Everyone knows that weight gain occurs when the intake of calories from food for a long time exceeds the body's needs. Also, this process may not be caused by fat deposition, but by fluid retention in the body due to poor functioning of the kidneys, heart, or hormonal disorders.
If weight gain is caused by regular overeating, then the reason for this is often emotional factors - depression, anxiety, guilt and other stressful phenomena.
In older people, weight gain often occurs in the context of normal eating habits but a decreased metabolism. Also, excess weight is common with forced limitation of physical activity - cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, etc.
In any case, the overwhelming majority of overweight people would like to have a slim figure, and not only for aesthetic reasons, because excess weight means shortness of breath, heart and joint diseases, constant fatigue and decreased tone and many other, to put it mildly, inconveniences.
You may also be interested in:
290 rubles Spirulina - Fitosila ® dietary supplement, No. 120 table.
x 0.35 g (blister) 141 rubles Spirulina - Fitosila ® dietary supplement, No. 60 table. x 0.35 g (blister)
200 rubles Spirulina-Fitosila ® anti-aging face mask with vitamin C, 150 ml (tube)
200 rubles Spirulina-Fitosila ® nourishing face mask with vitamin B12, 150 ml, tube
200 rubles “Spirulina-Fitosila” ® regenerating face mask with vitamin E, 150 ml, tube
200 rubles Spirulina-Fitosila ® face mask moisturizing with vitamin A, 150 ml, tube
However, not everyone is able to withstand physical activity and follow a strict diet, and a variety of circumstances may be to blame for this. In this case, natural biologically active substances with which nature is generous come to the rescue.
What is spirulina?
Spirulina is a both saltwater and freshwater blue-green algae with unique properties that has recently been increasingly studied. Spirulina was originally classified in the plant kingdom due to its rich plant pigments and photosynthetic ability, but it was later classified in the bacterial kingdom (cyanobacteria) due to its genetic, physiological and biochemical composition. Spirulina grows naturally in high-salt alkaline ponds in subtropical and tropical areas of the Americas, Mexico, Asia and Central Africa.
What beneficial substances does spirulina contain?
Spirulina contains numerous antioxidants, including beta-carotene, phycocyanin, tocopherols, trace elements, polyunsaturated fatty acids, including gamma-linolenic acid and phenolic compounds. The high nutritional value of spirulina was recognized by the Intergovernmental Institute on the use of spirulina microalgae in the fight against malnutrition in the 1970s. Spirulina has also been recognized and recommended by NASA and the European Space Agency as a nutritional supplement during long-duration space travel.
Since then, numerous animal and human clinical trials have been conducted to determine the beneficial effects of spirulina as a supplement. Spirulina is inexpensive and does not have any significant side effects.
The authors of the meta-analysis discussed in this article aimed to study the effect of spirulina specifically on weight loss in people for whom this is especially important.
Algae Spirulina tablets
Spirulina algae is widely used in nutrition and folk medicine .
People have long realized that if you include it in your diet in the form of a dietary supplement, you can forget about many diseases. The rich chemical composition makes it impossible to doubt the healing and preventive properties of spirulina . Due to the high content of vitamins and minerals, it has a beneficial effect on the condition of various systems of the human body. This algae contains more than 650 useful substances that are well absorbed by the human body. All these substances are preserved when pressed into tablets, which are convenient to dose and take.
Research on the effects of spirulina on weight loss
The researchers reviewed 5 research reports in the scientific literature, published through May 2021, in which overweight or obese subjects took supplements containing 1-5 grams of spirulina per day for 6-12 weeks - and in which the researchers later found an effect supplements for body weight. The total number of subjects was 278 men and women.
The researchers then summarized the study results and analyzed them again.
The results of 5 studies showed a significant decrease in body weight (-1.56 kg) after taking spirulina. Subgroup analyzes based on health status showed that weight change in obese participants (−2.06 kg) was greater than in overweight participants (−1.28 kg) after taking spirulina. Additionally, the pooled analysis showed that spirulina supplementation resulted in significant reductions in body fat percentage (-1.02%) and waist circumference (-1.40%), but not in body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio.
All studies took place in conditions not associated with dieting aimed at losing weight and other lifestyle changes for the same purpose. That is, taking spirulina or placebo is the only thing that changed in the lives of the participants.
The best dosage was supposed to be 2 grams per day.
How does spirulina help with weight loss?
Spirulina , entering the human body, gradually removes waste and toxins of any kind from the body, which helps reduce the level of lipids and cholesterol in the blood, and, in turn, leads to the improvement and stabilization of metabolic processes.
Due to its high nutritional value, spirulina can significantly reduce appetite. 10 grams of this plant contains as much protein as a kilogram of beef, as well as a large amount of calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, selenium and vitamins. This means that saturation comes quickly, but there are simply no extra calories in spirulina.
Here is not a complete list of beneficial properties of Spirulina :
- increasing immunity;
- gentle cleansing of the body from any toxins;
- reduction of tumors;
- lowering cholesterol levels;
- hangover relief;
- improvement of sexual function;
- increase in hemoglobin.
spirulina itself does not burn excess weight. It affects the body comprehensively, improves the functioning of various systems, and normalizes vital processes.
Even if it is not possible to go to the gym and eat absolutely right, to successfully lose weight with spirulina , you should follow some more rules:
- exclude sweets and starchy foods from the diet;
- replace sweet soda, which contains a huge amount of sugar, with plain water and green tea;
- at least slightly increase physical activity, for example, instead of traveling by bus or car, walk.
The mechanism of action of spirulina on body weight
The possible mechanism of the changes that occurred has an explanation. Thus, in one randomized controlled trial in humans (50 participants), the addition of spirulina for a period of 3 months at a dosage of 2 g per day improved insulin sensitivity, and also led to a significant reduction in body weight and body mass index. It also had a significant lowering effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and significantly improved overall antioxidant status (2).
In another study of 64 obese people aged 20-50 years, the group given 500 mg of Spirulina platensis twice daily for 12 weeks achieved a noticeable reduction in appetite.
This same group showed greater weight loss than the placebo group (3).
The researchers hypothesized that these effects (increased insulin sensitivity and decreased appetite) reveal the mechanism by which spirulina influences weight loss.
Dietary supplement for weight loss Spirulina - reviews
irisska-kiska
https://otzovik.com/review_4248935.html
Advantages:
Yes, but not in burning calories
Flaws:
Haven't lost weight
Good day to all readers of my review!
The problem of excess weight has been very relevant for many years for many people suffering from it. Now there are many ways to lose weight, including various sets of exercises, running, fitness, the gym, and various diets.
But everyone would like to achieve results without much effort, especially without bothering. For example, take a couple of tablets and that’s it – the result is ready. There are a lot of such drugs, there are some that actually give such results, but they have many side effects, addictive effects, etc.
But I want to find something natural and healthy for myself. And I am no exception, the problem of excess weight has bothered me almost since childhood, although I cannot call myself fat, but I always have a couple of extra pounds that I would like to lose. But since I am lazy by nature, physical activity is not for me. But asking for pills to burn fat and calories, and without harm, but on the contrary, with benefits for the body - that’s welcome.
Spirulina tablets caught my attention, I won’t go into details about what they are. Yes, I think that many already know everything, if not, then you can Google it on the Internet, and there is a sea of such information. There are a lot of reviews about them, and everyone is different, my curiosity got the better of me and I still decided to try them on myself.
Today I want to talk about the dietary supplement Spirulina tablets.
I ordered them on Aliexpress.
At the time of purchase they cost $8.92. I received them about a month after purchase.
Their weight was about 250 grams, in the package, as indicated by the seller, 1000 tablets.
They are packed in a foil, waterproof, sealed, inconspicuous bag. On which there is only one sticker with a name and description. Everything is in Chinese, nothing can be understood. There is also a stamp on top of the package with an expiration date. After opening this package there were a lot of tablets inside; I did not count them to check the number of pieces. It looks like there are a lot of them - enough, as they say.
There was also green dust from these tablets on the walls of the bag.
The tablets themselves are dark green in color and not large in size. In order to lose weight, you need to drink them twice a day in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening with your last meal of the day, or even better, instead, 3-5 tablets at a time.
That’s what I did, took 3 tablets twice a day.
The first time I drank them for about a month, but not always regularly, sometimes I could forget. As a result, I didn’t lose any weight at all and didn’t notice any improvements for myself.
Then there was a break for several months.
In the fall, I decided to take charge of myself. And I took these pills regularly, for two months, 3 pieces twice a day. The very first thing I noticed for myself was that I became less tired during the day, my vital energy really increased. On the seller's website, it was written in capital letters anti-fatigue, everything is correct here.
At first it seemed to me that my appetite had also decreased and that I didn’t want to eat as much, but this was a mistaken opinion. As long as I mentally restrained myself, everything was fine, but as soon as I relaxed even a little, my insatiable appetite quickly returned.
I never managed to lose even one kilogram. Still, the most effective thing is to restrain yourself in food, especially sweets and high-calorie foods.
Therefore, do not believe those who lose weight with the help of Spirulina, it is not true!
After using it, I still have less than half a packet of tablets left, of course I will finish them in the next course. But I'm unlikely to buy any more.
Therefore, I do not recommend Spirulina to anyone specifically for weight loss; do not believe the advertising. But if you need it for other indications, then the choice is yours whether to buy it or not.
I hope my review will be useful to someone.
Thank you for your attention! Enjoy the shopping!
Superbogina
https://otzovik.com/review_1886057.html
Advantages:
There are none, at least for me
Flaws:
Wasted money
Good day to all readers!
Well, what can I say about this super-burner - no results and only disappointment.
I am sure that what I came across was not a fake - I placed the order from a loved one who is engaged in this profile not via the Internet, but so to speak, he brings the goods in such a way that he checks it personally and then delivers it. He recommended this Spirulina to me, saying that it helps everyone. Maybe it didn’t suit me due to the characteristics of my body, maybe for some other reason, but the effect was zero! Disappointed!
Cherry-berry
https://otzovik.com/review_4688687.html
Advantages:
Price
Flaws:
Not effective
After reading reviews and listening to my friend who was losing weight, she bought this very spirulina. Fortunately, it cost a mere trifle back then, around 40 hryvnia. There are a lot of records in the package, 6 of them exactly, maybe more. Nothing special, no taste, no aftertaste, no effect on the body. I admit that Spirulina can be useful for the body and do something necessary in it that we don’t even suspect, but it definitely doesn’t help to lose weight. As a friend told me, I drank it, 3 pieces a day, 15 minutes before meals. I took it for more than two weeks and even bought a second package. And then I somehow decided to step on the scales. For some reason I hadn’t weighed myself all this time, although I have scales at home. A kilo more) of course, I weighed myself in the middle of the day and it is quite possible that this was the filling of the intestines, but there was definitely no plumb line. I did not observe any surges of strength, improvement in skin condition or general body tone, and especially no fat burning.
Weisenheimer
https://irecommend.ru/content/poka-ne-uvidela-effekta
Advantages:
low price, contains many vitamins, improves digestion
Flaws:
need to be taken for a long period
Use experience: a week or more
Cost: 42 UAH
I walked around Airek in search of a miracle potion for beauty, health and weight loss. I came across reviews about spirulina. This is such an algae that contains magic.
Concentrated are many (about 2000 in total) minerals, vitamins and essential fatty amino acids and plant enzymes.
I decided to try it. I went to the nearest pharmacy and bought it for 42 UAH ($1.8). There are 50 tablets in a box, 0.5 g each. Green in color, marshy, not very pleasant smell. It is recommended to drink 6 g per day, I drink 4 for prevention, two at a time - in the morning an hour before meals and in the evening.
Feelings: for the first 2 days my stomach was rumbling terribly and there was terrible flatulence. I thought, maybe this product is not suitable for me? I decided to take it for a couple more days. After some time, the discomfort passed, the bowel movements became regular and at approximately the same time. I can’t say anything about the deterioration/improvement of my health; it seems that everything has remained at the same level. Of course, only a week has passed and it’s too early to judge any drastic changes, but I’m trying to write, so to speak, hot on the heels and while the sensations from taking it are still vivid) I also want to say that I have a weak liver and sometimes when I eat something fatty or just fried - it starts to prick and hurt. So, taking spirulina, the liver does not hurt at all, although the food is the same.
Weight loss: the weight has not changed in a week. At all.
Results: I will update the review in a couple of weeks, because I think that the effect is cumulative and I don’t expect much results in a week. Soon the word is spoken, but not soon the deed is done..) In the meantime, I’m giving 4 points, because I didn’t notice the result.
Thank you guys for your attention!
ADDENDUM: Girls, as promised, I’m unsubscribing. Another 5 days passed and I decided to stop taking it. Some kind of devilry was happening to the intestines - discomfort, bloating, constant rumbling in the stomach. There were absolutely no changes in anything, at least I didn’t notice. I’m giving it 2 stars because I only took it for a couple of weeks and the result didn’t show up externally, maybe at least it was inside the body, where it’s not visible?.. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend this product.
gunʙina
https://irecommend.ru/content/ne-stoit-sebya-muchit
I read on the Internet about the benefits of spirulina in powder and decided to purchase it. Before this I took spirulina in tablets. I bought a pack of 250 gr. Costs about 800 rubles. Manufacturer China.
It is a fine powder. According to the instructions, before use, spirulina should be mixed with water and allowed to brew for several minutes. The result is a green gruel. The taste, of course, is also not so great. If you try really hard, you can overcome yourself and drink. It is not clear why such sacrifices are made. I can assume that if you add it to salads (as the manufacturer recommends), then no one will eat them. So, if there is no urgent need (and there cannot be, since this is a dietary supplement, not a medicine), then, in my opinion, there is no need to suffer. You can get vitamins and amino acids from other, more delicious natural products (for example, berries, bee products, nuts) and enjoy life. Or drink spirulina tablets.
In general, health is health, but I won’t buy powdered spirulina anymore, my psyche is more expensive.
Proof of Spirulina for Weight Loss
A similar explanation is given by the authors of a recent publication on a similar topic, “The Effect of Spirulina on Weight Loss and Blood Lipids,” published in the scientific journal Open Heart:
“The proposed mechanism of action of spirulina in weight loss is to reduce macrophage infiltration into visceral fat, prevent liver fat accumulation, reduce oxidative stress, improve insulin sensitivity and satiety.
The decrease in appetite may be associated with improved leptin resistance in the arcuate nucleus." (4)
Sources
- Effects of Spirulina supplementation on obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Sajjad Moradia, Rahele Ziaeic, Sahar Foshati Hamed Mohammadi, Seyed Mostafa Nachvak, Mohammad Hossein Rouhani. Complementary Therapies in Medicine Volume 47, December 2021, 102211.
- Spirulina maxima improves insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and total antioxidant status in obese patients with well-treated hypertension: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. M Szulinska, M Gibas-Dorna, E Miller-Kasprzak, J Suliburska, A Miczke, M Walczak-Gałezewska, M Stelmach-Mardas, J Walkowiak, P Bogdanski. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2017 May;21(10):2473-2481.
- The effects of Spirulina Platensis on anthropometric indices, appetite, lipid profile and serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in obese individuals: a randomized double blinded placebo controlled trial Reihaneh Zeinalian, Mahdieh Abbasalizad Farhangi, Atefeh Shariat, Maryam Saghafi-Asl. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2021 Apr 21;17(1):225.
- Effects of spirulina on weight loss and blood lipids: a review. James J DiNicolantonio, Anusha G Bhat, and James OKeefe. Open Heart. 2020; 7(1): e001003.
