Thirty men and women, average age 63, with low immune function and anemia caused by low nutrition, but no major chronic diseases, took 3,000 mg of spirulina per day.
During the 12-week study, levels of hemoglobin—the protein in red blood cells that contains iron—steadily increased in everyone.
Also, most participants had signs of greater immune activity and healthier levels of white blood cells, which protect the body from viruses and bacteria.
The researchers are calling for large clinical trials to study spirulina.