Spirulina: the performance asset for athletes

What is spirulina?

Spirulina is your future best friend, and here's why.

Contrary to its nickname "blue algae", spirulina is not an algae.

It is a freshwater cyanobacterium with a spiral shape and blue-green color.

It is used as a food supplement because of its protein richness, its antioxidant powers and its numerous health benefits.

For athletes, spirulina is an excellent food. We even talk about superfoods . Its nutrients increase endurance, boost performance and accelerate sports recovery.

Consumed in sufficient quantity, it reduces any deficiency, providing you with a good source of proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins and micronutrients.

Spirulina is an interesting supplement for your sports practice . Its nutritional richness can give you more vitality and tone to improve your performance.

Composition of spirulina

Spirulina has the richest and most complete nutritional values ​​known to date.

For example, it is an ideal source of plant protein as part of a vegetarian, vegan or vegan diet.

Spirulina consists of:

• beta-carotene also called provitamin A, whose antioxidant action fights premature aging and oxidation of muscle tissues;
• calcium , good for bones and bone building, which reduces the risk of injury during sports;
• iron , an essential element to avoid nutritional deficiencies, especially among athletes who do not eat meat;
• potassium (K), an electrolyte involved in muscle contraction and which provides alkalizing power, in addition to helping to synthesize carbohydrate and protein metabolism;
• vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B12 which contribute to the production of energy during physical effort by maintaining metabolic balance. They help synthesize lipids, carbohydrates and proteins;
• proteins which make up two thirds of spirulina (this is 3 times more than meat and 2 times more than soy) and which provide a good supply of essential amino acids for muscle building;
• phosphorus which is involved in energy intake and in the composition of the skeleton;
• magnesium which maintains psychological balance, participates in the storage of glucose in the form of glycogen and reduces muscle cramps;
• zinc , a trace element that participates in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and protein synthesis.

>> Enjoy the benefits of spirulina and plant proteins with OZERS Post Workouts.

Properties of spirulina

Spirulina is an important source of fiber which improves digestion, strengthens cardiovascular health and reduces bad cholesterol levels.

Spirulina is also one of the only directly consumable sources of omega 6 (gamma linolenic acid). This essential fatty acid prevents arthritis and joint pain, an interesting property among high-level sportsmen and athletes.

Chlorophyll also makes up spirulina and gives it its green pigments.

This component improves the production of red blood cells and helps purify the blood of toxins. Spirulina thus has detoxifying and stimulating powers for the immune system.

Finally, spirulina is rich in trace elements and minerals such as magnesium, sodium and potassium. Trace elements consolidate cell and tissue structure and help in the production of collagen. Minerals maintain water balance and stabilize the enzymatic and hormonal systems, but also the muscular, nervous and immune systems.

Spirulina also contains a large amount of essential amino acids to strengthen metabolism, gain muscle and gain endurance. Lysine, proline, valine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid make up this cyanobacteria.

The benefits of spirulina for athletes

Spirulina is a superfood. Used as a food supplement, it constitutes a good source of vegetable proteins , ideal for gaining muscle mass and increasing the effectiveness of your workouts.

Supplementing with spirulina when doing sport is interesting to benefit from complete nutritional intake , but also to support the muscles and organs during and after exercise in order to increase performance.

Spirulina is rich in iron

100 grams of spirulina is equivalent to 28 mg of iron.

Spirulina helps fight iron deficiency and anemia in athletes. It also helps maintain a good nutritional intake of iron in athletes who do not consume any products of animal origin.

Scientific studies show that consuming spirulina is an effective way to supplement with iron naturally. Spirulina being 100% of plant origin, it is compatible with all diets.

In addition, scientists have estimated that 40% of the plant iron in spirulina is assimilated by the body.

The extra tip: To increase the body's absorption of iron, you can consume spirulina with a food rich in vitamin C.

Stock up on protein with spirulina

An advantage of spirulina is its richness in proteins and therefore in amino acids .

It is one of the best sources of plant-based proteins for athletes. These are proteins that the body assimilates very well due to the cellular composition of spirulina.

Protein is essential for muscle rebuilding. They promote muscle mass gain and prevent muscle wasting during the cutting period.

Plant proteins have at least 7 good reasons to be better for your health than animal proteins. In particular, they avoid the consumption of synthetic hormones and antibiotics.

Did you know ? Spirulina is the champion for capturing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. It can absorb between 23 and 43 tonnes of CO2 and produce more than 16 tonnes of oxygen per hectare. In addition to being excellent for the health of athletes, spirulina is good for the environment!

Spirulina is a source of vitamins

The 5 most important vitamins for athletes are vitamins C, B1, B2, B3 and B6, because they are directly involved in the energy production process.

Spirulina contains a large number of B vitamins , including vitamin B12 which is mainly found in animal foods.

These vitamins help with recovery after exercise , notably by reducing aches, muscle spasms and contractions.

B vitamins also help the body produce energy and endure physical exertion more easily.

Finally, spirulina contains, in addition to all the B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.

You can therefore increase your sporting performance by regularly consuming spirulina in your post-workout vegetable drink, for example.

Why consume spirulina when doing sports?

1. To increase your performance

Spirulina is an energy booster. Its consumption influences your performance and your recovery after sport.

Its nutritional contribution helps the proper functioning of physiological metabolisms. Knowing the role and process of metabolism can help you improve the effectiveness of your training.

Spirulina increases the maximum volume of oxygen (VO2 max) used by the muscles. It reduces heart rate and oxygen consumption during exercise, but amplifies the circulation of hemoglobin which transports oxygen to the muscles and organs.

Finally, consuming spirulina would help reduce cramps and muscle fatigue after a sports session.

2. To maintain optimal weight

Spirulina can help you lose fat and gain muscle quickly. It promotes lean mass gain, in particular thanks to its protein richness, its concentration in amino acids, its absence of fat and sugar and its appetite suppressant effect.

Spirulina plays a role in reducing bad cholesterol . It reduces blood lipid and triglyceride levels. It can even increase insulin levels in diabetic athletes and reduce fasting blood sugar levels.

This cyanobacteria has a lipid content of less than 10% and is low in calories. It is compatible with a low-fat, low-calorie diet.

3. To maintain a good nutritional intake

Spirulina provides almost all the essential nutrients for human health. It only lacks vitamin C, omega-3 and iodine.

Adopting a balanced diet , rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils and fatty fish will allow you to consume these missing nutrients.

Remember that spirulina cannot be your only source of protein. It must be part of healthy eating habits and integrated into a varied diet.

4. Limit injuries

Spirulina is a great source of antioxidants that help the body protect itself from oxidative stress. They reduce the level of lipids in the blood, but also reduce the influence of free radicals on cells.

For athletes who want to strengthen their metabolism , consuming spirulina is an effective solution.

Scientific research shows that consuming spirulina improves our resistance during exercise , combats oxidation and optimizes physical performance.

5. Get a quick energy supply

Spirulina is a concentrate of nutrients that you can ingest and assimilate quickly. This is why it is interesting to consume it before, during or after sport.

To take it even more simply, OZERS offers you plant-based drinks based, among other things, on spirulina. Drink your post-workout shake to gain energy before your workout, increase endurance during exercise and improve post-workout recovery.

How to consume spirulina?

Spirulina exists as a food supplement. You can consume it in the form of tablets or powder to mix in a drink or in a dish.

Ozers vegan drinks consist of spirulina and chlorella, another natural source of nutrients close to spirulina, rich in vitamins and minerals and which promotes detoxification of the body.

Spirulina is taken with a glass of water, but you can add powder to your recipes and prepare, for example, delicious runny heart cookies rich in protein and composed of 3.16% spirulina and chlorella.

When to take spirulina?

You can take spirulina at any time of the day , before, during or after sports training.

It is advisable to avoid taking it in the evening, before going to bed, so as not to prevent you from sleeping, because spirulina is energizing.

As part of a slimming diet, you can consume spirulina 15 to 30 minutes before a meal.

Dosage of spirulina for sport

We mainly talk about dosage for taking a medication. Spirulina being a food, we will rather talk about advice for use.

The minimum recommended dose is 3 grams of spirulina per day for 1 month. It is advisable to take spirulina for a few weeks and start with low dosages which you will gradually increase.

Doctors reassure that there is no risk of overdose. During periods of intensive training, you can increase the dose of spirulina up to a maximum of 10 grams per day . If side effects occur, reduce the quantity.

Contraindications

Spirulina can interact with certain treatments and in particular with coagulant, immunosuppressive, hypoglycemic and anti-cancer insulin medications.

You should also be careful if you suffer from certain pathologies and autoimmune diseases.

If in doubt, talk to your doctor before starting spirulina supplementation.

Precautions to take : ANSES (the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Safety) published a report in 2017 warning consumers about the methods of exploiting spirulina. The presence of TME (trace metal elements – heavy metals) is possible when spirulina grows in polluted waters. The report encourages us to favor spirulina of French origin or with the European organic label to limit the risk of contamination and consume good quality food supplements.

Conclusion: spirulina, an asset for boosting sports performance

Spirulina is a superfood perfectly suited for sport and even recommended to improve physical performance . It is consumed during regular treatments , in capsules or powder, in post-workout drinks for example.

This cyanobacteria improves sports progression. It helps you to withstand physical effort and to go further in your practice. It is compatible with all sporting activities. It is also an interesting food to keep fit and stay healthy.

If you want to reduce your animal protein intake, spirulina is an excellent solution. Its protein richness allows you to maintain a good nutritional intake and benefit from the benefits of amino acids for bodybuilding.

Ditch the steak and switch to spirulina with Ozers plant-based drinks!