Lately, we are having some sleepless nights...

We cannot decide how to categorize Applied Health Solutions' newest product - "Foundation Blue-Green Algae". Every new product needs to be categorized, right? After all, everyone knows a nutritional product has to be placed in an appropriate grouping, so the consumer will know what the product generally does.

So, what do we do? We have thought of calling "Foundation" an "immune-boosting" product, because of how it helps the body combat allergies, fight bacterial and viral infections (including AIDS), and strengthen the immune system.

We, also, thought of calling it an energizing product, because of how it increases stamina (great for the weekend athletes) and improves energy.

Then, we recognized how it nourishes the body during weight-loss programs, so we considered referring to it as a weight-reduction aid.

Of course, we cannot forget that "Foundation's" nutrients are so dense - rich in vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, protein and essential nutrients - that it should be used as an overall daily supplement.

In addition, is there a category for a product that has cancer preventing properties, lowers cholesterol, balances mental attitude, and helps everyone improve their total overall sense of well-being, both physically and mentally?

See why we are perplexed?? Through research, we are beginning to understand more of why we see such wide ranging effects, in what appears to be unassociated responses.

In this month's first article, there is a brief summary of recent studies reporting on these multiple benefits from blue-green algae. The second article contains excerpts from the report on actual clinical tests. The complete study can be viewed at: BGA Study

So, how do we categorize a product that has such far reaching effects on health? We can only term it as "anti-aging". We have found that term is more reflective of how it makes us feel when we take this remarkable "food". Maybe now we can get some sleep.

For your best health...

Tamara

Back to the top of the page

Recent tests conducted by Gitte Jensen, PhD; Donald Ginsberg, MS; and Christian Drapeau, MS; have revealed the effects of Blue-Green Algae (BGA) on health, disease, and the immune system. It has been suggested that due to the many various properties of BGA, including the synergistic effects of the concentrated phytochemicals (Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, and Phycocyanin), algae can be used in many ways to encourage health and healing. The following information highlights the benefits reported in this study and the positive effects of Blue-Green Algae.

1. A nutrition-rich food
2. Strong anti-viral and anti-tumor cell activity
3. Protects against allergies, including food allergies
4. Stimulates immune cell trafficking (movement) and antimicrobial activity
5. Contains anti-inflammatory properties
6. High concentration of phycocyanin (provides the blue pigment in BGA) and free-radical scavenger properties
7. Significant amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, which inhibit the growth of inflammatory prostaglandins
8. Discourages growth of the certain HIV viruses
9. Contains cancer-preventive properties, especially beneficial for breast cancer
10. A strong biomodulator (adjusts all of the body's functions, including the immune system, to their proper balance)
11. Improves metabolism
12. Lowers cholesterol
13. Assists in weight-reduction and balancing blood sugar levels
14. Benefits lipid and sugar metabolism
15. Encourages proper liver function, healthy digestive system and nutrient absorption
16. Offers significant protection against lead toxicity
17. Accelerates recovery from mild traumatic brain injury

Other information reports on the improvement of conditions, such as:

1. Alzheimer's
2. Fibromyalgia
3. Hypertension
4. Chronic Fatigue
5. Sluggish Stamina
6. Healing internal and external lesions
7. Balances mood, aids depression (such as: Bi-Polar or Manic-Depressive Disorders)
8. Balances and increases mental alertness (such as: Hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Disorder)
9. Improvement in general feeling of well-being

For more detailed information and the actual report, go to: BGA Study

Back to the top of the page

In the evolving health management paradigm, the general regulation of the immune system, as well as the enhancement of specific immune functions, have become a growing point of interest, and rightly so. Many health problems result from the inability of the immune system to stop a disease process in its initial stage. This paper will review the scientific evidence for the immunomodulatory effects of blue-green algae and some of the demonstrated effects of blue-green algae on health and disease.

The human body is constantly being exposed to foreign organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, all of which coexist to a certain degree in the skin, the mouth, the respiratory tract, the intestinal tract, and the genital tract. Some microorganisms are essential for optimal health, and the healthy human body is well-equipped to keep such organisms from becoming a problem. However, when the natural barriers are compromised, or when we are exposed to more highly infectious organisms, serious disease may result. This includes not only acute infectious diseases, but also chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Optimal support of the immune system is important for prevention of and intervention with diseases with micro-biological involvement, whether acute illness or chronic degenerative disease. Inflammation sets the stage for chronic disease, and for the initiation and progression of cancer. Enormous research efforts are currently pursuing nutritional and botanical intervention of inflammatory processes.

Blue-Green Algae As Food- Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are among the most primitive life forms on Earth. Their cellular structure is a simple prokaryote. They share features with plants, as they have the ability to perform photosynthesis. They share features with primitive bacteria, because they lack a plant cellwall. Interestingly, they also share characteristics of the animal kingdom, as they contain on their cellular membrane complex sugars similar to glycogen. Among blue-green algae, we find both edible and toxic species adapted to almost any of the most extreme habitats on Earth, including deep-sea vents, hot springs, and Antarctica's ice. Edible blue-green algae, including Nostoc, Spirulina, and Aphanizomenon species have been used for food for thousands of years. Habitats with sufficient algae growth include the Pacific Ocean near Japan and Hawaii, and large freshwater lakes, including Lake Chad in Africa, Klamath Lake in North America, Lake Texcoco in Mexico, and Lake Titikaka in South America. African and American natives recognized the value of including blue-green algae in their diet and stored dried algae for year-round use and trade.

Still today, edible blue-green algae are a nutrient-dense food. As for any other crop, differences exist with regard to harvest procedures, quality control for contaminating species, adherence to proper processing to preserve nutrients from degradation, and storage conditions. The nutrient content depends on the location and environment in which the algae was grown as altitude, temperature, and sun exposure can greatly affect lipid and pigment composition. Spirulina is an algae species grown at sea or in man-made ponds, and the mineral profile will differ from fresh-water algae such as Aphanizomenon. Algae grown in a natural environment will differ from algae grown in canals or tanks due to differences in aeration, nutrient circulation and availability, and degree of competition with other algae species. As we learn more about the phytoceutical components of different blue-green algae species, the optimal growth conditions for obtaining optimal yields can be determined.

The nutrient profile is subject to much variation between habitats and harvest procedures, which influences the content of vitamins and antioxidants delivered in the final product. Certain features are common to all blue-green algae, including a high content of bioavailable amino acids and minerals, including zinc, selenium, and magnesium. Industrial standards still vary greatly in terms of documenting product composition to the consumer. However, blue-green algae have the appeal of being a raw, unprocessed food, rich in carotenoids, chlorophyll, phycocyanin, and many other bioactive components.

Beyond Nutrition

Among blue-green algae, many species have documented biomodulatory effects (effects due to the regulation and balancing of biological processes). This paper will review scientific evidence for immunomodulatory (immune regulating) effects of blue-green algae and some of its demonstrated effects on health and disease. The research studies span the use of the whole algae of various species in both human and animal studies, as well as in vitro studies on algae extracts and purified compounds...

(Following are brief excerpts from the study) -

1. Effects of Blue-Green Algae on Innate (non-specific) Immunity: The effect of blue-green algae on non-specific immunity has also been examined at the level of natural killer (NK) cell activity... Chickens fed blue-green algae were shown to exhibit greater anti-tumor cell activity when compared to those of control animals...

2. Effects of Blue-Green Algae on Specific Immunity: They found that mice fed with the algae-supplemented diet showed increased numbers of...anti-body-producing cells when compared to control animals... Blue-green algae may enhance...antibody levels to protect against food allergies... Local allergic reaction...was inhibited, and serum histamine levels were decreased.

3. Effects of Blue-Green Algae on Leukocyte (white blood cell) Trafficking: Much attention with regards to dietary modulation of the immune system has been given to stimulating activity of various immune cell types... However, immune cell trafficking and the recruitment of immune cells from the systemic circulation are of equal importance. A recent study...involving humans, demonstrated that the blue-green alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae was able to trigger within two hours the migration of nearly 40% of the circulating natural killer cells...

4. Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Blue-Green Algae: (contain) a significant amount of carotenoids...providing...good antioxidant properties... By their quenching action on reactive oxygen species, antioxidants carry intrinsic anti-inflammatory properties. However, blue-green algae also contains specific anti-inflammatory properties as a result of their high phycocyanin content. Phycocyanin is a photoharvesting pigment that provides the intense blue color in blue-green algae. It can constitute up to 15% of the dry weight of a blue-green algae harvest. C-phycocyanin is a free radical scavenger...

5. Anti-Viral Effects: As part of its program aimed at discovering new anti-tumor and anti-viral agents in natural sources, the National Cancer Institute isolated extracts of blue-green algae...that were found to protect human...cells from...the effect of HIV infection. Upon further investigation, a new class of HIV inhibitory compounds...were isolated; the pure compounds were found to be strikingly active against the HIV virus... Since this discovery, there has been further investigation into other species of blue-green algae for compounds with anti-viral properties. Other studies... have found a novel sulfated polysaccharide, calcium spirulan (Ca-SP), to be an anti-viral agent. This compound appears to selectively inhibit the penetration of enveloped viruses (Herpes simplex, measles virus, mumps virus, influenza A virus, and HIV-1) into host cells, thereby preventing replication.

4. Anti-Cancer Effects: extracts of blue-green algae have been used to treat cancer in animal models. A more recent study, however, showed that the sulfated polysaccharide mentioned above, Ca-SP, appears to inhibit tumor invasion and metastasis... A water-based extract of Aphanizomenon flos aquae containing high concentrations of phycocyanin inhibited the in vitro growth of one out of four tumor cell lines tested, indicating that at least some tumor cell types may be directly sensitive to killing by phycocyanin...

5. Blue-Green Algae as a Biomodulator: Besides their effects on the immune system, blue-green algae have also been reported to modulate other systems and improve metabolism. In the past few years increasing attention has been given to the study of the therapeutic effects of blue-green algae. The anecdotal claims for such effects are numerous. Although there is limited data from controlled animal or clinical studies, such claims include improvement in the condition of Alzheimer’s patients, overall enhancement of immune response, improvement in fibromyalgia, control of hypertension, alleviation of depression and chronic fatigue, increased stamina, healing of internal and external lesions, increased mental acuity, and general improvement in overall well-being. This last section will review the scientific evidence supporting the therapeutic effects of blue-green algae.

6. Effects on Metabolism: Several reports from different labs have shown that certain species of blue-green algae have cholesterol-lowering effects in animal and human models. In feeding experiments in rats, two studies have reported that the elevation in total cholesterol, LDL, and VLDL cholesterol in serum caused by cholesterol feeding was reduced when the high cholesterol diet was supplemented with 16% and 5% blue-green algae, respectively... Investigations into the mechanism of this phenomenon led to the finding that the algae-fed group showed a statistically significant increase in the activity of lipoprotein lipase, a key enzyme in the metabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins... In addition to lowering LDL cholesterol levels, the atherogenic index (a measure of fat deposition in arteries) declined significantly after four weeks of algae consumption...

In a double-blind crossover study involving human patients, supplementing the diets of obese outpatients with 2.8 grams of blue-green algae, three times daily over a four week period, resulted in a statistically significant reduction of body weight... blue-green algae may (also) have benefits on lipid and sugar metabolism, as well as liver function...

7. Other Effects of Blue-Green Algae: Other research studies on blue-green algae consumption deserve mention. Many reports exist in the literature on its antimicrobial effects. The secretion of anti-microbial substances is an important part of the competition for ecological niches in the natural environment... In one study...(blue-green algae) was shown to stimulate the growth of lactic acid bacteria. If the growth-promoting substance(s) exist in sufficient amounts intracellularly, blue-green algae may play a role...by supporting friendly gut bacteria. This leads to other facets of health including gut health and nutrient absorption...

8. Conclusion and Summary: Research results based on the numerous isolated compounds from blue-green algae warrant the exploration of using whole algae as conjunctive therapy due to the possible synergistic effects of many phytochemicals within the whole algae... A significant body of data suggests that blue-green algae immunoenhancing properties could be useful in the adjunct treatment of various diseases involving:

1) suppressed or exhausted immune system

2) inappropriate immune response including allergies, autoimmune diseases, and chronic inflammatory conditions. The data presented also suggests that blue-green algae could be useful as an adjunct in the treatment of cancer and AIDS, and calls for the design of controlled human clinical studies.

References

Gitte S. Jensen, PhD (1); Donald I. Ginsberg, MS (2); Christian Drapeau; MS (3)

1. Holger N.I.S. Inc., Port Dover, Ontario, Canada
2. Medical Student, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
3. Desert Lake Technologies LLT, Keno, Oregon

(All other references are listed with the complete study at: BGA Study)

Back to the top of the page