It is no longer a secret that we are exposed to pollutants and chemicals on a daily basis. This not only affects our organism, but also our skin and its appearance. Among other things, this promotes inflammatory reactions and premature skin ageing. It can also lead to sebum production and allergies. In view of this, many people swear by spirulina and chlorella and their detoxifying effect. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the two green powerhouses and examine the extent to which they can have potentially positive effects on skin health.
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Spirulina and chlorella: a brief introduction
Nowadays, spirulina and chlorella are added to smoothies, shakes, teas and bowls and can now hold their own as true superfoods. Chlorella is a unicellular green algae, whereas spirulina is a multicellular cyanobacterium. This means that biologically it belongs to the bacteria and not to the plants. However, due to their similar characteristics, they are collectively referred to as unicellular microalgae.
Microalgae have been found on our planet for several billion years. Accordingly, their positive properties were recognised and exploited very early on. Several centuries ago, they were used by various cultures such as the Aztecs, the African peoples and the early inhabitants of Japan and China to support their health due to their high nutrient content.
Spirulina likes it salty and is therefore native to lakes with a particularly high salt content. It can be found in Asia and Africa, for example. Alternatively, both spirulina and chlorella can be cultivated in special facilities.
They are particularly popular because they are ideal for detoxifying the body. This is mainly due to the secondary plant substances they contain. These include chlorophyll and carotenoids. Chlorophyll is the pigment responsible for the green colour of plants and algae. Secondary plant substances are generally known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hormone-regulating effects. In line with this effect, the microalgae are preferably used for detox cures. They are also added to numerous skin care products to strengthen the body from the outside as well as the inside.
Nutrient profile: What nutrients do the power algae have to offer?
The question of why these power algae have become an integral part of everyday nutrition is fairly easy to answer: the nutrients in these microalgae are extremely impressive.
In addition to high-quality proteins, they also contain vitamins A, C and E as well as B vitamins. They also contain zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium and secondary plant substances such as chlorophyll, carotenoids and lots of antioxidants. If you would like to take a closer look at the entire nutrient profile plus precise nutritional information, you can find more helpful information in the blog post Chlorella vs. spirulina - the differences and benefits of the two microalgae.
The effect on the skin & what science says about it
First of all: spirulina and chlorella are known for their antioxidant properties and therefore offer protection against free radicals and oxidative stress. Free radicals can be caused by harmful environmental influences such as UV radiation, stress, alcohol and tobacco consumption and air pollution. They can cause considerable damage to the body in the long term. Among other things, they can destroy cells and tissue.
However, our skin also suffers from these harmful substances, as free radicals can attack collagen and elastin fibres. This causes the skin to lose elasticity and can lead to premature skin ageing. Oxidative stress also stimulates melanin production, which contributes to the development of age spots. Free radicals also increase the risk of inflammation. The result: skin irritation, acne or irritated skin. This can sometimes be very painful for those affected.
Cosmetic research recognised these problems quite early on and considered power algae as promising active ingredients for skin care products due to their rich ingredients and antioxidant properties. For this reason, numerous creams, serums, lotions etc. are now enriched with spirulina and chlorella to support the skin barrier and create an even complexion.
A study was carried out on rats in order to better understand the antioxidant effect of spirulina. The researchers wanted to find out how spirulina affects trained rats. The rats underwent eight weeks of strength training and were given various amounts of spirulina. The results showed that the power algae helped to reduce inflammation in the body and improved protection against harmful molecules produced by training (oxidative stress). 1
These findings can be transferred to humans in that biological processes such as oxidative stress function similarly in mammals. In addition, there are numerous studies that prove that spirulina and chlorella have antioxidant effects - including this study from 2020, which suggests that chlorella has a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. 2
As outlined in the article 'Potential Application of Spirulina in Dermatology', numerous studies suggest that spirulina and its components have positive effects on skin cell proliferation and collagen production, among other things. They also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This provides a healthy environment for skin cells and structure and can provide anti-ageing, photoprotection and wound healing. There are compounds of
cyanobacteria that also have skin-lightening properties. This is due to the inhibition of the enzyme tyrosinase. Their antibacterial effect can also have benefits for the skin - for example in the case of acne or herpes.
In view of these beneficial properties and its extremely nutrient-rich composition, spirulina offers many advantages and can improve the appearance of our skin.
However, there are still some areas of application where further specific research is needed to better demonstrate its effectiveness. 3 Overall, studies show that spirulina can continue to reduce muscle damage caused by physical oxidative stress, strengthen the immune system and regulate inflammation in the body. 4
As we know, a strong immune defence also helps to improve skin quality, as this results in fewer infections, better wound healing, e.g. in the case of spots, redness or inflammation, and slower skin ageing, as free radicals can be reduced by the immune defence.
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Support for detoxification processes
Many people already use the combination of spirulina and chlorella for detox cures. The microalgae are taken either as a temporary cure or as a permanent dietary supplement. This is due to the fact that they can also remove harmful heavy metals such as mercury from the body.
This is also confirmed by a study that investigated how a 90-day dietary supplement with chlorella in combination with amino sulphurate supplements can reduce the heavy metal content in the bodies of patients with long-standing titanium dental implants and/or amalgam fillings. Overall, the intake of algae extracts and amino sulphates was able to significantly reduce the levels of certain heavy metals such as mercury ions, silver, tin, lead and uranium compared to baseline levels. 5
In a figurative sense, exposure to heavy metals can also cause significant damage to the skin. The harmful and inflammation-promoting heavy metals inhibit the regeneration of the skin, accelerate skin ageing and weaken the skin's protective barrier. You can often recognise this by the fact that your complexion changes and looks dull, sluggish and stressed.
Conclusion
Spirulina and chlorella are not considered powerhouses among superfoods for nothing and their nutrient content is definitely impressive. Both algae are ideal as dietary supplements, but also as skin care creams, oils and serums for external use, as they contain almost all the important minerals, antioxidants and vitamins in combination. So if you want to improve your skin quality in the long term, supplementing with these two nutrient boosters can be very beneficial.
Sources:
2. Bito T, Okumura E, Fujishima M, Watanabe F.
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