Does Spirulina protect from oxidative stress?
Yes. Most antioxidants you are familiar with – vitamins such as E or C, selenium, and most phytonutrients such as those in tea, or red wine – act as scavengers of oxidant molecules; they try to clean up oxidizing free radicals after they have been created. Spirulina’s super blue protein, phycocyanin, is different. Although it is an efficient scavenger of oxidants, Spirulina, phycocyanin, and it’s’ component phycocyanobilin, (like their chemical relatives hemoglobin, bilirubin and biliverdin), affect some of the major sources of oxidant stress.* Visualize a faucet stuck open; water fills the basin splashing onto the floor. Think of the water on the floor as oxidant stress; pouring, filling and overflowing our cells. Most antioxidants act like mops – though typically each antioxidant can work on only part of the “floor”. In contrast, Spirulina simply shuts off the faucet, and mops up the spills!
