Spirulina and NASA: Spirulina is such a concentrated, complete, super food, that NASA has conducted studies on it as a potential food source for space travel. The goal with providing food for space travel is to supply a food that provides as many nutrients as possible while taking up as little space as possible. NASA found that 1kg of Spirulina had the same nutrients as about 1000 kg of assorted vegetables. (1)

Spirulina to Improve Cholesterol: Thirty healthy men with high cholesterol, mild hypertension and hyperlipidemia consumed 4.2 grams of Spirulina daily for eight weeks. At the end of the study, the men showed lower serum cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL levels. Total serum cholesterol dropped an average of 4.5% from 244 to 233. These men did not change their diet or exercise, except for the addition of Spirulina. No adverse affects were noted. (2)

Spirulina to Alleviate Nutrient Deficiency: In a study completed in 1984, 21 patients with various nutritional deficiencies received Spirulina supplementation to their diets. These patients had suffered weight loss in conjunction with gastric resection, tubercular infection, chronic pancreatitis and gastritis, rheumatoid arthritis and anemia. With Spirulina, the patients gained weight and their proteinograms improved. (3)

Spirulina to Alleviate Vitamin A Deficiency: Throughout a one year study, 5,000 pre-school children with Vitamin A deficiency received 1 gram of Spirulina per day for at least 150 days. This small amount provided the daily requirement of beta carotene (Vitamin A) which can help prevent blindness and eye diseases. At the end of the study, the rate of Vitamin A deficiency in the children dropped from 80% to 10%. (4)

Spirulina to Alleviate Iron Deficiency: Eight women who had been limiting their food intake to lose weight became affected with hypochronic anemia (lower than normal blood hemoglobin content). Their diets were then supplemented with 4 grams of Spirulina after each meal for 30 days. At the end of the study, the women's blood hemoglobin content increased by an average of 21%, from roughly 10.9 to 13.2. This hemoglobin content is considered a satisfactory level; the women were no longer considered anemic. (5)

Resources: (1) Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:531053. Epub 2010 Oct 19. Spirulina in clinical practice: evidence-based human applications. Karkos PD, Leong SC, Karkos CD, Sivaji N, Assimakopoulos DA. Source: Department of Otolaryngology, Liverpool University Hospitals, Liverpool, UK. (2) N. Nayaka, et al. 1988. Tokai Univ. Pub. in Nutrition Reports Int'l, Vol. 37, No. 6, 1329-1337. Source: Japan. (3) V. Fica, et al. 1984. Clinica II Medicala, Spitalui Clinic, Bucuresti. Med. Interna 36 (3). Source: Romania. (4) C.V. Seshadri. 1993. All India Coordinated Project on Spirulina. Shri Amm Murugappa Source: Chettiar Research Center (MCRC) Madras, India. (5) T. Takeuchi, et al. 1978. Source: Tokyo Medical and Dental Univ. Japan.