Spirulina

Not a cure for any disease. Won't replace medications for MS, obesity, or heart disease. No strong evidence it boosts athletic performance on its own. Topical spirulina extracts for skin are very early-stage — don't expect dramatic eczema results. Animal and lab studies don't automatically translate to humans.

• Fresh spirulina is highly perishable — shelf life is only 8–36 days depending on storage temperature; improper storage can lead to microbial contamination
• Most dramatic results in the provided studies come from combining spirulina with exercise (HIIT), not spirulina alone — solo supplementation effects are more modest
• Many supporting studies are in animals (dogs, chickens, rats, fish) — human evidence is limited and often in specific disease populations
• Spirulina can be contaminated with heavy metals or microcystins if sourced from unregulated suppliers — always choose third-party tested products
• The MS trial used only 1 g/day with 20% dropout rate — long-term safety and efficacy in chronic disease management is not established