How Much Spirulina To Take?
Firstly, please bear in mind that Spirulina is a food supplement. So, there is no official recommendation for how much spirulina to take. The amount of spirulina to take as a daily quantity or dosage will depend upon many factors including your current health and your own body weight. We make suggestions below, as well as a suggested approach or strategy to successfully take spirulina to improve your health and to avoid the problems that some people, including me, experienced.
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Members of our team now take between 500mg and 2 to 3 g a day, although initially I was taking at least 5g and on occasions 7.5g a day. That was too much. I explain why below.
Having used spirulina, ourselves for about three years now, we have the following recommendations based on research and our own experience. But before you take spirulina, there is something very important for you to consider.
Most important: Before You Decide On The Quantity To Take
Before you decide on the amount of spirulina to take, there is a far more important consideration.
We cannot emphasise enough the importance of obtaining a good and safe supply, produced under the right toxic free conditions. Many people who buy supplies from producers that are not producing spirulina in toxin free conditions, are the same people that complain “it made me sick”. Of course, it will make you sick if it has toxins using water drawn from a river or water supply with a factory or industry discharging water into that same river or water supply. Spirulina acts like a sponge and soaks up everything in its environment as it grows.
Furthermore, the risk of toxins aside, even with safely produced spirulina, you might also feel a bit sick if you need to detox. Read and learn from my experience below.
Spirulina Is Like A Sponge
Think how a sponge soaks up car shampoo in a bucket of water and car shampoo. Spirulina is the same, it sucks up anything in its environment.
So, please make sure the supplier you purchase from, has strict production standards or you will not see the benefits. The reverse may happen. It might even harm you.
Our suggestions
We have made selecting quality spirulina easier for you, by making some suggestions. We are very careful about which suppliers we recommend. We have either researched their standards or they have sent us their production standards. If you want to buy from an alternative source to those we recommend, we encourage you to exercise extreme caution, particularly from suppliers in Countries and locations with major contamination issues. Ask yourself, are the conditions they are producing their spirulina, free from contamination in the water or in the air?
My Experience On How Much To Take
Initially I was taking 5 g a day. 2.5g before breakfast and 2.5 g at lunchtime/early evening. Sometimes I took another 2.5 g at night and I found I could not sleep properly. Thinking back, the amounts I initially took
were far too much as my body was detoxing and I didn’t fully understand what was happening at the time.
“Stick With The Programme” My Doctor Said
It took me about 9 months before I noticed I had increased energy. This was after, I had “detoxed” my body and frankly it wasn’t all that nice. Initially I had bouts of minor diarrhoea, headaches, bloating, cramps and feeling a bit dizzy as it was detoxing me from Fatty Liver, IBS/Candida and helping me to reduce my blood sugar. My alternative remedy doctor told me to take 5 tablets in the morning (2.5g) and 2.5g at lunchtime. Despite the symptoms from the detox
going on in my body, he encouraged me to “stick with the programme”. Bear in mind I was in a pretty bad way health wise and heavily overweight, so my detox experience was probably more drastic than you or most people will go through.
You Look So Good !
It was the increased energy I noticed first, my doctor had not mentioned I would see this benefit so I was surprised when I felt so energised. Then I discovered I was losing weight. I then realised my hair was growing thicker, my nails seemed to be growing faster and my skin, (I`m a “typical” bloke for my age who does not use cream), somehow it was softer and it was healing really fast from minor cuts and burns. People wanted to know what I was doing to be looking “so good” and somehow “younger looking”. It must be the spirulina I said, I can`t think of anything else. Bear in mind I was only taking it to improve my poor health.
More Energy
Then, because I had more energy, my gym sessions could last longer and amazingly I then noticed my muscles were developing. A personal trainer at the gym even asked me how old I was; “because you work out harder and seem in so much better shape than last year and far fitter than many in the gym. I`m 60 this year and most were younger than me.
About 12 months into using spirulina I noticed another surprising benefit relating to something I had not heard of before, Andropause. When I investigated it, I realised I had previously been suffering from many of the symptoms. With regular use of spirulina, they had gone. Oh, and I have saved some money on something else too! Read the click through as to why.
I then noticed that somehow, I couldn’t explain it, despite a stressful personal situation I was in, I somehow felt a bit “high” or at the very least I felt very happy! I used to suffer from mild to on occasions, quite serious depression, but I have not had any repeat since taking spirulina on a regular basis. More recently, I have noticed that my eyesight seems sharper than it used to be and now only use my contact lenses for driving. I can now comfortably work without wearing contact lenses or glasses.
How Much Should I Take?
So you have purchased your contamination free spirulina, you know from our experience not to take too much at first, how much in total should I take each day?
Studies (1) have demonstrated that between 1-8g a day is an effective amount. From our experience we know 2.5g to 7.5 g works. Members of our team currently take between 2 and 3 g a day. Our advice is as follows.
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Remember It Helps To Detox You
You know you do not have any underlying health conditions and/or you have checked with your Doctor or Health professional that you can take spirulina. You have now obtained a safe supply of spirulina from a reliable provider.
How much to take?
Based on our own experiences and to avoid the difficulties I had, we suggest you start with a low quantity or dose and slowly work your way up, assessing your tolerance as you go. So, we suggest:
- Day one and two, take 1 x 500mg tablet with water before breakfast or a small teaspoon of a similar amount of spirulina powder in a smoothie or shake. If you take the powder, you will be very unusual if you like the taste eating it direct without putting it into a smoothie, but there are some people who enjoy it that way.
- Days three and four, take 1 tablet x 500mg tablet (or powder) before breakfast and another, 500mg
tablet just before lunch. - Days five, six and seven
take 3 tablets a day (not at night) - Week two. Assuming your tolerance levels are fine, you can now increase to 4 tablets (2g) a day. If not, stick with a maximum or 1.5g a day (or a little less) increasing when any detox symptoms have subsided. We would encourage you to “stick with the programme” and not give up and slowly you will start to notice the benefits as your body slowly detoxes.
- Week three/four. Tolerance ok? Increase to 2.5 or 3g a day.
- Month two and beyond – 5-8 grams a day (but please ensure at these levels that its an iodine free spirulina). The Chilean spirulina we use is iodine free.
How Much Do I Take For Different Conditions?
Academic and Medical studies utilising spirulina, typically end with a call for “more studies” to be undertaken. We have also detected in some of the language, almost a deliberate attempt to sow seeds of doubt about its efficacy, driven we suspect by share price or stock market values of some of the larger pharmaceutical companies. Imagine the impact if more people enhanced their health taking spirulina or even better, growing and eating their own spirulina? So why not give it a try. we believe you need to do this consistently for at least 3-6 months before you notice any sustainable change. But if you do this, like us, you will start to notice the exciting improvements to your health.*
Not a silver bullet
Don’t get us wrong, spirulina is not a silver bullet to solve all your health problems, but it might be helpful to you for many conditions* (but please carefully note, not with the few exceptions we have highlighted) that are described on this site.
So, How Much To Take For Different Conditions?
Assuming you have taken the approach of slowly increasing the amount of spirulina you take, to help you detox, these are some suggestions for different conditions. But it is difficult to be precise so you will need to be consistent and patient. Suggestions include (1):
- A dose of 1-8 g for cholesterol, may give you results.
- Develop your muscles, doses of 2-7.5 g per day have been successfully used
- For blood sugar control, very mild effects have been noticed with as little as 2 g per day
- Blood pressure reductions may be seen with doses of 3.5-4.5 g per day
- Improvements to fatty liver have been seen at doses of 4.5 g per day
When to take it?
The longer you take spirulina for, the more you will probably notice your energy levels increasing.
Like caffeine, its best to avoid it in the late afternoons or evenings as like me at first, it might impact on your sleep.
Tasty Spirulina Recipes
Looking for some ideas for some tasty spirulina recipes? Check out our recipe page!
Check our Spirulina, Chlorella and Maca FAQs here.
Spirulina History of Use
This interesting story that goes back almost to the beginning of our planet. There might even be a reference in Genesis, but we are not 100% sure. Discover the details of its origin and its history on the page, “What is spirulina about?”
Thank you, For Visiting
Thank you for visiting whyspirulina. We hope you found this information helpful. If you have any comments or questions, kindly leave them below and we will get back to you.
Affiliate links
You might have seen the “affiliate link” button at the top, that links to a page. This basically means we could make a tiny commission, if you purchase anything using one of our affiliate links on this page. It helps to keep us in coffee, making a small contribution, allowing us to research and write articles on the benefits of superfoods. You will not pay more by making a purchase via one of our links.
Sources
- (1) Kamal Patel, Examine (dot)com
Please see the About page. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
As a friend was telling me she is happy to see all the benefits from taking Spirulina everyday, I wanted to know more and I’m glad I found your article to read it today.
This is not the first time I hear about taking Spirulina but I didn’t know about all the benefits it can give, your article is well written and I’m sure it will help many as it helped me, today I can say I’m better informed and I would try it, as you mention it will help to have a healthier life to anyone who start taking it.
Thank you for leaving a comment on our site Alejandra. I`m pleased to learn that you feel more informed and that you thought the article was well written. Thank you. Did you have a chance to check our FAQs? There is a lot of information there or links to pages with details of how it can help (or not) with a number of conditions. The history page is also well worth reviewing to understand it better.
Thanks so much for sharing a beautiful, informative article with us. The principal element of this article is; “How Much Spirulina To Take”. It’s really amazing that you covered this subject so well in your post. I have learned a lot from reading your post and gained a lot of knowledge about it. I like it. When to take it? of the points mentioned in your article. It acts as a supplement which is very important for getting energy. I have been using it myself for a long time but I am a little cautious about when and how much to eat, according to my doctor’s advice.
Dear Md, thanks for your comment and feedback. I`m glad you liked it and fiound it useful. Its good to hear you use it regularly but you are also right to follow your doctor`s instructions. Its best to take spirulina in the morning as it does give you an energy boost (it typically takes a little while before you notice an energy boost and often after your body has detoxed, well,that was my experience). You would not want to drink an energy drink at night as it may prevent you from sleeping. Spirulina taken over time will boost your energy, but unlike energy drinks that are loaded with sugar, spirulina is not. So best take your spirulina first thing in the morning. I occasionally take one at lunchtime, but no later. The quality of spirulina is absolutely essential. Some brands are not so we are very cautious about which brands we recommend. Also its important to obtain supplies that are as fresh as possible. That is why we recommend specialist suppliers such as E-Vitamins and Whole Foods. Not Amazon.
I have also experienced a great improvement with my memory and it also helped my previous IBS that I suffered from and Gastrointestinal problems. So all in all its a great superfood. But there are a few conditions where its best avoided so you are wise to check in with your doctor before taking it. But for most people, its a great boost to their vitamin and mineral intake and its sugar free and for some people, it helps them to lose weight too. All in spirulina is usually a win-win for most people!
Some people do experience the same effect as you experienced and my colleague is one of them. She took amounts that were too much for her body and it was affecting her. We should get more enlightenment before we engage the use of some products. Thank you for these helpful tips.
It was interesting to learn of your colleague`s experience. Yes a cautious approach as I have outlined in this post is really the best way to take spirulina. And, of course, you need to ensure you have the right quality spirulina. And if you have a pre-existing condition, to check it with your doctor. Some people say that if you suffer from gout, you should not take spirulina. I used to occasionally suffer from gout. I had one attack early on, when I was taking too much spirulina at the beginning, to help with my diabetes and “fatty liver“. But since I have been taking it regularly, and detoxed, it is no longer a problem. The history of spirulina page is worth checking out for anybody with any doubts. And if you haven`t seen it, the recipe page is great for those looking to use spirulina powder.
Hello John (I don’t know if Trevor is your first name), it’s so good to be at your website. I have had a family member mention about the good effects she has had from this specific food supplement. I thought that spirulina should be a kind of name for a probably spiritual practice for wellness. Anyway, on account that I buy this one, I now know that there is a way to take it and how much to take too. Thanks.
Thanks Kay, yes its Trevor John and I`m glad you like our website. I`m glad your family member mentioned how it is such a good food supplement. Providing it comes from a good supply, it is. The way spirulina is grown is criical to its effectiveness, as is how long it has been stored. Its impacted by heat. “Spiritual practice for wellness”. Interesting point, it has certainly helped my cognitive health and mind so yes, perhaps it would be a great boost to meditation, if you are taking spirulina regularly, your mind and meditations are likely to be more lucid and clear.
It is very good to read about things that are beneficial to ones health online and anywhere, but one mistake that I don’t like, that most people make is that of taking products into their body system without consulting with a medical practitioner, just like that of this spirulina, you should know how well your body can react to it. So this is really helpful advice to help people know how much to take with this superfood.
Thank you for your comment. We are glad you find it helpful. You may also find the Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) page helpful. And the history of spirulina page too.
I find I always learn a lot from your articles about spirulina so it’s always a joy to come across them. I think spirulina is a great product and from the many medical achievements that it boasts I think it’d be particularly helpful to a lot of people. Thank you for sharing this article about the right way to take spirulina and how to handle its dosages.
Thank you for visiting us and leaving a comment. I`m glad you found the advice on dosages helpful. You might like to check out our spirulina FAQs which provide links to the various conditions spirulina can help with* and a few where it is best avoided. The history of spirulina is also fascinating which you can see via this click through. If you are interested in Superfoods, you might be interested to learn about MACA which we have now added to our site. We are currently researching Maca in detail. Its great for menopause and brilliant for those looking to enhance their sex life!
Thanks for putting this out here for the benefit of the general public. Whilst I understand spirulina is not a medication, its good to have this advice on how much spirulina to take so people can learn from your experience. It’s good that you shared this it’ll help people take spirulina without suffering the sort of heavy detox that you had when you first started. Which brands do you recommend in particular? Do you recommend any other superfoods at all? Perhaps for my wife who is going through Menopause?
Thanks Bruce. Spirulina is great to detox but you don`t want it being too drastic, that is why we created this page to offer some advice on how much to take, offering a simple strategy on how much to take. You might find the spirulina FAQs page a helpful reference page and also the history of spirulina too. Thank you for your comment.
Knowing how to take this spirulina, can he integral to the kind of effects it has on our body. It is never easy to take something new without knowing the right way to do it, but it can be something worthwhile. Seriously, your guide here has been great as though people like us who lacked the knowledge about it before now know everything there is to know about spirulina now. Thanks
Thanks Darmi. I´m glad you think this guide is helpful. You might also find our spirulina FAQs worth reviewing as well as the history of spirulina.
There is a popular saying that too much of anything is bad and it’s just the same with spirulina too. I guess it doesn’t really have a specific dosage of use especially seeing that it is a supplement but this doesn’t mean that one should take too much of it. I want to know if it can be used with other medications like sedatives.
Absolutely right Jackie. “Too much of a good thing”. When I first started taking spirulina as I was working with a Chinese Doctor who spoke little English and Poor Spanish, he told me to take 5 tablets 3 times a day. It was too much and because it gives you an energy boost it impacted on my sleep. I thought it was just the drastic detox I was initially going through causing it, but as I studied it more, I learnt about the amazing energy boosting qualities of spirulina as well as the overall “awesome” health benefits. That is why we felt that people would appreciate advice on how much to take. Remember in my case, my health was a mess. Before becoming a regular spirulina user, I think I was 2 years off a funeral at the time, perhaps less, hence the doctor`s recommendation to take so much. Spirulina certainly solved my fatty liver.
The advice we always give is to only take spirulina in the morning, certainly no later than lunchtime. If somebody needs sedatives to sleep during the day, we would advise to also avoid spirulina, however, many people with panic attack type situations, only take these medications later in the day, so for these people it is not a problem to take spirulina first thing in the morning. Indeed, my partner who has suffered from mild to occasionally serious mental health issues all her life has seen a phenominal improvement in her overall mental health, in part due to spirulina (also therapy). Its worked very well for her. We list in this click through those very few conditions where spirulina is best avoided. You may see advice that it should be avoided for gout. We disagree. Acupuncture solved my gout attack. I have not had one since.
The great thing about spirulina is that it slowly but surely cleans out your system, slowly enhancing your health. But as always we always recommend people check with their doctor, and above all, they buy a quality spirulina. There are lots of poor quality ones on the market, That is why we advise choosing carefully. These are our recommendations.*
Hello there, thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful piece of information here. I must say I really enjoyed going through your review, as it contains detailed information about spirulina and how it is to be administered. Spirulina is a really good product, my friend uses this product and she praises it all the time
Thank you Philebur. You might wish to check out the spirulina FAQs to discover the many benefits of spirulina and also read the history of spirulina for some inportant information that you should not miss. The quality of spirulina you take is also essential.