Visit our Re-post guidelines
What if a simple, safe, and affordable supplement could dramatically improve outcomes for hospitalized COVID-19 patients? A groundbreaking new study suggests that spirulina - a nutrient-packed blue-green algae - may do just that.
Four years after the start of the declared COVID-19 pandemic, doctors and scientists continue searching for safe, effective treatments to reduce the severity of the disease and improve patient outcomes. While the standard of care includes antiviral medications like remdesivir and anti-inflammatory drugs like dexamethasone, there is still an urgent need for effective therapies - especially affordable, widely available ones with few side effects.
Now, a promising new study suggests that a common dietary supplement derived from algae could significantly boost recovery and reduce mortality from COVID-19.1 In the randomized controlled trial, 189 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were divided into a spirulina group receiving 15.2 grams per day of spirulina extract along with standard care, or a control group receiving standard care alone. Remarkably, over a 7-day period, the spirulina group had zero deaths compared to 15 deaths in the control group. 97.7% of spirulina patients in regular hospital wards were discharged within 7 days, versus only 39.1% in the control group. Spirulina patients also showed significant reductions in inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and cytokines like IL-6.
Spirulina is a nutrient-dense blue-green algae that has been used for centuries as a food source and natural remedy. It is rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, B-vitamins, and minerals.2 Previous studies have shown spirulina has antiviral effects against influenza, herpes, HIV, and other viruses.3* Researchers believe spirulina may help mitigate the excessive inflammatory response and "cytokine storm" that causes severe illness in some COVID-19 patients.*
While larger studies are still needed, this well-designed clinical trial provides convincing preliminary evidence that spirulina could be a safe, low-cost, natural treatment to help combat COVID-19,* especially in resource-limited settings. With its potent anti-inflammatory and immune-balancing properties, spirulina offers an appealing option to complement standard medical care. As one of the study authors noted, "considering the availability and affordability of this dietary supplement, the results show a clear perspective of the potential of this microalga in reducing hospital burden, especially in the ICU."4
If further research confirms these inspiring findings, spirulina could become an important new addition to the treatment toolkit for COVID-19* - a welcome development in the ongoing battle against this devastating pandemic. In the meantime, given spirulina's excellent safety profile and broad health benefits, it may be prudent for people to consider incorporating this superfood supplement into their wellness routines as an added layer of defense.
Learn more about the over 100 natural substances research as potentially therapeutics for Covid-19 here.
Learn more about the researched health benefits of Spirulina here.
*IMPORTANT NOTE ON 'GERM THEORY' AND COVID-19: Discussion of COVID-19 and infectious disease often comes with a wide range of unexamined assumptions, including the presumed lethality of viral particles, or even that viruses per se exist as classically defined by virologists. This is not something that should go without discussion and debate, as the topic deserves a much deeper exploration than is presently being conducted by the mainstream media and conventional medical authorities. In order to rectify this conspicuous lacunae, Sayer Ji has presented an alternative perspective which calls into question conventional models of infectious disease and contagion attributed to viruses, replacing it with what he calls the Xenogen Hypothesis. Learn more by watching his two presentations on the topic. 1) Covid-19: is it really about a virus? And 2) A New Biophysical Paradigm: Viruses, Exosomes, & Infection with Sayer Ji.
References
1. Mohammad Reza Aghasadeghi et al., "Effect of High-Dose Spirulina Supplementation on Hospitalized Adults with COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Trial," Frontiers in Immunology 15 (April 8, 2024), https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.
2. Laura Karkos et al., "Spirulina in Clinical Practice: Evidence-Based Human Applications," Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2011 (February 20, 2011), https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/
3. Yi-Han Chen et al., "Well-Tolerated Spirulina Extract Inhibits Influenza Virus Replication and Reduces Virus-Induced Mortality," Scientific Reports 6, no. 24253 (April 12, 2016), https://doi.org/10.1038/
4. Aghasadeghi et al., "Effect of High-Dose Spirulina Supplementation."
Disqus