Is Chlorella A Safe Supplement?

Although supplements such as chlorella are commonly used because they are "natural," this does not mean that they cannot cause any side effects or health problems. The safety of chlorella is not definitively proven, so you should talk to your doctor before taking chlorella or any other sort of dietary supplement.

What Is Chlorella?

Chlorella is actually a single-celled algae, a 2005 article in "Archiva Zootechnica" states. When you consume chlorella supplements, the algae have been treated and broken down so that your body can get all the nutrients inside these organisms. Chlorella also contains large amounts of chlorophyll, which is a pigment that lets the algae convert the energy from the sun into food. The American Cancer Society reports that chlorella is often promoted as an immune booster, as well as a supplement to prevent infections and to maintain the health of the digestive tract. Chlorella is also used to "cleanse" the body and to reduce cancer risk.

Studies in Animals

Much of the safety information on chlorella comes from studies done on animals. A 2005 article in "Archiva Zootechnica" examined the effects of feeding rats chlorella and found no evidence of health problems caused by ingestion of the substance. Another study published in 2009 in "Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology" also involved feeding rats large amounts of chlorella. Even when chlorella comprised 10 percent of the rats' diets, there were no adverse effects observed.

Human Studies

There is limited information on the safety of chlorella in humans. In 2003, an article was published in the "Canadian Medical Association Journal" that examined the effects of administering a chlorella-derived supplement in patients receiving an injection for influenza. No significant side effects were observed in the patients who received the chlorella supplement, and some of the patients also had a better immunological response to the vaccine after taking the chlorella supplement.

Considerations

As the American Cancer Society notes, there is not very much information as to the safety of chlorella supplements for humans. As a result, you must talk to your doctor before taking chlorella and should ask a pharmacist or other expert for recommendations when picking a chlorella product. Stop taking chlorella if you develop hives, a rash or other symptoms of an allergy.