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Broken Cell Chlorella
Don’t be fooled by their size, these single-celled green algae pack a health boosting punch. We chose chlorella because it is a great source of antioxidants as well as many other essential vitamins and minerals. No wonder it’s often used as a superfood powder! The cell walls of the chlorella we use for our Skin Nourisher are broken, meaning all these beneficial nutrients are more bioavailable and easier to digest in the body.
Antioxidants are important in skin health as they reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals such as pollutants, stress and lack of sleep, even intense exercise! Oxidative stress is what causes our cells (and skin!) to age so anything we can do to mitigate that oxidation is beneficial over time.
Additional research suggests Chlorella may have beneficial effects against depression, liver disease, and cholesterol. It also may act as a buffer against decreased immune system function due to extreme exercise.
AVAILABLE RESEARCH
Antioxidants
The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidative functions of chlorella, such as “scavenging free radicals created by various environmental factors.” The participants who supplemented with chlorella demonstrated a higher conservations of plasma antioxidant nutrients and improvements in antioxidant enzyme activities. The results are “supportive of an antioxidant role for chlorella and indicate that chlorella is an important whole-food supplement that should be included as a key component of a healthy diet.”
Source of Protein and Amino Acids
This paper suggests that chlorella is a source of protein which aids in the maintenance of good health and helps to build and repair body tissues.
This paper establishes the amino acid profiles of chlorella, among other groups of algae. chlorella was found to be a source of amino acids involved in muscle protein synthesis, as well as amino acids that aid the maintenance of good health.
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
Depression
Researchers in this study evaluated the therapeutic effectiveness of chlorella vulgaris extract (CVE) in as adjunct to standard treatment in patients with major depressive disorder. There was found to be a significant reduction in depressive symptoms for participants who supplemented with chlorella. This study provides the “first clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety of adjunctive therapy with CVE in improving physical and cognitive symptoms of depression as well as anxiety symptoms in patients who are receiving standard antidepressant therapy.”
Liver Disease
This paper investigated the effects of chlorella supplementation on glucose homeostasis, insulin and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Findings suggest that chlorella supplementation “could be considered as an adjunctive therapy to decrease weight and improve glycemic status and reducing hs-CRP as well as improving liver function in patients with NAFLD.”
Cholesterol
This study aimed to clarify the efficacy of the preventative role of chlorella in maintaining serum cholesterol levels against excess dietary cholesterol intake. The authors observed a preventative action of chlorella in maintaining serum in comparison to the placebo.
Immune System
Immunoglobin A (IgA) is an antibody that plays a crucial role in immune function by creating a barrier against viral pathogens. It has been suggested that prolonged, heavy exercise can drop IgA levels and increase risk of various viral and bacterial diseases. This study investigated whether intake of a chlorella supplement can attenuate salivary secretory immunoglobin A (SIgA) in training camp participants. The results showed that the participants who took chlorella did not exhibit a decrease in SIgA, while the placebo group did. Thus, it is suggested that “use of a chlorella-derived dietary supplement attenuates reduces salivary SIgA secretion during a training camp for a competitive sport”.
The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of chlorella in patients who suffered from hepatitis C virus (HCV). Eighteen adults with chronic infection by HCV received oral supplementation of chlorella for 12 weeks. “Chlorella supplementation was well tolerated in patients with chronic HCV and associated with a significant decrease in ALT liver enzyme levels.” Additionally, these individuals reported feeling an improvement in their energy levels and their perception of their overall health.