Health Benefits of Blue Green Algae

Organic blue-green algae is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Two varieties, spirulina and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, are the most consumed forms of blue green algae; which has superfood status due to high concentrations of proteins, vitamins and nutrients. ^[1]

How is Blue-Green Algae Cultivated?

Most blue-green algae products contain Aphanizomenon flos-aquae harvested from Upper Klamath Lake in southern Oregon. Harvesting is done during the summertime, June to November. The algae is filtered to preserve the most vibrant blooms and then further purified by centrifugation. The AFA is then chilled and sold frozen or dried at low temperatures and sold as a powder.

Natural Compounds in Organic Blue-Green Algae

Blue-green algae is 70% vegetable protein and has higher levels of beta-carotene than broccoli. The one-two punch potency of blue-green algae is that it contains a high concentration of nutrients- over 65 vitamins, minerals and enzymes and the complete spectrum of eight essential amino acids and ten nonessential amino acids… and they are all easily absorbed by the body. In fact, up to 97% of the beneficial vitamins, minerals and enzymes found in blue-green algae are easily absorbed (some supplements are as low as 5-25% absorbable). AFA also contains the most biologically active chlorophyll of any known food.

Antioxidant Activity of Blue-Green Algae

Aphanizomenon flos-aquae is rich in compounds that provide antioxidants. A measurement called the “oxygen radical absorbance capacity” (ORAC) is used to determine free radical scavenging capacity of foods and other substances purported to contain antioxidants. Italy’s University of Urbino Carlo Bo applied the ORAC method to edible AFA. The outcome was positive in favor of researchers supporting the use of AFA as a dietary antioxidant supplement to relieve oxidative stress. ^[2]

The University of Urbino Carlo B conducted another study designed to evaluate the ability of AFA to provide defense against oxidative damage to normal human red blood cells and plasma. Results suggested AFA lowered oxidative damage in both. Furthermore, AFA delayed the depletion of enzymes that are beneficial to the body. ^[3]

A Japanese study found that a product containing blue-green algae from lake Klamath exhibited considerable antioxidant activity and was an effective adaptogenic; that is, a substance that helps the body adapt to protect against stressors. ^[4]

Blue-Green Algae and B12

There is some controversy over whether or not AFA is an effective source of vitamin B12. Many natural sources of vitamin B12 have been shown to be biologically inadequate. However, preliminary research conducted by Italy’s Department of Neurorehabilitation at Villa Salus Hospital evaluated the vitamin B12 levels of 15 vegan subjects who had supplemented with an algae product from Lake Klamath and found their B12 levels increased over a control group. Although not absolutely conclusive, researchers believed the preliminary research supported the argument that AFA is a reliable source of vitamin B12. ^[5]

Blue-Green Algae and Stem Cells

In adults, stem cells have the function of repairing damaged cells. Unfortunately, as we age, stem cells have a reduced restorative ability and are more vulnerable to oxidative stress. This results in the body being less able to repair itself. Based on previous studies that showed blue-green algae can modulate immune function in animals, the Department of Neurosurgery at USF investigated the effects of AFA on cultured human stem cells. Researchers noted that preliminary results suggested an ethanol extract of AFA may promote human stem cell proliferation. ^[6]

Potential Concerns about Blue Green Algae

Although blue-green algae is commonly consumed in the United States, Canada, and Europe, some concern has been voiced about the potential for presence of microcystin, a toxic byproduct of blue-green algae. In response, the Oregon Health Division and the Oregon Department of Agriculture have established regulatory limits on microcystin content in BGA products. ^[7] As with most products, if you’re pregnant or nursing, it’s a good idea to first consult your health care provider before supplementing with blue-green algae.

You should only consume AFA and spirulina from trusted and reputable suppliers. Have tried Green blue algae? What did you think? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

References (7)

1. 
   
   1. Kay RA. Microalgae as food and supplement. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1991;30(6):555-73. Review.
   
   
   2. Benedetti S, Benvenuti F, Scoglio S, Canestrari F. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity of phycocyanin and phycocyanobilin from the food supplement Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. J Med Food. 2010 Feb;13(1):223-7. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2008.0257.
   
   
   3. Benedetti S, Benvenuti F, Pagliarani S, Francogli S, Scoglio S, Canestrari F. Antioxidant properties of a novel phycocyanin extract from the blue-green alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. Life Sci. 2004 Sep 24;75(19):2353-62.
   
   
   4. Sedriep S, Xia X, Marotta F, Zhou L, Yadav H, Yang H, Soresi V, Catanzaro R, Zhong K, Polimeni A, Chui DH. Beneficial nutraceutical modulation of cerebral erythropoietin expression and oxidative stress: an experimental study. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2011 Apr-Jun;25(2):187-94.
   
   
   5. Baroni L, Scoglio S, Benedetti S, Bonetto C, Pagliarani S, Benedetti Y, Rocchi M, Canestrari F. Effect of a Klamath algae product (“AFA-B12”) on blood levels of vitamin B12 and homocysteine in vegan subjects: a pilot study. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2009 Mar;79(2):117-23. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831.79.2.117.
   
   
   6. Shytle DR, Tan J, Ehrhart J, Smith AJ, Sanberg CD, Sanberg PR, Anderson J, Bickford PC. Effects of blue-green algae extracts on the proliferation of human adult stem cells in vitro: a preliminary study. Med Sci Monit. 2010 Jan;16(1):BR1-5.
   
   
   7. Gilroy DJ, Kauffman KW, Hall RA, Huang X, Chu FS. Assessing potential health risks from microcystin toxins in blue-green algae dietary supplements. Environ Health Perspect. 2000 May;108(5):435-9.
   
   

These Shoes are Made of Algae, and They Help Clean This Lake in China

More than 2 million people were left scrambling for safe drinking water after China’s Lake Taihu exploded with algae a decade ago, and ever since then, the government has been spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year trying to solve the problem. One of the most awe-inspiring solutions involves harvesting algae from Lake Taihu before it spreads too far, and turning it into a flexible, rubbery material that is now being used to make shoes. [1]

Lake Taihu has been mostly famous for its out-of-control algae problem over the last 20 years. The water contains a noxious mixture of billions of tons of wastewater, animal waste, and garbage which has flowed unconstrained due to weak regulations. The body of water is intended to provide 30 million people with drinking water, but the blue-green algae kills marine life, and is hard to filter out. [2]

It was in 2007 when nearly 1/3 of the lake was covered in algae, and the government suspended water collection from Taihu, limiting how much bottled water could cost because of price-gouging. Officials also shut down factories surrounding the lake to stem the pollution.

Turning the Algae into Bio-Plastic

A company called Bloom is the creator of a mobile platform which pulls algae from the lake, purifies the water, returns it to the lake, and then turns the algae into a tiny pellet that can be used like a plastic. The goal of Bloom’s founder, Rob Falken, is to replace conventional plastic products, which are usually made from petroleum-based pellets.

Source: Eco Watch

Falken said:

“The end goal is to remove as much of the petroleum feedstock as possible. When you take a waste stream from nature—there naturally but there in such mass because of manmade inputs—we can take that feedstock, that problem, and functionalize it into usable goods that are the exact same quality, indistinguishable, from the status quo that’s out there today.”

The mobile platform uses gentle suction to draw the algae, while filters prevent marine life from being harmed in the process. The harvester also pulls nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, which makes it harder for algae blooms to flourish. Millions of pounds of algae have been pulled from Lake Taihu by Bloom.

Bloom supplies the plastic-like pellets to Vivobarefoot, which turns the pellets into its water-resistant Ultra III shoes. Currently, the shoes are made from petroleum-based ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). In July 2017, Vivobarefoot will launch a version that is a blend of algae and EVA, instead. One pair of shoes requires cleaning 57 gallons of water. [1]

Source: Fast Company

The current material uses 40% algae and 60% EVA, but Bloom is working on materials that use more algae.

Algae blooms, which thrive in warm water with high carbon concentrations, are becoming a serious problem all over the world due to climate change. In the United States, algae led Florida to declare a state of emergency in 2016 when it spread from Lake Okeechobee to nearby beaches, killing manatees and other aquatic life.

A toxic algae bloom delayed California’s 2015 crabbing season. And in 2014, an algae bloom in the Ohio River in Ohio made drinking water temporarily unsafe for half a million people in Toledo.

The Ultra III shoes could prove to be an effective method of stomping out both petroleum-based products and algae blooms.

Falken says:

“We’ve already got more algae than we’ll ever need. Two companies are helping to clean China’s Lake Taihu by pulling algae from the water, transforming it into pellets, and using those pellets to make shoes.” [2]

Sources:

[1] Fast Company

[2] Eco Watch

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Your “Organic” Milk may be Produced with Non-Organic Ingredients

DHA Milk made by Horizon, one of the largest organic brands in the U.S., isn’t nearly as “natural” as the company advertises it to be, according to an investigation by The Washington Post. It contains a type of algae, Schizochytrium, which is fed corn syrup. Corn is the #1 crop grown in the United States, and nearly all of it is genetically modified.

Schizochytrium is carefully tended, kept warm, and fed corn syrup, resulting in a substance that resembles corn oil, but has a slightly fishy taste. It is then marketed as the nutritional supplement DHA, and added to millions of cartons of organic Horizon milk.

Horizon uses corn-syrup enriched algal oil to advertise health benefits and charge more for their DHA-enhanced milk than it does for its regular milk.

This raises an important question: Is Horizon DHA milk really “organic”?

Is the Milk Really Organic?

Charlotte Vallaeys, a senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports seems to think not. She said the addition of algal oil defeats the whole purpose of buying and eating organic.

The “All Natural” Scam: How to Shop Healthy for You and Your Family

“We do not think that [the oil] belongs in organic foods. When an organic milk carton says it has higher levels of beneficial nutrients, like omega-3 fats, consumers want that to be the result of good farming practices … not from additives made in a factory.”

Organic food companies desperately want the coveted “USDA Organic” seal on their products, knowing it can easily double the price of an item. But many companies are constantly pushing the USDA’s limits of what can be considered “organic.” Meanwhile, consumer groups want a narrower, “purer,” definition.

According to The Post, USDA officials must have misread federal regulations when they allowed the use of oil and similar additives, at least originally. Algal oil was introduced into milk in 2007. In 2012, the USDA quietly acknowledged that some federal regulations had been “incorrectly interpreted.” Rather than disrupt the market, the agency opted not to reverse course.

That was good news for Horizon.

In a statement, a Horizon spokesperson said:

“Millions of people choose our Horizon Organic milk with DHA Omega-3 for the added benefits DHA Omega-3s are thought to deliver.”

The spokesperson added that the algal oil may improve heart, brain, and eye health.

‘People Buying into a Lie’

Horizon milk is a popular product, with more than 26 million gallons of the milk supplemented with the algal oil sold in the last year – that’s 14% of all organic milk gallons sold. Retail sales of the product topped $250 million in the past year. The Horizon DHA milk typically costs 30 cents more than plain Horizon milk.

However, critics argue that people are buying into a lie, and that supplementing “USDA Organic” products with algal oil is a slap in the face to consumers who expect that organic foods are nature-made and not laboratory-made, and that the nutrients in organic foods and drinks are good enough without additives.

Indeed, recent testing by The Post reveals that milk produced by grass-fed cows – a requirement of organic regulations – contains significantly more Omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk. [1]

Barry Flamm, former chair of the National Organic Standards Board, which makes recommendations to the USDA, said:

“Additives just don’t have any place in organics at all. You might say additives should be allowed for health reasons, but I never saw an additive that you couldn’t get in real foods.”

Most buyers agree. Past Consumer Reports surveys show 7 out of 10 buyers think the USDA should not permit the use of non-organic ingredients in organic food production unless they are deemed essential.

The Cornucopia Institute, a national food and farm policy watchdog, says on its website that their own researchers had made the discovery that organic food companies were supplementing their products with algal oil. Additionally, the institute says it filed a formal legal complaint, which sparked the story in The Post.

Source:

The Washington Post

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About Mike Barrett:
	Mike is the co-founder, editor, and researcher behind Natural Society. Studying the work of top natural health activists, and writing special reports for top 10 alternative health websites, Mike has written hundreds of articles and pages on how to obtain optimum wellness through natural health.

Scientists Fearful of ‘Ecological Risks’ Sparked by GMO Microalgae

Researchers at the University of California San Diego and Sapphire Energy have successfully grown genetically modified algae outdoors for the first time. They claim that the GM algae don’t harm native algae populations and, moreover, can fend off deadly bacteria. [1]

Genetically modifying algae makes them grow more quickly. Scientists believe the technology could allow the creation of algae that produce more oil, which can then be used to make biofuels or biodegradable plastics. The genetically engineered algae also have the potential to be made more nutritious, to feed livestock or people.

Stephen Mayfield, a biologist at UC San Diego and co-author of the study, says:

“Every single organism that we use today to produce the food, feed and fiber that we use is genetically modified. This is true for both plants and animals. We did that through the process of domestication, in which we selected the mutations — genetic modifications — that produced the traits we wanted. That might have been larger ears of corns, or bigger soybean seeds, or even cows that produced milk longer.” [1]

According to Mayfield, in order to do the same with algae:

“we need to domesticate algae, similar to what we did with our crop plants and farm animals. [But] this could take decades and we still might not get what we want.” [1]

The ultimate purpose behind bioengineering algae, he explains, is to

“produce the products we need so that we don’t have to cut down our last rain forests, or take every fish from the ocean.” [1]

The doctored algae is viewed as a sustainable, renewable resource.

Source: AlgencalB

Concerns over Genetically Modified Microalgae

But this supposedly glorious research is occurring outside of adequate regulatory oversight and the EPA’s process of establishing and updating regulations for GE algae to protect human health and the environment (although the EPA did monitor the experiment). [1] [2]

Dana Perls, senior campaigner with Friends of the Earth, says:

“This study confirmed that genetically engineered microalgae grown in open ponds will escape and spread into the environment. Once this genie is out of the bottle, there is no way to put it back.

Not only is it impossible to contain GE algae in open air production, but there are currently no adequate regulations which fully address its risks to our environment, from lab to final product. Without this essential oversight, there should be no environmental release or commercial uses of GE algae and other synthetic biology organisms.” [2]

Microalgae reproduce rapidly, and engineered traits can quickly spread because of the plants’ horizontal gene transfer capabilities. Should those engineered traits fail to remain stable over time, there is a potential for the genes to spread rapidly out of control and change in unpredictable ways.

In the past, microalgae have produced toxic algae blooms, and there is no way of knowing whether GE microalgae are more harmful and difficult to control.

That’s the problem: Nobody knows.

Says Dr. Rachel Smolker, director of Biofuelwatch:

“We are told that GE microalgae will not likely survive in the wild, but there is absolutely no basis for that assumption. In fact, many of the traits that are desirable for fuel and chemical production and industrial cultivation are precisely the traits that would lend a competitive advantage in nature.

Those include traits like ‘improved’ photosynthesis, resistance to predators and pests, hardiness and resilience that make them tolerant of industrial cultivation, or the ability to more effectively access and convert available nutrients.” [2]

Genetically engineered strains of algae were tested in outdoor ponds.
UC San Diego

The scientists’ experiment, funded by the Department of Energy, occurred over more than 50 days in huge outdoor tubs with water samples culled from five regional lakes. The GE strain of microalgae did spread to other tubs, presumably by wind and birds, but it “did not change the ecology in any way.” [1]

Mayfield says his team is being cautious:

“The first trial ran only 50 days, so there was little variation. We also only checked two genes, as we wanted to be very cautious with what we put outside. We need to repeat this test for a longer period of time, and we need to add additional genes to see how they behave under outdoor growth. We simply need a lot more data before we are ready to say that genetically engineered algae are safe and effective. This is step one of that process.” [1]

He also admits there is risk involved.

“Life is risky, and algae are no different than other organisms. But if we make the right changes, and then carefully measure their properties, we can easily manage the risk and develop the strain we need.” [1]

Jonathan Shurin, an ecologist at UC San Diego and a study co-author, says:

“The concern is we’re going to create a monster. [But] algae have been around for billions of years, and they’ve had long histories of evolution. If there was a super algae that could take over the world, it would have evolved by now.” [1]

Fluorescent green genetically modified algae.
UC San Diego

Dr. Smolker isn’t convinced it’s worth the risk.

“The tests performed by UCSD scientists were of very limited scope and little assurance that GMO microalgae are safe. Meanwhile, we need to ask ourselves: are these products worth the money and worth the risks to our health and environment?” [2]

Billions of taxpayer dollars have been invested in developing algae biofuels that have yet to be commercially viable, Friends of the Earth points out. Now the focus of GE microalgae research is on producing chemicals for use in cosmetics and as food ingredients.

Despite vast amounts of taxpayer dollars being funneled into Sapphire Energy for biofuel production, the company has been busily making algae-derived surfboards.

Another funding recipient, Solazyme, now known as Terravia, is focused on products like anti-wrinkle face cream.

Sources:

[1] Popular Science

[2] Friends of the Earth

UNC TV

Algencal

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.