Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of spirulina in exercise and sport: A systematic review
What this study found
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…
- Study & population
- 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…
- 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.
- Key limitation
- 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g/day) and duration (4 days–12 weeks); diverse participant populations and exercise protocols; reliance on potentially outdated redox biomarkers (TBARS, TAC); limited female representation; insufficient data on immune…
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Open PDFOriginal 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 could protect subjects from exercise-induced oxidative stress, accelerate recovery by reducing muscle damage, and stimulate the immune system. Based on this, the main goal of this review was to critically analyze the effects of spirulina on oxidative stress, immune system, inflammation and performance in athletes and people undergoing exercise interventions. Of the 981 articles found, 428 studies were considered eligible and 13 met the established criteria and were included in this systematic review. Most recently spirulina supplementation has demonstrated ergogenic potential during submaximal exercise, increasing oxygen uptake and improving exercise tolerance. Nevertheless, spirulina supplementation does not seem to enhance physical performance in power athletes. Considering that data supporting benefits to the immune system from spirulina supplementation is still lacking, overall evidence regarding the benefit of spirulina supplementation in healthy people engaged in physical exercise is scarce and not consistent. Currently, spirulina supplementation might be considered in athletes who do not meet the recommended dietary intake of antioxidants. Further high-quality research is needed to evaluate the effects of spirulina consumption on performance, the immune system and recovery in athletes and active people. Systematic review registration [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=262896], identifier [CRD42021262896].