A Review of the Health-Promoting Properties of Spirulina with a Focus on athletes' Performance and Recovery

Spirulina species are photosynthetic and filamentous bacteria, commonly called 'blue-green microalgae'. Spirulina has a high nutrient content. It contains 60-70% protein with all essential amino acids present, and is rich in several vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Spirulina is also rich in essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. This rich nutritional content provides to Spirulina several health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, and insulin-sensitizing properties as well as positive effects in various diseases which could be also interesting for athletes. This paper mainly aims to review the interest and effects of Spirulina supplementation in athletes at rest, and in relation to exercise/training. Spirulina's biochemical composition, health properties/effects in humans, and effects in athletes including nutritional status, body composition, physical performance and intense exercise-related disorders were discussed in this review. Literature data showed that Spirulina seems to have positive effects on body composition especially in overweight and obese subjects which could not be the case in other pathologies and athletes. Spirulina appears to be also effective in improving aerobic fitness especially in untrained and moderately trained subjects. Results reported in the literature suggest that Spirulina may improve strength and power performance despite the minor or no significant effects in highly trained subjects. Most studies have shown that Spirulina improves antioxidant status, prevents and accelerates the recovery of exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation in trained and untrained subjects. Taken together, the results from these studies are encouraging and may demonstrate the potential benefits of Spirulina supplementation in athletes despite methodological differences.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:21

Enthalten in:

Journal of dietary supplements - 21(2024), 2 vom: 08., Seite 210-241

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Chaouachi, Mehdi [VerfasserIn]
Vincent, Sophie [VerfasserIn]
Groussard, Carole [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Antioxidants
Athletic performance
Body composition
Inflammation
Journal Article
Muscle damage
Review
Spirulina
Vitamins

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 26.02.2024

Date Revised 26.02.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1080/19390211.2023.2208663

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM356464946