Have you heard about the latest trend of taking blue green algae for health benefits? If you have not, it is the latest natural trend in keeping healthy. Although it may be be called blue green algae, it actually is not algae. Although it is aquatic and photosynthetic, it belongs to a group called cyanobacteria. They are relatives of bacteria, are unicellular and rather small so it is hard to see unless they grow in large colonies. They are the oldest known living fossils, having been around on Earth for over 3.5 billions years.

There are two main types of blue green algae. It is an important member of the food chain in both ponds and lakes worldwide. These 2 main types of algae are Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (also known as AFA) and Spirulina. AFA is harvested from the Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon, USA. It is then freeze dried to be sold in many forms such as capsules. AFA is considered the highest quality of blue green algae available. It is blue-green in color because it contains chlorophyll and phycocyanin. It also has plenty of vitamins and minerals, and is a great source of non-animal amino acids and protein.

Blue green algae is not only nutritious, but some people claim that it can cure or treat some medical conditions such as fatigue, allergies, hypoglycemia, depression, digestive problems, improve mental ability and memory, boost the immune system, as well as aid in detoxification. Not much research has been done to prove that this is the case though. However, there is one study that hints that it is possible that a compound found in blue-green algae may be helpful in treating Alzheimer's Disease. This compound acts as an anti-cholinesterase. So far, there have no toxic or significant side effects reported in any kind of medical literature around the world, including the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, as well as Conscious Eating, and Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future by David Wolfe.

In the book, Super Immunity Foods, it highlighted the benefits of taking Spirulina as a supplement. The key benefits included being a rich source of iron, B12, essential fatty acids, high protein content, and the ability to assist in stabilizing blood sugars. It could also cleanse the body when the person was fasting. As a result, those who regularly detox or fast will find that blue-green algae supplements assist them to make sure that they are still having the essential nutrients.

In Brewer's The Essential Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbal Supplements, it stated more health benefits. These include improving bad breath, lowering bad cholesterol, raising good cholesterol, and helping to decrease oral pre-cancerous lesions.

However, Brewer does mention some side effects. Before taking a blue-green algae supplement, your Doctor should be consulted especially for those who are on regular medication. These side effects include headaches, sweating, flushing, and having effects on those who have phenylketonuria. As a result, those who are going to take blue-green algae for its health benefits should consider taking only organic supplements.