Two new studies published in the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association
The first of these is the result of a study expanding on the work done in 1998 by Gitte Jensen, and others, on the positive effects of Aph. flos-aquae on the trafficking of immune cells in the human body. This double-blind crossover study, not only confirmed the previously observed results, but also indicated that regular consumers of Aph. flos-aquae may receive even greater benefits than those taking algae for the first time. Researchers believe that Aph. flos-aquae can help certain immune cells (natural killer, or NK, cells) perform their surveillance function better, without directly stimulating an undesirable immune response. Natural killer cells patrol all areas of the body looking for invading microbes, and infected or transformed cells, and are key players in body's defense systems.
The second article is an investigation of the effects of Aph. flos-aquae on plasma lipids (the fat components in blood). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential lipids necessary for human health; PUFA deficiencies are associated with several adverse health conditions. Researchers in this study used an animal model to demonstrate that not only is Aph. flos-aquae a good source of PUFAs (approximately 30% of dry weight), but that certain beneficial fatty acid components of Aph. flos-aquae are more bioavailable than those found in the comparison product, soybean oil. Researchers also found that Aph. flos-aquae had significantly better cholesterol-lowering properties than soybean oil; they attribute this difference to the chlorophyll content of Aph. flos-aquae.
