What is chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll makes plants green, and is purported to have a multitude of health benefits, like anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. When taking chlorophyll as a supplement, it’s taken in the form of chlorophyllin.
What is spirulina?
Spirulina is a cyanobacteria, often referred to as blue-green algae. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant claims.
What are they used for?
Spirulina and chlorophyll have been used for many years in supplement form, whether powder or tablet, as well as topically for skin healing. Some people who take it swear it has changed their lives, while others never notice a difference. Let’s take a look at some of these claims.
What are the benefits?
Chlorophyll:
Chlorophyll has been used mainly for its potential health benefits for many years, like for skin health and cancer prevention. When looking at anti-aging remedies, scientists had a group of people use topical chlorophyll, and they saw that chlorophyll significantly affected the skin and helped reduce the signs of photoaging (when the skin ages after being exposed to sun).
Even in acne studies, topical chlorophyll has had a significant effect on mild-moderate acne with no adverse side effects, and highly rated by the users (who used the topical ointment for 3 weeks).
Chlorophyll has also been studied in weight loss scenarios. In a study done with overweight women, researchers found that those taking this green supplement had an average weight loss of 11 pounds over 3 months. The women in the green supplement group also had lower total and LDL cholesterol compared to the control group, as well as reported lower sweet-snacking urges. Now, these women were eating 3 meals per day with no snacks, and exercising in addition to taking the green supplement. But, the women in the control group, who were on the same regimen, sans green supplement, had an average of 7.5 pounds weight loss. It’s a small difference, but it’s still considered significant in this study.
When it comes to cancer and chlorophyll, there isn’t much research on whether chlorophyll can help cancer or not. Some animal studies suggest it can in combination with other cancer treatment methods, but in humans the same results were not well supported.
Spirulina:
Now, spirulina packs an attractive punch. It has 4 grams of protein per 1 tablespoon (powder form), as well as iron, magnesium, and potassium. It also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in small amounts.
One of spirulina’s claims is that it has vitamin B12. It does, but not in a form that humans are able to digest. Sorry my vegan friends, you’ll have to find your B12 elsewhere.
In cancer research, there are few promising results, with more researched always needed. In one study, oral lesions in patients with mouth cancer were reduced when individuals ingested spirulina orally for one year, and had less of a burning sensation after taking spirulina for 3 months. That’s great!
Another study found significant hypolipidemic effects when subjects ingested 1g of spirulina per day. They found a decrease in triglyceride levels, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol.
Phycocyanin is said to be the antioxidant responsible in spirulina for all of its amazing health benefits. Spirulina has showed anti-inflammatory benefits in research studies, and its all attributed to the amazing phycocyanin (which also gives spirulina its blue-green colour). Some studies have shown that living with chronic inflammation can lead to oxidative damage within our cells, leading to diseases like cancer and cardiovascular damage, and taking spirulina may help since it exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Are there any risks or side effects?
So far, none of the research has reported detrimental or significant side effects or reactions. Ingesting anything in supplement form can lead to mild stomach irritation, but other than, not much has been found.
What foods naturally have chlorophyll or spirulina?
Anything that is green! At for chlorophyll. Spirulina is an algae, and can be bought at some stores, but is usually purchased and ingested in powder or capsule form. Since chlorophyll is just a pigment, it is found in any fresh, green food. Try wheatgrass, green beans, spinach, arugula, or leaks for a powerful pack of chlorophyll.
Is one better than the other?
They both have great health benefits, and have some decent research behind them. Spirulina seems to have more research and more health benefits from what I’ve read and seen and heard.
The great thing about chlorophyll is that it is in the food you eat! Instead of burdening yourself with supplement to try and remember to take, make a delicious salad. That way you get the added benefits of fibre and more antioxidants from the whole veggie all working together to help you feel better.
And what about exercise?
Exercise is so good for your body and your mind! And guess what? Spirulina has some promising benefits.
Researchers found that spirulina increased fat oxidation and time to fatigue in a 2 hour run when taken at 6g per day (that’s a lot of spirulina!) for one month. Spirulina has also shown protective effects on skeletal muscle during exercise. Which means, you’ll be saving your muscles and not breaking down components in them as you exercise.
My experience taking these supplements
All this research is well and good, but what about practicality and taking it IRL? Well, I took ingestible liquid chlorophyll for over a month… and saw zero improvements in anything. It made my water taste like dirt, and turned it to a very cool green colour that got me a lot of “what on earth are you drinking” questions. It did get me to drink even more water than I already do, so that’s a win in my book.
I have taken spirulina before, and also saw no effects on anything. Most likely because I took it at what I call a normal dose (not 6g per day, that is so much!). I’m sure if you added heaps of spirulina to your green smoothie every day, you would probably see some results for something.
Bottom line
There’s been reported benefits to both chlorophyll and spirulina, and no reported adverse effects. That’s great, because it means you can play around with supplements if you so choose without having to worry about unpleasant or dangerous side effects.
Getting chlorophyll from food is pretty easy, and I encourage to get your superfoods and antioxidants from food. There are so many benefits to eating food as a whole, instead of broken up in a lab to individual nutrients.
Spirulina has shown some promising effects in the research, which is why it’s been such a popular supplements for over a decade. I think this could be a fun one to add to your smoothies without expecting too much (unless you want to consume sooo much spirulina daily!), and possibly reaping benefits from the supplement.
When taking any supplement, it’s important you know where it was manufactured and how. While that information isn’t readily available to us as the consumer, you can still do some research. Choose reputable companies, go organic where you can, and look for a USP label for peace of mind.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24993695/
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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891584910005381
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322361#what-is-chlorophyll
https://jddonline.com/articles/dermatology/S1545961615P0589X
