Article at a glance:
- Chlorella is a nutrient-rich superfood that lets people enjoy multiple health benefits.
- One benefit chlorella provides is that it can help keep your heart healthy.
- Chlorella does so by improving your overall cardiovascular health.
Is chlorella good for patients with heart problems? Many people around the world love this superfood as a dietary supplement, and given its long list of benefits, it’s no surprise. For one, it has many positive effects to support your heart health.
Wondering if chlorella is good for the heart? Learn more about chlorella heart health benefits that you should be aware of here.
What Is Chlorella?
One of the most popular supplements around is chlorella, and given its many health benefits, this may be justified. But what is this superfood, exactly?
Chlorella is a type of unicellular algae that is found in freshwater bodies. You can natively find this alga in Taiwan and Japan, but it is now grown and harvested in China, India, and the United States (Hawaii).
Many people love using chlorella as a supplement because of its superfood properties. It’s chock full of nutrients that are proven beneficial to the body. It contains essential amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It’s also rich in chlorophyll, chlorella growth factor, and essential fatty acids.
Manufacturers usually use two strains of chlorella to make their supplements: Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella pyrenoidosa. These two strains both make for amazing nutritional supplements, but many prefer Chlorella pyrenoidosa because it has a denser nutrient content than the other.
If you’re looking for chlorella supplements in the market, you’re in luck – they’re easily available at pharmacies, health stores, and online shops. You can get them as powders, tablets, or liquid extracts.
Chlorella Heart Support: Benefits of Chlorella for the Heart
Can heart disease patients take chlorella?
Chlorellas’s health benefits for your heart mainly stem from how it aids in keeping your cardiovascular system healthy. Keeping your blood and blood vessels healthy brings less strain to your heart. As such, you avoid any wear and tear, keeping it healthy and lowering your risk of heart disease.
Curious about how taking chlorella supplements can lead to having a healthy heart? Here are the benefits this superfood brings to your cardiovascular system.
1. Helps Lower Blood Pressure
Does chlorella help blood circulation?
One of the most well-documented health claims for chlorella is that it can help reduce your blood pressure. This makes chlorella potentially good for those with hypertension. Several studies have observed its effects regarding this, and many of those studies brought about promising results.
For example, a 1995 study published in a Japanese nutrition journal examined how effective chlorella supplementation is in possibly lowering the blood pressure of hypertensive men. The said study found that subjects who were supplemented with chlorella for six months had reduced BP levels compared to those who were in the placebo group.
Besides helping control high blood pressure, chlorella also helps keep it at healthy levels. In a 2002 study, it was found that Chlorella pyrenoidosa may be effective in reducing the blood pressure of individuals with mild to moderate hypertension. It also showed that the superfood may help them keep ideal BP levels at a stable rate.
One trial that ran for two months observed respondents who were given 10 grams of chlorella tablets and another 100 mL of chlorella extract. Based on the trial, some saw a slight change in the average heart rate. Meanwhile, those with mild to moderate hypertension who supplemented with chlorella saw their blood pressure reduced.
2. Helps Lower Blood Cholesterol
Can chlorella lower cholesterol?
Given the overall benefits of chlorella to our heart health, you may wonder how it contributes to a better cardiovascular system. Studies have observed that chlorella helps with hypertension, but how does it do it?
One well-known way chlorella helps is by lowering the blood cholesterol levels of a person. Multiple studies have suggested that chlorella potentially helps lower blood lipid levels in the bloodstream. The studies suggest that chlorella’s vitamin B, carotenoid, antioxidant, and essential fatty acid content reduces LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels.
In connection with this, the superfood may also aid in lowering the likelihood of arteries getting blocked by excess cholesterol. As such, chlorella may also help reduce a person’s risk of suffering emergency cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.
3. Helps Reduce Arterial Stiffness
Does chlorella help clogged arteries?
Another way that chlorella helps improve overall heart health is by helping lower arterial stiffness. This chlorella benefit has been observed in numerous studies.
One 2013 placebo study observed that chlorella supplements helped those who took it for four weeks reduce arterial stiffness.
A similar study in 2015 found a similar result among middle-aged men and older. This study also found that those who took chlorella had more nitric oxide levels in the body, which may act as a vasodilator and contribute to reducing arterial stiffness.
Both studies suggest that some of the nutrients chlorella carries help reduce arterial stiffness, namely arginine, beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, and zinc. Vitamin C and E, along with the essential fatty acids found in chlorella, are said to contribute as well.
4. Helps Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Does chlorella lower blood sugar?
Did you know that chlorella also helps with blood sugar control? Studies have observed that chlorella helps reduce food cravings, lowering your tendency to binge eat. This is all thanks to the B vitamins that chlorella provides, which help minimize the hunger signals your body gives. It also contains GLA or gamma-linolenic acid, which aids in lowering blood sugar levels and reducing carb binges.
Studies have shown how helpful a chlorella supplement can be in controlling blood glucose. A 2008 study observed that those who took chlorella saw lower fasting blood sugar. The researchers believe that chlorella helped activate insulin signaling, which they say is one of the reasons behind chlorella’s hypoglycemic effect.
Chlorella and Heart Health: How to Take It Properly
Generally, chlorella is a safe superfood for most people to take. It doesn’t really have many side effects, and those that may happen usually involve an underlying health issue. So, you don’t have to worry too much about supplementing your diet with chlorella.
For people who want to use chlorella supplementation for their overall heart health, taking around 3-10 grams of chlorella daily is safe, whether in the form of chlorella powder, tablets, or liquid extracts. However, some studies have suggested that 5-10 grams of chlorella is the best way to go for optimal results.
However, depending on your health goals, it’s still best to consult your healthcare provider if you want a more personalized approach.
Besides keeping your heart healthy, chlorella as a dietary supplement brings many other positive effects on the body. These include the following:
- It helps boost your immune system.
- It helps ease chronic inflammation.
- Its antioxidant status helps avoid cell damage.
- It supports your eye health.
- It helps detox as it can bind to heavy metals and flush them away.
- It helps improve aerobic endurance.
Does chlorella raise heart rate?
No, it doesn’t increase your heart rate. Some studies have observed chlorella’s effects on your heart rate, showing little to no changes.
Is chlorella a blood thinner?
No, it is not. However, if you ask, “Does chlorella affect blood clotting?” the answer would be yes. It contains Vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting. As such, people who need to take blood thinners like warfarin should be cautious in taking chlorella supplements.
Take Chlorella for Improved Heart Health
Is chlorella good for the heart? Other than being known for its protein content, this superfood is taken by people for its potential benefits for your heart and overall cardiovascular health. Chlorella is safe to take to improve and maintain good heart health. But if you already have a heart condition, consult your MD for professional advice on taking chlorella with your heart medications.
Ready to give chlorella a try? Try chlorella today and experience its many potential health benefits.
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