Key result
Spirulina supplementation significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure (MD -0.42; 95% CI -0.81 to -0.02; p=0.04), whereas Chlorella had a neutral effect on blood pressure and lipemia.
Why the study?
Chlorella and Spirulina may reduce cardiometabolic disease risk, but existing studies evaluating their impact on cardiovascular risk factors are limited in size and evaluated different outcomes.
Does Chlorella or Spirulina supplementation improve modifiable cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure and lipemia?
Meta-Analysis
Does Chlorella or Spirulina supplementation improve modifiable cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure and lipemia?
Mean Difference: -0.42 (95% CI -0.81–-0.02)
p-value: p=0.04
Spirulina supplementation may provide a statistically significant but clinically uncertain reduction in diastolic blood pressure, whereas Chlorella supplementation shows neutral effects on cardiometabolic risk factors.
May support Spirulina as modest diastolic BP adjunct; leaves open clinically meaningful cardiometabolic benefits pending larger trials.
Background/Objectives: Chlorella and Spirulina supplementation may reduce the risk of cardiometabolic diseases by better controlling blood cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, weight, and blood pressure (BP). However, the available studies are limited in size and have used different outcomes. Methods: To gain power in assessing the impact of microalgae supplements on cardiovascular risk factors, we searched PubMed on 3 February 2023 for randomised controlled trials assessing the effects of Chlorella and Spirulina on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Results: We found 12 studies in Chlorella and 9 studies on Spirulina. Depending on the available outcomes, varying numbers of participants (Chlorella: 168 to 279; Spirulina: 101 to 299) were included. Our analysis showed that Chlorella supplementation had a neutral effect on BP and lipemia. On the other hand, Spirulina intake led to a significant reduction in diastolic BP (−0.42, 95% CI: −0.81 to −0.02, p = 0.04) but did not significantly affect lipemia indexes, despite a trend toward a reduction in total cholesterol (−0.17, 95% CI: −0.39 to 0.06, p = 0.15). This meta-analysis suggests Spirulina supplementation can be used as an adjuvant to control cardiometabolic risk factors, particularly for BP. However, the magnitude of this effect is small and of uncertain clinical significance. Conclusions: Further randomised trials are needed to better assess the potential of these supplements as adjuvants for the control of cardiovascular risk factors.
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Pinto-Leite et al. (2025) conducted a meta-analysis in Cardiovascular risk factors. Chlorella and Spirulina supplementation vs. Control was evaluated on Diastolic blood pressure (MD -0.42, 95% CI -0.81 to -0.02, p=0.04). Spirulina supplementation significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure (MD -0.42; 95% CI -0.81 to -0.02; p=0.04), whereas Chlorella had a neutral effect on blood pressure and lipemia.
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