Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of spirulina in exercise and sport: A systematic review

Frontiers in Nutrition
Q1
Dec 2022
Citations:49
Influential Citations:2
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
87
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Enhanced Details

Methods
Design: randomized controlled trials; Participants: 267 individuals across 13 studies; mostly adult men (mean age typically 20–30 years); three studies included female participants; populations included athletes, trained and untrained individuals undergoing exercise; healthy with no diagnosed pathologies; Quality assessment using RoB2: 3 studies at low risk of bias, 8 at high risk, 2 with some concerns.
Intervention
Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) – Dose: 0.5–7.5 g/day (most 1–6 g/day; up to 7.5 g/day in one study), orally, daily; Duration: mostly 3–8 weeks (majority of studies), with some studies 4–21 days and one 12-week study.
Results
Spirulina supplementation shows mixed antioxidant effects; some trials report improved redox markers (e.g., increased GSH, reduced MDA), while others show no clear redox or performance benefits. Endurance/submaximal exercise contexts may see modest improvements in oxygen uptake and fatigue tolerance, and Hb in some studies; not consistently enhanced performance in power athletes. Inflammation and muscle-damage markers (CK, CRP) show inconsistent responses; immune effects are not well established. Overall evidence is scarce and heterogeneous; SP could be considered for elite athletes with insufficient antioxidant intake but is not broadly recommended for healthy individuals; more high-quality trials are needed.
Limitations
Small, heterogeneous sample; many studies had high risk of bias; wide variation in dosing (0.5–7.5 g/day) and duration (4 days–12 weeks); diverse participant populations and exercise protocols; reliance on potentially outdated redox biomarkers (TBARS, TAC); limited female representation; insufficient data on immune outcomes and long-term training adaptations.

Abstract

Arthrospira platensis, also known as spirulina, is currently one of the most well-known algae supplements, mainly due to its high content of bioactive compounds that may promote human health. Some authors have hypothesized that spirulina consumption ...