When you are researching the use of spirulina in your daily routine, you may first look at the benefits. After you have done that, you will likely use at the ways you can use it and what you should do for specific goals. What many people skip over are the possible side effects.
These may not be severe, but they are something to consider if you are new to superfoods since some may have side effects that are startling but normal. Here are a few of the side effects of spirulina to consider:
Constipation
When you first start using spirulina, and before you work out a routine that works best for you, you may notice some constipation. This can be as mild as gas and some mild constipation and inflammation.
It can also be severe, requiring you to take laxatives to help break up the constipation. This is an easily fixed side effect to spirulina and only requires adjusting your intake.
Instead of using spirulina daily, you can cut it down to every other day or just a few times a week. The dosage of spirulina is usually 3 grams. If you want to keep taking it daily, you can lower the amount to 1 gram instead.
Contamination
Unfortunately, since blue green algae in capsule or powder form is considered to be unregulated by the FDA, you may not be getting the ideal purity you are looking for. This means that some of the spirulina may be contaminated. This can cause illness or in severe cases liver disease or failure.
To avoid this, make sure you are buying your spirulina from a reliable source such as a local health food store that has regular and reputable suppliers.
Increased Heart Rate
If you are not used to taking a large amount of minerals and vitamins a day, then you may experience mild levels of an increased heart rate. This is due to the burst of energy you may be getting as well as the boost of minerals and vitamins.
This is normal and should not be taken as alarming. If it continues, lower your amount to 1 gram and then
increase it as needed.
By keeping these side effects in mind, you will know what to expect if one of them does occur. This may mean a slight change in your routine, dosage, or use may need to change to counteract the side effect.
If you are having severe side effects, stop the use of the superfood and seek professional assistance to determine if there is an allergy.
