Chlorella
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Chlorella No Evidence of Immune Enhancement in Double Blind Study: Chlorella pyrenoidosa are freshwater unicellular, microscopic algae widely used as a food supplement in Japan and promoted by one U.S. manufacturer for immune enhancement as well as being an overall superfood. In a well-designed 28-day DB PC study 124 healthy adults over age 49, 200 or 400 mg/day of Chlorella or placebo were given. On day 21, all received a single dose of a licensed trivalent, inactivated influenza vaccine. Hemagglutination inhibition titers before and 7 and 21 days after vaccination. There were no differences in the proportions of recipients of 200 or 400 mg of the Chlorella-derived dietary supplement or placebo who achieved at least a 4-fold increase in antibodies (proportions for the 3 virus strains ranged from 17.9% to 28.2% for the 200-mg group, from 11.1% to 22.2% for the 400-mg group and from 19.0% to 21.4% for the placebo group; p > 0.05 for all comparisons). Recipients of 400 mg of the supplement who were 55 years of age or younger had significantly higher geometric mean antibody titers against influenza A/New Caledonia 21 days after vaccination (p = 0.047) and against B/Yamanashi 7 days after vaccination (p = 0.034); the trends were nonsignificant for titers against A/Panama. Halperin SA, Smith B, Nolan C, Shay J, Kralovec J. Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.  CMAJ. 2003 Jul 22;169(2):111-7. Ed: The separating out of recipients age 55 and younger appears an inappropriate post-hoc (after the fact) analysis which is unacceptable as proof of anything.  A statistical analysis of a post-hoc grouping is bogus science.

Chlorella Study Claimed to Suggest Benefit for Fibromyalgia: Chlorella was given to 20 fibromyalgia patients for 2 months in a totally uncontrolled open trial (10 g of 'Sun Chlorella' tablets and 100 mL of liquid 'Wakasa Gold'). The average Tender Point Index decreased from 32 to 25 after 2 months. Blood samples showed no significant changes in serum chemistries, formed elements, and circulating lymphocyte subsets. Patient interviews and self-assessment questionnaires found that seven patients felt that the dietary supplement had improved their fibromyalgia symptoms, while six thought they had experienced no change, and five believed the symptoms had worsened. The authors claims, "The results of this pilot study suggest that dietary Chlorella supplementation may help relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia in some patients." Nutritional supplementation with Chlorella pyrenoidosa for patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: a pilot study. Merchant RE, Carmack CA, Wise CM., Medical College of Virginia Richmond, VA. Phytother Res. 2000 May;14(3):167-73. Ed: Notice the wording. Those who felt better reportedly attributed their improvement to the supplement, while those who got worse did not attribute the worsening to the supplement. To claim that such a small, uncontrolled open trial suggests anything is scientifically inappropriate.

Chlorella Claimed to Help Hypertension in Extremely Poor Study: In an apparently uncontrolled study of 33 adults with mild diastolic high blood pressure, 10 g Chlorella algae tablets and 100 ml Chlorella extract for 2 months found little change in the average blood pressure. The authors claim "a heterogenous response pattern to Chlorella existed." There were 25% (6/24) whose blood pressure fell to less than 90 mm Hg.  With absolutely no evidence, the authors claim that this "excellent response" was due to the Chlorella. Of course, for the average to remain essentially unchanged, if some had lower readings, others must have had higher reading.  The author does not say that these were dangerous side-effects caused by Chlorella. Nutritional supplementation with Chlorella pyrenoidosa for mild to moderate hypertension. Merchant RE, Andre CA, Sica DA.  Medical College of Virginia, J Med Food. 2002 Fall;5(3):141-52.  Ed: I am very skeptical of this study. Merchant has close ties to the manufacturer who makes wildly exaggerated claims for Chlorella. In a national 24 page mailing in Nov., 2004, promoting Chlorella as a superfood, Merchant is featured as the Head of Neurosurgery at the med school. In fact, he is not even a physician. He is only a PhD on the faculty. Chlorella is almost certainly healthy and very likely as good as salt-free spinach, but at a much higher price.  I recommend eating a serving of Greens or similar lutein food each day based on good research of some modest health benefits.

Chlorella Claimed to Help Fibromyalgia and Ulcerative Colitis: In purportedly DB PC trials,  55 adults with fibromyalgia, 33 with hypertension, and 9 with ulcerative colitis received 10 g of pure chlorella in tablet form and 100 mL of a liquid containing an extract of chlorella each day for 2 or 3 months or maybe placebo. However, the above hypertensive patients do not appear to ever have been randomly assigned to placebo since all were on placebo and then all were on chlorella. The authors claim that daily dietary supplementation with chlorella may reduce high blood pressure, lower serum cholesterol levels, accelerate wound healing, and enhance immune functions. A review of recent clinical trials of the nutritional supplement Chlorella pyrenoidosa in the treatment of fibromyalgia, hypertension, and ulcerative colitis. Merchant RE, Andre CA., Medical College of Virginia. Altern Ther Health Med. 2001 May-Jun;7(3):79-91. Ed: Merchant’s work is financed by the manufacturer of Sun Chlorella.

Chlorella Claimed to Help Bowel Troubles, Muscle and Tendon Problems, Morning Stiffness, and Headaches: RE Merchant, purported Head of Neurosurgery at the Medical College of Virginia claims to have found that "More than 90% of study subjects with colon and bowel trouble found taking Sun Chlorella helped improve these uncomfortable and embarrassing conditions" and improved nearly 70% of patients with chronic muscle concerns, tendon problems, morning stiffness, and recurring headaches. 24 page national advertising mailer sent Nov. 2004.

Chlorella Claimed to Make Survival Better than Expected in Glioma Brain Tumor Patients: In an apparently uncontrolled report of 21 glioma brain tumor patients given chlorella for the last two years of their lives, RE Merchant in a promotional sales flyer from the manufacturer claims that there was a decrease in respiratory and influenza-like infections, an increase in strength, better participation in overall treatment, and a better clinical status. He claims that he has shown that "circulating leukocytes and myeloid progenitors in patients consuming Chlorella were less affected by tumor, chemotherapeutic drugs, and/or the immunosuppressive medication, dexamethasone." Merchant claims that the "survival and TTR (time to relapse) in younger (glioma) patients and/or with smaller (tumor) burdens on MRI/CT scan were better than expected."  Merchant is identified as the Head of Neurosurgery at the Medical School of Virginia in the flyer.  He is the only person identified with a medical school in the 24 page flyer and the only person who claims to have researched the benefits of chlorella. Ed: These are very dangerous claims.  I personally know a relative with leukemia who received recommendations from several friends into health foods to forgo medical care and use various unproven herbal remedies instead.  When the Head of Neurosurgery from an established medical school claims scientific evidence of benefit for brain tumors, many people with serious and treatable conditions are going to forgo and harmfully delay real treatment for this bogus cure.  Why medical schools whose names are used to promote bogus treatments do nothing at all to restrain their faculty is beyond me.  However, Harvard, Stanford, Duke, and many others are responsible for lending their names in the promoting of bogus claims.

Chlorella Claimed to Lower Cholesterol: In a promotional flyer, RE Merchant (see above) claims that chlorella cause a significant drop in cholesterol in the above high blood pressure study. However, his research design does not appear to have been randomized assignment placebo-controlled and appears to have measured cholesterol before blood pressure medications were discontinued and again four months later after three months of chlorella. The drop in cholesterol could have been due to stopping diuretic blood pressure medications which are well proven to cause an increase in serum cholesterol. Perhaps, chlorella can cause such a decrease, but this claim should be an embarrassment to any medical school.  While political pressure has made the FDA abandon any regulation of nutritional supplements, you would think a medical school whose name is prominently used to promote sales of a supplement would want some real evidence of benefit.