Blue Green Algae – Superfood or Pond Scum?

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Blue Green Algae – Superfood or Pond Scum?

By Wendy Priesnitz

 

Its scientific name is cyanobacteria. It is sold in health food

stores as blue green algae. Its supporters claim health benefits,

including increased energy, improved memory, greater mental clarity

and focus, improved digestion, control of appetite and cravings,

heightened immune function, and relief from fatigue, hypoglycemia,

PMS, anxiety and depression. It's even recently been called a cure

for Attention Deficit Disorder. Its detractors say it is nothing

more than pricey pond scum and the latest bit of natural health care

quackery. Debates have raged fiercely for years between the

supporters and detractors, and now, the Canadian government has

stepped into the fray.

 

In early May 1999, Health Canada warned consumers that products

containing blue-green algae may contain toxins harmful to the liver

and should not be given to children. While not addressing the

benefits of blue green algae (which cannot legally be included on

product labels), Health Canada is worried specifically about the

safety of some algae products.

 

The basis for the government's concern is that blue-green algae can

be contaminated with toxins known as microcystins. Health Canada

characterizes these toxins as dangerous, saying that children may

develop serious liver damage.

 

You may have seen blue green algae floating on ponds or small lakes

during the summer. For reasons that scientists don't completely

understand, algae can suddenly explode into high-speed growth,

or " bloom " . Blue green algae blooms are on the rise world-wide,

possibly because of increased use of fertilizers in farming. The

chemicals in agricultural runoff provide increased nutrification in

the water, promoting more frequent and more extensive algae blooms.

 

Whether or not the algae is contaminated by significant levels of

toxins depends on such environmental factors as exposure to sun,

depth of the water and the type of minerals in the water. Without

scientific testing, there is no way to detect the presence or level

of toxins in the algae. While not all algae contain toxins, more

algae growth means greater potential for harmful microcystin

contamination.

 

There are many blue green algae products sold in Canada, through

both retail outlets and direct-sellers. Some of these products are

sold in tablet, capsule, or powder forms as food supplements. Many

of the manufacturers harvest algae from the same source – Upper

Klamath Lake in Oregon, which is said to produce the crème de la

crème of all algae.

 

The Upper Klamath algae was first commercialized by an Oregon couple

whose company is called Cell Tech, now the largest manufacturer of

blue green algae food supplements. Cell Tech sells its products

through a multilevel network of distributors and claimed $200

million worth of sales in 1996. The company has trademarked the

phrase " Super Blue Green Algae " .

 

There are obviously many satisfied users of blue green algae

products (which include spirulina). However, most of the health

claims are anecdotal and there is little research about its value as

a health product.

A 1997 study at the National Cancer Institute in Frederick Maryland

reported a newly discovered protein that inactivates HIV, which was

isolated from cultures of blue green algae. Another positive study,

conducted at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital, is used as a sales

tool by Cell Tech distributors.

 

There is also a growing contingent of blue green algae detractors.

They say there are no positive benefits to taking the product, that

any positive effects are psychosomatic and don't warrant the risk of

contamination. Worse, some say, blue green algae is addictive.

 

There are many reports of new blue green algae users experiencing

symptoms like nausea, vomiting, tingling and flatulence. Supporters

say that's part of the detoxification process. Some scientists,

however, interpret these side effects differently – as the possible

first symptoms of nerve and organ damage.

 

Health Canada says, " Adverse symptoms from long-term use of these

products (weeks to months) may not be obvious, but could range from

a feeling of general malaise or gastrointestinal discomfort, to

jaundice. Children appear to be more sensitive to these toxic

effects, which are more likely to present as acute gastrointestinal

symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.). "

 

The damage could, according to Health Canada, result from

microcystin contamination. Microcystin toxicosis may include

jaundice, shock, abdominal pain/distention, weakness,

nausea/vomiting, severe thirst, rapid/weak pulse and death. Research

shows that these toxins may also act as liver tumour promoters in

extremely small amounts. A tumour promoter does not initiate cancer

formation but helps a previously developed cancer to survive.

 

Because, blue green algae has been used as a food supplement for

centuries, without any documented ill effects, some researchers have

conjectured that stomach acids may destroy any microcystins.

However, scientists reason, because microcystins are so strongly

linked to liver cancer, there is no guarantee that the digestive

system destroys all the toxin.

 

One area where the scientific research is abundant is in regards to

the dangers of the algae when it's found in municipal water

supplies. Provinces and municipalities across Canada put a lot of

staff and financial resources into ensuring drinking water is free

of microcystins – or at least below the levels that are considered

safe for daily consumption.

 

As long ago as 1960, biologists found samples of Klamath Lake algae

to be lethal to fish and white mice. In the summer of 1996 an

unusual blooming of Microcystis – which produces the toxin

microcystin – was detected in Klamath Lake by Cell Tech.

 

Dr. Charles Holmes, a Heritage Senior Scholar at the University of

Alberta's Department of Biochemistry, is one of Canada's experts on

microcystins. In addition to polluting municipal water supplies, he

says microcystins are a major danger around the world in kidney

dialysis. For instance, in Brazil in 1996, 50 dialysis patients died

because of microcystins in treatment water. He has developed a

technology to test for microcystins in dialysis water and thus

prevent these deaths.

 

Holmes recently conducted an independent sampling to test the level

of microcystins in blue green algae products. Of the nine randomly

selected samples that were tested, all showed levels of Microcystin-

LR that exceeded the levels considered safe for daily consumption by

both Health Canada and the World Health Organization. Canada, Great

Britain and Australia all require that drinking water contain no

more than one ppm of microcystis. The Oregon Health Board (where

Klamath Lake is located) has also adopted 1 ppm as the maximum

acceptable concentration.

 

Holmes' findings have been validated by Health Canada, where an

additional six products were also tested and found to contain

varying levels of microcystin, including one significantly high

level. Spirulina has not been found to contain toxins at harmful

levels. However, Health Canada says that more thorough analysis is

required, since growing conditions are generally unknown.

 

The scientists at Health Canada will be surveying all products

containing blue green algae and conducting a risk assessment of

them. They estimate the survey will take several months to complete.

 

The health food industry is not happy with the Health Canada's

warning, and the process by which it was released. The Canadian

Health Food Association (CHFA) is concerned that the industry wasn't

forewarned about the government's concern, as has often happened

when a mainstream product's safety is questioned.

 

Additionally, says CHFA President Donna Herringer, Health Canada

doesn't intend to release the names of products tested, or the

levels of microcystin toxins found in those products. " This puts a

black name on all products even though some products were not tested

and even if they were tested may have been below Health Canada

guidelines and therefore would not pose a problem to consumers. "

 

In a recent response to the Health Canada warning, Cell Tech states

that " in the entire history of our company and the millions of

dollars of sales and the hundreds of thousands of customers, there

has never been an illness linked with any of our products. "

 

The company concedes the strain of algae found in its products can

be deadly but said no toxins have ever been discovered in the algae

in Upper Klamath Lake. A company brochure says the articles

questioning the purity of the products " have legitimate, but in the

light of close examination, unnecessarily excessive concerns about

the algae's safety. "

 

In a letter sent to its distributors after the Health Canada

warning, Cell Tech says, " [The company] tests both its harvest and

its product to be sure regulatory guidelines are enforced and there

is no microcystin contamination of our products. "

 

Cell Tech claims that it welcomes the Health Canada investigation.

However, it laments the fact that its good record was not reported

in the Health Canada press release. It says that for the past five

years it " has been working in co-operation with the world's leading

algologists and several federal and state agencies to develop

industry standards based on our own quality control and demands for

purity. "

 

Cell Tech says, " To cause people to doubt the experience of their

own bodies is like yelling fire in a crowded theatre when there is

no threat of fire: it's irresponsible. " Whether or not they're

correct that there is no threat remains to be seen.

 

Wendy Priesnitz is the Editor of Natural Life Magazine and a

journalist with 25 years of experience. She is has also authored

nine books and is a popular keynote speaker at conferences across

North America