Whether you are an occasional athlete or an accomplished practitioner, taking dietary supplements can help you improve or facilitate the practice of your sport. This is even more true in bodybuilding, where supplementation, particularly in proteins, is all the rage. Today, we focus on the unsuspected benefits of a superfood: spirulina.
What exactly are its benefits to the body when you practice bodybuilding or are an athlete?
What is spirulina?
Spirulina, with its Latin name "Arthrospira platensis", is a micro-algae (more precisely a cyanobacteria) in the shape of a spiral and blue-green in color. It grows naturally in freshwater lakes in tropical regions.
Used for centuries - notably by the Aztecs who understood its exceptional nutritional properties - spirulina has gained enormous popularity in recent years, particularly among athletes.
The reason is simple: it’s a nutrient bomb!
It contains a high content of vegetable proteins (about 60 to 70% of its composition), many vitamins essential for muscle development (namely vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B8, B9, B12, D, E, and K) as well as a large number of minerals (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper).
Prolific in proteins, vitamins and minerals, spirulina is therefore one of the supplements of choice for amateur and high-level athletes.
Spirulina: a superfood that is crucial for bodybuilding
Its benefits are numerous, whether in sport in general or bodybuilding in particular. Here are the main ones.
It promotes better muscle recovery
As you know, in any sporting activity, and especially in bodybuilding, recovery plays an essential role. Without giving yourself rest periods and days off, you will only slow down muscle mass gain.
Good news: spirulina is a perfect supplement to optimize your rest phases and help your muscles regenerate. Their cumulative action helps fight against oxidative stress generated by exercise. Free radicals are harmful to muscle integrity.
The iron present in spirulina also helps to reduce the harmful consequences of an overly intense session. Because it promotes the normal transport of oxygen in the muscles and reduces their fatigue. In anaerobic conditions, the muscle produces lactic acid: the more it is oxygenated, the less it produces.
It helps to increase endurance
Second important effect of spirulina: it helps you maintain a constant effort, over a longer period. Indeed, it is rich in proteins and amino acids, which help to supply the muscles with energy.
But it also contains carbohydrates, essential for regenerating the glycogen that is consumed during physical exertion.
Here again, iron has its role to play: as it promotes blood oxygenation, it helps maintain a sufficient oxygen level, oxygen consumed by muscle contraction during exercise. This allows both to conserve energy for longer, but also to limit the consequences of a muscle insufficiently supplied with oxygen during exercise.
It contributes to good muscle development
What would a bodybuilding supplement be without protein?
Don't worry: with up to 69% plant protein, spirulina is also a perfect ally for optimizing muscle mass.
In addition to its many proteins, it also contains essential amino acids, lysine, and even the famous BCAA, another supplement well known to gym enthusiasts to promote weight control and cutting for the benefit of muscles.
Due to its composition, spirulina therefore promotes muscle mass gain, especially since it is quite low in calories, especially in the recommended doses.
We recommend our 100% pure and natural Organic Spirulina, rich in vegetable proteins, minerals and vitamins:
- ✅ Dried and cold compressed
- ✅ Optimal dosage (500 mg / tablet)
- ✅ Certified Organic
- ✅ 5 months of treatment
How to supplement with spirulina?
There are several forms of spirulina, whether powder, flakes or tablets.
In our opinion, the most practical form remains tablets, which are easier to dose and consume.
To choose your spirulina food supplement, pay attention to its concentration of active ingredients (particularly proteins and phycocyanin), its traceability (it is better to choose an organic product), as well as the absence of excipients or chemical additives.
Regarding the quantities to consume, we recommend 3 g (or 6 tablets of 500 mg) of organic spirulina per day for a normal adult, but as an athlete, the recommended intake is rather 4 to 5 g (or 8 to 10 tablets of 500 mg) per day.
For better tolerance, you can start with a lower dose for the first few weeks, knowing that a spirulina treatment generally lasts 3 months for optimal effects.
