Algae Boosts Immune Markers

Chlorella is a single-cell green algae that has been cultivated since the 1940s for its bioactive substances, including vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, and more. Korean researchers enrolled 51 adults, who were randomly assigned to receive either tablets containing 5 g per day of chlorella, or placebo, for eight weeks. Results showed that the activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells increased by about 10% in the chlorella group, with a slight decrease in the placebo group. In addition, levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), necessary for innate and adaptive immunity against rival and bacterial infections, and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), key to the inflammatory response, were significantly increased in the chlorella group. The study authors conclude that: “These results may suggest a beneficial immunostimulatory effect of short-term Chlorella supplementation which enhances the [Natural Killer] cell activity and produces interferon-gamma and interleukin-12 as well as interleukin-1beta, the Th-1 cell-induced cytokines in healthy people.”