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- Journal of Medicinal Food: Chlorella (Chlorella Pyrenoidosa) Supplementation Decreases Dioxin and Increases Immunoglobulin A Concentrations in Breast Milk
- Journal of Medicinal Food: Chlorella (Chlorella Pyrenoidosa) Supplementation Decreases Dioxin and Increases Immunoglobulin A Concentrations in Breast Milk
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Chlorella Supplements When Pregnant
Chlorella is a type of blue-green algae that is often taken in supplements to provide nutrients 1. Some people believe that it can also prevent cancer and remove potentially harmful substances from the body. Preliminary evidence suggests that taking chlorella during pregnancy can help prevent some health problems, such as anemia and edema, but more research needs to be done on the effectiveness and safety of this supplements. Don't take chlorella without first consulting your doctor, especially if you're pregnant.
What is Chlorella?
Pregnant women may take chlorella supplements as a way to boost their health and overall well-being. Chlorella contains large amounts of chlorophyll. According to a 2001 review published in "Alternative Therapies," every kilogram of chlorella contains 28.9 grams of chlorophyll. Chlorella also contains proteins with the all of the naturally occurring amino acids, and it also contains significant amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, vitamin B-12, calcium, zinc, iron and other vitamins and minerals.
- Pregnant women may take chlorella supplements as a way to boost their health and overall well-being.
- Chlorella also contains proteins with the all of the naturally occurring amino acids, and it also contains significant amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, vitamin B-12, calcium, zinc, iron and other vitamins and minerals.
Effects of Pregnancy
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Pregnant women have an increased risk of developing several health problems, including anemia, protein in the urine and the accumulation of fluid in the body, also known as edema. The nutrients present in chlorella may be able to help prevent some of these problems 1. A 2009 article in "Plant Foods for Human Nutrition" found that pregnant women who consumed chlorella supplements were less likely to suffer from anemia, edema and protein in the urine.
Chlorella and Dioxins
Chlorella may also be able to protect your baby from dangerous chemicals known as dioxins. Dioxins are toxins that are present in the environment and accumulate in the food chain, ultimately winding up in the human body. A 2007 study in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" found that giving chlorella to pregnant women reduced the dioxin levels in their breast milk after pregnancy, suggesting that this supplement can help improve the health of the baby.
- Chlorella may also be able to protect your baby from dangerous chemicals known as dioxins.
- A 2007 study in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" found that giving chlorella to pregnant women reduced the dioxin levels in their breast milk after pregnancy, suggesting that this supplement can help improve the health of the baby.
Considerations
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Although there is no evidence that chlorella is dangerous for human consumption, the safety of this supplement has not been adequately tested. You must be especially careful about what supplements you take while pregnant, because your body is under a lot of stress during pregnancy and supplements can harm both you and your baby. Talk to your doctor before taking chlorella supplements.
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References
- Alternative Therapies: A Review of Recent Clinical Trials of the Nutritional Supplement Chlorella Pyrenoidosa
- Journal of Medicinal Food: Chlorella (Chlorella Pyrenoidosa) Supplementation Decreases Dioxin and Increases Immunoglobulin A Concentrations in Breast Milk
- World Health Organization: Dioxins
- Kwak JH, Baek SH, Woo Y, et al. Beneficial immunostimulatory effect of short-term Chlorellasupplementation: enhancement of Natural Killer cell activity and early inflammatory response (Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial). Nutr J. 2012;11:53. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-53.
- Azamai ESM, Sulaiman S, Habib SHM, et al. Chlorella vulgaris triggers apoptosis in hepatocarcinogenesis-induced rats. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2009 Jan;10(1):14-21. doi:10.1631/jzus.B0820168.
- Azocar J, Diaz A. Efficacy and safety of Chlorella supplementation in adults with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. World J Gastroenterol. 2013 Feb 21;19(7):1085-90. doi:10.3748/wjg.v19.i7.1085.
- Nakano S, Takekoshi H, Nakano M. Chlorella pyrenoidosa supplementation reduces the risk of anemia, proteinuria and edema in pregnant women. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2010 Mar;65(1):25-30. doi:10.1007/s11130-009-0145-9.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Traditional Chinese Medicine: What You Need To Know. Bethesda, Maryland; updated April 29, 2019.
- Ryu NH, Lim Y, Park JE, et al. Impact of daily Chlorella consumption on serum lipid and carotenoid profiles in mildly hypercholesterolemic adults: a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Nutr J. 2014 Jun 11;13:57. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-13-57.
Writer Bio
Adam Cloe has been published in various scientific journals, including the "Journal of Biochemistry." He is currently a pathology resident at the University of Chicago. Cloe holds a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry from Boston University, a M.D. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in pathology from the University of Chicago.