Spirulina
Arthrospira platensis · the blue-green algae, in powder form
All articles checked for accuracy against the GB NHC Register and all sources have citations with verified links to their relevant studies.
Ancient and compact, spirulina is a blue‑green cyanobacterium packed into a small, powdery package. It’s a whole‑food botanical with a distinctive pigment and an unusually high protein fraction by dry weight.
This article explains what spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) actually is, what key nutrients it contains, and how WellsparQ sources and labels it. We also spell out regulatory limits on health claims for spirulina and practical safety considerations to look for when buying it.
Ingredient Snapshot
- What it is
- A dried, blue‑green cyanobacterium sold as a fine green‑blue powder.
- Where from
- Arthrospira platensis (cyanobacterium), grown in warm alkaline waters
- Known for
- A nutrient‑dense whole‑food powder high in protein, pigments (phycocyanin), B‑group vitamins and iron.
- In WellsparQ
- Arctic Kelp & IodineOrganic spirulina (in the 290 mg organic plant portion)
Spirulina is one of the oldest life-forms on Earth and one of the most nutrient-dense foods by weight. It has fed people for centuries — harvested from lakes by the Aztecs and by communities around Lake Chad — and today it is cultivated worldwide as a green-blue supplement powder. WellsparQ uses it as a whole-food botanical. This piece explains what it is, what it contains, and why we describe its nutrition carefully.
What spirulina actually is
Despite the "algae" label, spirulina is really a cyanobacterium — a photosynthetic bacterium — of the genus Arthrospira (the food species is Arthrospira platensis; the older name Spirulina stuck as the common name). Under a microscope it forms tiny blue-green spirals, which gives it its name ¹². It is grown in warm, alkaline water, then harvested, dried and milled into a fine powder with a strong marine-vegetal flavour and colour.
WellsparQ specifies organic spirulina in one formula and names the species in another — the kind of labelling that tells a customer exactly what the green powder is.
A dense nutritional profile
Spirulina's reputation rests on how much nutrition it packs into a gram of dry weight.
| Component | Notes |
|---|---|
| Protein | Around 60–70% of dry weight — an unusually high proportion for a plant-type food ¹² |
| Phycocyanin | The blue pigment-protein characteristic of spirulina; widely studied and used as a natural colour ¹² |
| Carotenoids & chlorophyll | Beta-carotene and other pigments |
| B-group vitamins, iron | Present in the dried biomass ¹ |
| Essential fatty acids | Including gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) |
Reviews in Life (2023) and the Journal of Basic Microbiology (2023) surveyed Arthrospira platensis across food and medicinal applications and catalogued this composition, while also being clear that human clinical evidence for specific health effects remains limited and uneven ¹². So the accurate framing is: a genuinely nutrient-rich biomass, well characterised, but not a proven route to a specific health outcome — and no health claim is authorised for it.
> A note on B₁₂: spirulina contains compounds that register on some vitamin B₁₂ tests, but much of this is pseudo-B₁₂, which is not reliably active in humans. Spirulina should not be treated as a B₁₂ source.
How WellsparQ uses it
Spirulina appears as a whole-food botanical in two formats.
| WellsparQ product | Declared spirulina | Factsheet note |
|---|---|---|
| Arctic Kelp & Iodine | Organic spirulina (in the 290 mg organic plant portion) | "Part of the 290 mg organic plant portion; contains sulphites — see the label" |
| PeaProtein Mix | Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) powder | "The blue-green algae, in powder form" |
Source: WellsparQ Supplements Database. The formulas are plant-based and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Allergen note: the factsheet flags that the relevant blend contains sulphites — a declarable allergen. Anyone sensitive to sulphites should check the label.
Safety and sourcing
Two honest points matter with spirulina, both about quality:
- Contamination. Spirulina must be grown and processed under controlled conditions. Poorly produced algae can be contaminated with microcystins (toxins from other cyanobacteria), heavy metals or bacteria — which is why reputable, tested, organic-certified material matters, and why food agencies advise buying from trusted sources ¹.
- Phenylketonuria (PKU) and autoimmune conditions. Because it is protein-rich, spirulina contains phenylalanine and is unsuitable for people with PKU. Its effect on immune-signalling has led to a common caution for people with autoimmune conditions to seek advice first.
Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking medication, should check with a GP or pharmacist. Take as directed.
References
- Application of Arthrospira platensis for Medicinal Purposes and the Food Industry: A Review of the Literature. Life 2023. PMID 36984000. ↩ Back to text
- Food and drug industry applications of microalgae Spirulina platensis: A review. Journal of Basic Microbiology 2023. PMID 36720046. ↩ Back to text
- GB/EU Register of nutrition and health claims — algal/botanical general-function claims on hold; "superfood" prohibited without authorised claim. ec.europa.eu food-feed-portal. See also EFSA/national agency guidance on cyanotoxin (microcystin) control in spirulina supplements.