12/27/2018 / By Michelle Simmons
Chlorella, a single-celled, water-grown micro-algae, is a popular superfood supplement. A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that taking six grams (g) of chlorella supplement every day can speed up recovery from intense training and exercise, which are known to disturb the immune system. It was found to increase salivary secretory IgA (sIgA), an antibody essential for the stability of the immune system, concentration, and secretion at rest.
Researchers in England aimed to evaluate the effects of chlorella supplementation on salivary sIgA in response to a two-day intensive training exercise. To carry out the study, researchers in England recruited 26 people with an average age of 29 to take part in the study. They randomly gave the participants either six g of chlorella or placebo every day for six weeks. In the fourth week of the study, both groups accomplished two days of intensified training, and the researchers evaluated their immune responses.
The results revealed that participants who took chlorella supplements for six weeks showed increased levels in their resting saliva sIgA concentration starting from the first day of intensive exercise in the fourth week of the study; while those who took the placebo did not show any significant changes.
The researchers also suggested that a longer supplementation period may be needed for the beneficial effects of chlorella supplement to manifest fully and be translated to protection against upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and upper respiratory symptom (URS) reports. This is because resting sIgA concentration was not significantly increased before or during the intense training period, but in the weeks after the exercise.
They also noted that chlorella contains specific polysaccharides and glycoproteins or protein/polysaccharides complexes that have immunostimulating properties, and have previously been shown to enhance immune system function.
Chlorella is almost completely indigestible to humans because of its very hard outer shell. It must undergo a special process for humans to be able to digest it. It is available in different forms, such as capsule, tablet, powder, and extract. Chlorella is packed with nutrients and has been gaining a lot of attention because of its health benefits. Listed below are some of the potential health benefits of chlorella:
Before taking chlorella supplement, make sure that it is of high quality. Low-quality chlorella supplements may contain mercury in them or not have a cracked cell wall, which makes them useless to the body.
Read more news stories and studies on potent supplements like chlorella by going to SupplementsReport.com.
Sources include:
Tagged Under: