Friday May 23, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- In the April 2014 issue of Journal of Investigative Dermatology, a study suggests that dietary spirulina platensis can help prevent skin cancer.

F. Yogianti at Kobe University, Kobe, Japan and colleagues conducted the study and found both mice that lacks a repair enzyme and is prone to developing UV-induced skin cancer and wild-type mice lowered risk of skin cancer when supplemented with spirulina.

UV radiation can increase risk of skin cancer development by generating reactive oxygen species.  Spirulina was found to suppress tumor induction and development in mice.

The study concluded "S (spirulina). platensis exerts anti-tumor effects against UVB irradiation in the skin through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects."

Skin cancer is the most common cancer.   Spirulina is a natural food that is full of all types of nutrients including macronutrients particularly proteins, phytochemicals, vitamins and mineral.  Its protein content is even higher than beef.  It is considered a healthy food. (David LIu, PHD)