By David Liu

A new study suggests that Chlorella can help Alzheimer's disease patients.  People with senile dementia including Alzheimer's disease have a problem, that is, phospholipid hydroperoxide can accumulate in erythrocyet membranes, which is abnormal.  Japanese researchers earlier found dietary xanthophylls - polar carotenoids like lutein inhibit lipid peroxidation and thus also prevent accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxide, which can be damaging.  The study published in Journal of Oleo Science shows that one or two months of Chlorella supplementation in a dose of 8 grams per day per person, which is equivalent to 22.9 mg lutein per day per person, led to an increase in erythrocytes and plasma lutein concentrations and a decrease in phospholipid hydroperoxide.  The researchers concluded "These reductions might contribute to maintaining the normal function of erythrocytes and prevent the development of senile dementia."

Chlorella is a single-cell green algae, belonging to the phylum Chlorophyta.  It is available as a dietary supplement. Chlorella is commonly used in the United States and Canada and Japan.  It is believed that this dietary supplement may provide a range of health benefits including cancer treatment.  

Miyazawa T, Nakagawa K, Takekoshi H, Higuchi O, Kato S, Kondo M, Kimura F, Miyazawa T.  Ingestion of chlorella reduced the oxidation of erythrocyte membrane lipids in senior Japanese subjects.  J Oleo Sci. 2013;62(11):873-81.

The same research team published another study in the same journal reporting that Chlorella is an effective source of lutein for human erythrocytes.  Lutein is an expensive dietary supplement and a small amount of it can be sold for a high price.  Chlorella on the other hand is much cheaper.

According to the researchers, chlorella contains high levels of carotenoids such as lutein and it can be used to improve serum carotenoid concentrations. For the study, 12 healthy participants took 9 grams of chlorella per day which is equivalent to 32 mg lutein per day for 2 months.  After the supplementation, lutein concentrations in the blood increased by a factor of 4-fold.   One month after the supplementation discontinued, erythrocyte lutein dropped to a basal level or 17 pmol/mL packed cells.

Erythrocyte carotenoids including lutein, zeaxanthin, α-carotene, and β-carotene proportionally increased to plasma carotenoid levels.

Miyazawa T, Nakagawa K, Kimura F, Nakashima Y, Maruyama I, Higuchi O, Miyazawa T. Chlorella is an effective dietary source of lutein for human erythrocytes.  J Oleo Sci. 2013;62(10):773-9.