In the past, I recommended chlorella as a toxin binder to help relieve herx reactions in people using my protocols or taking antimicrobial agents. Most people found that the algae helped improve the herx reaction symptoms, but some people had adverse reactions to chlorella, and for awhile I could not figure out why. I started to do more research into chlorella to try to discover why some of my clients were having adverse reactions to chlorella. Was it from detox? Was it an allergy to chlorella? Or was it something more sinister?
What Is Chlorella/Spirulina and Why Is It Recommended to Improve Your Health?
Chlorella is a genus of single-cell algae that grows in fresh water and was initially grown in mass quantities in the 50’s and 60’s as a potential food source. It was later discovered that chlorella’s cell walls were not completely broken down and assimilated by the human digestive system, so the nutrient content was considered worthless. Later, methods were developed so that our digestive system absorbs the nutrients better by breaking the cell wall (pressure, steam, and mechanical.)1 2
Here are the ways chlorella might improve your health:3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- Chlorella is high in protein, omega-3 fatty acid (ALA), a source of saturated fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and all essential amino acids.
- Chlorella weakly binds to some metals (mainly mercury, hexavalent chromium, arsenic, lead, and cadmium) in the gut, eliminating some amounts and redistributing others.
- Chlorella also reduces the neurotoxin dioxin load (binds to it in the gastrointestinal tract to eliminate it). It seems to be one of the only available nutritional routes.
- Chlorella may help increase SIgA (secretory immunoglobulin A) and help improve gut immune function in people with leaky gut.
- Chlorella may also reduce Bisphenol-A accumulation in the body and support healthy estrogen metabolism (in vitro studies).
- Chlorella ingestion has been studied in pregnant women to help boost their and their fetuses’ immunity, prevent anemia, reduce dioxin exposure through breast milk for the infant, and reduce edema.
- Chlorella decreases Th2 dominance.
Spirulina is a cyanobacterium that grows in fresh water.
Here are the ways spirulina might improve your health:10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
- Spirulina may chelate arsenic out of the body.
- Spirulina, like chlorella, is high in protein, a source of saturated fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and all essential amino acids.
- Spirulina ingestion may protect the brain, prevent cognitive decline, and facilitate neurogenesis.
- Spirulina binds with bile, which may reduce toxin reabsorption and bile acid malabsorption issues. Doing so will lower total cholesterol (not always good) and triglycerides.
- Reduce insulin resistance and improve diabetes.
- It might naturally inhibit COX-2, which may reduce pain and inflammation (it might cause vascular issues and only occur with COX-2 inhibitory drugs).
- Spirulina decreases Th2 dominance.
So What Is the Issue With Chlorella/Spirulina and the Gut?
Chlorella contains endotoxins within its cell wall, just like Gram-negative bacteria. Yes, you read that right, the algae contain endotoxins. We have written extensively about endotoxins and how too much can negatively affect our health. I believe that they are one cause of elevated Th1 inflammation and many health conditions stemming from it (heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, rosacea, multiple sclerosis, and alkalizing spondylosis, to name a few). The cyanobacteria spirulina also contains endotoxins.19 20 21 22
Ingestion of chlorella and spirulina should be fine in people with balanced immune systems, people with histamine intolerance (Th2 dominance), or if you have a good gut barrier and microbiome. The Gram-negative bacteria in our body produce endotoxins constantly; your detox and immune system can keep it in check if it is not overwhelmed. Gram-negative bacteria are natural flora in your gut, the endotoxins they produce are eliminated through stool and proper immune reactions unless you have leaky gut. They should not be absorbed into the bloodstream if you have a healthy gut, causing inflammatory issues.23
Now the big question is, are all endotoxins similar, and do they provoke similar responses in the human body? If they all elicit the same response, the endotoxins in chlorella and spirulina should cause increased Th1 inflammation in people with leaky gut. It appears that, in our limited studies, their endotoxins seem to be weaker in the stress they may cause to our cells, and the increase in total inflammation in the body compared to most Gram-negative produced endotoxins. Their adverse immune effects may be less than those of Gram-negative bacterial dysbiosis. Still, it is unknown in studies what their actions are in one with a Th1 elevated immune system, and which part of the body has issues with their exposure. For example, immune reactions from endotoxins produced by Campylobacter in the gut damage the MMC, causing motility issues. In contrast, immune responses to Klebsiella endotoxins seem to attack collagen in the spine and joints.24 25 26 27
Nevertheless, some studies doubt whether chlorella and spirulina increase Th1 reactions and may decrease them, even though they contain endotoxins. Studies also show that chlorella and spirulina may protect the body from Gram-negative endotoxins. That being said, I believe people with Th1 dominance should still avoid the ingestion of chlorella and spirulina until we have more studies. The body’s reaction to the endotoxins in chlorella and spirulina may be upregulated in an overwhelmed immune system. If you have leaky gut, the endotoxins could get into the bloodstream and trigger systemic inflammation from the immune imbalance. There are different supplements that one can take to modulate their immune system or get the benefits that each performs; there is no strong need to take either to improve one’s health if you have Th1 dominance issues.28 29 30
Both supplements may improve one’s health, but I believe they should be avoided if you suffer from strong Gram-negative overgrowth or extreme Th1 dominance.
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/3106856?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contentshttps://www.jstor.org/stable/3106856?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents ↩
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032114002342 ↩
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032114002342 ↩
- https://www.nihadc.com/library/detox-for-life-class-2-addit-resources/54-4-dosing-with-chlorella/file.html?accept_license=1 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23567737 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21550705 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16152959 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17472477 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20013055 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20046167 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16056210 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21697639 ↩
- http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010496 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16177207 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22738038 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22738038 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11062000 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15857205 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15857205 ↩
- http://robbwolf.com/2012/01/19/trojan-horses-of-chlorella-superfood/ ↩
- http://ini.sagepub.com/content/3/6/437.abstract ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12414578 ↩
- http://www.jlr.org/content/50/1/1.full ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15857205 ↩
- http://robbwolf.com/2012/01/19/trojan-horses-of-chlorella-superfood/ ↩
- http://ini.sagepub.com/content/3/6/437.abstract ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12414578 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20943052 ↩
- http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010496 ↩
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19589628 ↩
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My body responds well to greens. I have ulcerative colitis and chlorella made my symptoms much worse.thanks to your article I cut out chlorella and there was a big improvement. Thank you.
Does moringa leaves( powder) also have endotoxins? I’m searching for a safer green.
Aha! Now it makes more sense that when I ingest the finest Chlorella on the market (BioPure), I seem to react poorly. At this stage in my chronic Lyme healing the Chlorella seems to aggravate ALL of my tissue and nerve infections. At first I thought this was a good thing and allowing for more healing but as the week moved forward I realized it was actually causing more cytokine storms within my fragile system. Thank you.
Looks like autocorrect did a thing — the article says “alkalizing spondylosis” and expect that it should say “ankylosing spondylitis.” Thanks for the article!
If the endotoxins are within the cell wall, what about products that have broken cell walls? Are these endotoxins still present?
I saw nothing in your citations that would incriminate spirulina of being guilty of the same crimes you accuse chlorella of. FREE SPIRULINA!
Let me offer this paper in support of spirulina’s innocence.
https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/1476-069X-5-7.pdf
These algae activate the immune system as a protective mechanism. Inflammation is the bodies repair mechanism. It warns us that we are ingesting harmful ingredients, applying toxic products,etc. Inflammation kills damaged cells and makes way for us to give it the nutrition it needs to repair them and form new tissues. These diseases are a byproduct of the inflammation brought on by years of poor dieting. Spirulina can be life changing as it wakens your sleeping immune system…to years of abuse the body has to sustain just to receive nutrition from foods we are not suppose to consume. I.e protein, gluten, lactose and casein. Those who are allergic have working immune systems. A warning beforehand of an onset autoimmune disease.
When used properly it can make you aware not only of the imbalances in your body but forcefully cause you to correct them as no drug on the market will do that.
Hello and thank you for your very interesting articles.
Do you think that seaweed like sea lettuce, wakame, nori, dulse .. also contain endotoxins?
thank you so much
There are more than 20 species of chlorella. Each species is different in its production method and health effects. Well-known common species of Chlorella include C. vulgaris, C. ellipsoidea, C. saccharophila, C. pyrenoidosa, and C. regularis. Just like in the world of probiotics, within each species of chlorella are strains. It’s important that you make this distinction as to the the composition of constituents of the species being investigated and reported on before you share your findings/opinion on the effects of a particular species or chlorella in general. It would not be fair or accurate to generalize your findings on a particular species to be common to all chlorellas.
Most of the Chlorella cultivated and produced for consumption in the US are C. vulgaris, which is predominantly made in Japan, and C. pyrenoidosa, which is made in Taiwan. For the sake of accuracy it would be helpful to refer back to your research to determine to what extent your research had to do with either of these species.
You have provided me with the scientific answers to my experiences with chlorella!… Leaky gut definitely causes chlorella intolerance…the 1/4 level tsp I took was enough to give me an inflammed sore throat & cause me to vomit…after eliminating gluten, GMOs & nuts from my diet for 1 month…I found I could tolerate it beautifully …my black pepper, nutmeg, and clove intolerances disappeared also…no more inflammed throat or sensation that l have food stuck at the back of my throat….
To verify my results, I decided to experiment again…I ate wheat pasta and had chlorella the following day…& guess what? Although I didn’t vomit, I was nauseated, bloated and experienced ringing in the ears…I believe this was due to the lining of my stomach being destroyed enough to allow the natural toxins contained in chlorella to enter my bloodstream…so I firmly believe one of the prime reasons people cannot tolerate chlorella is due to a leaky gut….BTW..I’d like to share how l helped to heal my gut…eat fresh apple (remove peel and core) after every meal…it makes me feel instantly healed….
Thank you so much about your comments. My life has been hell before I understand FODMAP and leaky gut and I never new how chlorella could help or not. What u described is exactly how I feel.
What do you think about the thiol groups which can mobilize Heavy metals from deeper tissues which then cause symptoms??