilli was shown when taking Chlorella vulgaris. These regulate the pH value in the intestines by producing lactic acid, thus promoting digestion and also protecting against potential pathogens. Salmonella and pathologically increased E. coli, on the other hand, decrease when taking Chlorella.
• Taking chlorella can reduce oxidative stress in the intestines and strengthen the microflora. This has a positive effect on the intestinal mucosa and its barrier function. This prevents bacteria, bacterial toxins or other harmful substances from entering the bloodstream.
• In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study, Merchant et al. investigated the effect of chlorella on ulcerative colitis. They found that chlorella promotes wound healing and also improves immune function. This significantly improved the symptoms of colitis patients.
• Tamaka et al. found that taking Chlorella vulgaris can counteract the development of stress-related ulcers in the gastric mucosa. This preventive effect is probably due to the positive influence on the gut-brain axis and the protection of the gastric mucosa.

obesity

• In two studies, scientists gave subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 4 tablets of 300 mg chlorella per day. After taking the tablets for 8 weeks, positive results were seen: the study participants who took chlorella lost more weight than those in the placebo group. In addition, insulin sensitivity improved in the chlorella group, which can reduce the risk of diabetes, a possible secondary disease of obesity.

liver

• In their 2014 study, Aliashrafi et al. administered 300 mg of chlorella per day to patients with fatty liver disease caused by increased calorie intake. After 8 weeks, the liver values ​​alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the blood improved significantly.
• Chlorella can be compared to the study by Noguchi et al.can also be used to prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In animal experiments, chlorella inhibited the activity of the MCP-1 protein in rats fed a fatty diet. The algae also inhibited the growth of fat cells in the liver.
• Byun et al. showed that a Chlorella vulgaris extract could reduce alcohol-induced liver damage, among other things by reducing γ-glutamyltransferase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase in the blood.
• Responsible for the liver-protective effect is, among other things, a  so-called “lutein-protein complex” (LPC), which was extracted from chlorella for the first time by Cai et al. in 2015. In animal models, the LPC showed a positive effect on liver cells.
• Chlorella can be used as a supportive treatment for people with hepatitis C. In a 2013 study, patients with chronic liver inflammation were given Chlorella vulgaris over a period of 3 months. This not only improved their liver values ​​in the blood, but more than 70% of the study participants also reported an improvement in their general well-being (in particular, the fatigue typical of the disease improved in 60% of the participants).

cardiovascular system

• Various studies have shown a positive effect of Chlorella vulgaris on blood pressure. They showed an improvement in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure values.
• Studies have shown that people with high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in their blood can benefit from taking chlorella. The microalgae can significantly reduce the level of fat in the blood. In a 2014 study, scientists were able to reduce the cholesterol levels of their subjects by an average of 1.6%. The level of triglycerides even fell by almost 12%. Chlorella also had a positive effect on the ratio of "bad" LDL cholesterol to "good" HDL cholesterol. While the level of LDL cholesterol decreased, HDL cholesterol increased by 4%.

acid-base balance

• The ideal pH value of the blood, at which metabolic processes can run optimally, is 7.4 and is therefore in the slightly alkaline range. However, due to diet (e.g. lots of meat), stress, etc., the pH value can shift into the acidic range. In order for the body to be able to buffer acidic end products, it needs alkaline minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium or zinc. Since chlorella contains all of these minerals, it can help regulate the acid-base balance.

skin

• Studies have shown that chlorella has positive effects on dry skin or on skin prone to inflammation (acne, neurodermatitis).
• Participants in a Polish study from 2017 reported not only a reduced susceptibility to infections after taking chlorella, but also a noticeable improvement in hair quality and skin condition.

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