Spirulina and Chlorella Emerge As Surprisingly Effective Alternatives to Animal Meat Proteins
A University of Exeter study exploring algae-derived proteins from spirulina and chlorella has found they are sustainable alternatives to animal proteins, particularly efficient in maintaining and building muscle. To assess the impact of ingesting spirulina and chlorella on blood amino acid concentrations compared to mycoprotein (MYCO), a known high-quality non-animal protein derived from mycelium, 36 young adults participated in a randomized, double-masked trial. The results demonstrate that spirulina and chlorella enhance muscle protein synthesis (MyoPS) rates at rest and post-exercise, similar to MYCO, suggesting algae is a promising protein source with comparable benefits to established non-animal proteins. “We believe it’s important and necessary to start looking into these alternatives and we’ve identified algae as a promising novel protein source,” commented Researcher Ino Van Der Heijden from the University of Exeter. …