Does it Work? Unsure if the latest product or service lives up to it's claims? From popular products to the latest scams, discuss it here before you buy!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 10-30-2010, 03:35 AM   #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Poundsgetlost's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 17

Default Does anyone know spirulina?

Hello,

I struggle with overeating and binge eating when things get stressful. A friend of mine recommended spirulina (some kind of algae). It's supposed to provide essentiell amino acids, she says and help with cravings. She gave me some and I've been taking them for a week now. I really am overeating less now and I don't have any desire to binge. I used to binge after coming home in the evening. I would eat something and then feel a real bad urge to eat more and more. I just couldn't help it. I was stuffing myself then, not even really tasting the food until I was uncomfortably full.
Now, the last few days that didn't happen AT ALL, even though I had the most stressful week. I would eat and then feel full and satisfied. But, I wonder if that's really because of those spirulina pills or if it's some placebo kind of effect. I'm also more busy now. I have to study a lot in the evenings, so after dinner I just sit in bed with my books and charts and study. So maybe that's distracting me; maybe I've been overeating because I was bored before?
I don't mind swallowing those pills and they're all organic and they don't seem to do any harm. But they're kind of pricey over here and if it's just placebo, then I don't really feel like spending money on them.
So does anyone have taken spirulina and did it help you with food cravings and binging??
Poundsgetlost is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2010, 02:34 PM   #2  
Senior Member
 
swtbttrfly23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North Hills, CA
Posts: 280

S/C/G: 306/255/160

Height: 5'6"

Default

Never taken it, but I remember a couple years ago talking to a trainer friend of mine about it. He told me that spirulina is great when dieting because your body absorbs way more of the protein in spirulina than in any other protein source. So for example, your body will absorb more protein from some spirulina pills than it will from, say, a piece of chicken (a higher percentage of protein). And it contains some very rare amino acids.

I understand about it being pricey, but I don't think it's just a placebo thing. If you google it, there are lotd of links that pop up explaining it's health benefits, and based on my knowledge it makes sense. I think I may give them a try, actually! Thanks for reminding me ;-)
swtbttrfly23 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2010, 02:44 PM   #3  
onedayatatimer
 
luckymommy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,277

S/C/G: 224/ticker/145-155

Height: 5'9.5"

Default

Yes, I'm not too sure about how it would affect weight loss, but I can see that it would be great for your overall health and I do think that sometimes we get cravings because we have some deficiencies. I've seen this at health food stores and never really paid attention but thanks to your post, I'm thinking of taking it now!
luckymommy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2010, 02:46 PM   #4  
onedayatatimer
 
luckymommy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,277

S/C/G: 224/ticker/145-155

Height: 5'9.5"

Default

I just read this warning on Wikepedia:

Considerations and Potential Dangers

Spirulina contains phenylalanine, which should be avoided by people who have the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria, where the body cannot metabolize this amino acid, and it builds up in the brain, causing damage.[13] Because spirulina is a dietary supplement, the United States Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the production and quality of the product. Although rare, cyanobacteria like Spirulina may contain toxins called microcystins, which accumulate in the liver and can potentially cause cancer or other liver diseases. Currently, no standard exists to regulate the safety of spirulina.[14]
[edit]Evidence of health and healing effects
luckymommy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2010, 03:02 PM   #5  
Choosing with every bite.
 
WebRover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 2,859

S/C/G: 212.5/182/155

Height: 5' 7"

Default

Really? People eat this? I've only ever bought it for my salt-water aquarium fish to eat! (Sorry, it just struck me as funny.)
WebRover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2010, 03:12 PM   #6  
Junior Member
 
fitnessdiva044's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 18

Default

So they actually sell this in a pill form? I've never heard of it.
fitnessdiva044 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2010, 07:41 PM   #7  
Just Me
 
nelie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Maryland
Posts: 14,707

S/C/G: 364/--/182

Height: 5'6"

Default

What else is in the pill besides spirulina? I looked at a bottle of spirulina pills online and it said 3 pills provide 1 gram of protein which I have to tell you isn't a lot. It could be placebo, it could be the pills contain something else that fills you up, etc.
nelie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2010, 11:44 PM   #8  
GoWear Fit All-Star
 
mulder1921's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 213

S/C/G: 280/266.8/150

Height: 5'6"

Default

I worked in a health food/ vegan market and we sold this. It's thought of as a cleanser for the body and an energy booster. Just be sure not to overdose on it. I once took 2x the recomended amount and a shot of fresh wheat grass and 4 hours later I started sweating and getting nauseous. I ended up having to leave work and spent 2 days in the bathroom, dealing with both ends.
mulder1921 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2010, 01:36 PM   #9  
Senior Member
 
wendyland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 512

Default

I've been taking spirulina for about 5 years. I prefer spirulina & chlorella over a regular multi vitamin. I used to have a bunch of warts on my hand. Within a week of taking spirulina, the warts sloughed off. I had tried all kinds of things to get rid of them. Unfortunately, it didn't work on my children's plantar warts.

But, I don't think it helps with weight loss much. I use NOW brand. You can get it pretty inexpensively on online supplement websites. Feel free to pm me, if you want to know specific websites. I also found a good pdf file that talks about the benefits of spirulina and chlorella.
wendyland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2010, 09:35 PM   #10  
Senior Member
 
deetermined2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 306

Default

I've just started reading The Gabriel Method. One of the theories he advances is that weight gain occurs because your body tells you to eat more (cravings),because it is lacking essential nutrients. When you consume whatever is lacking, the cravings stop.
deetermined2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2010, 09:44 PM   #11  
ALTallChic30
 
AlabamaTallChic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Pleasant Grove Alabama
Posts: 1

S/C/G: 234/234/190

Height: 6'1

Default Need afternoon food help

I tend to do the same things in the afternoon. I will do good all day at work and its like my hunger catches up with me at night. I need to try this too!
AlabamaTallChic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2011, 12:16 PM   #12  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Poundsgetlost's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 17

Default

Hi,
I just read all your responses. I do not have phenylketonuria, I am from Germany and every newborn is tested for this here- but thanks for the warning.
I had been taking those pills for about three weeks and then just forgot about them as things got stressful. I am not sure if they did help me or not. I might try it again, but I'm certain that I'd remember if they'd really have made a big difference.
Poundsgetlost is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2011, 02:47 PM   #13  
Formerly know as Fauxtini
 
mountain mama's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Arkansas, USA
Posts: 1,599

S/C/G: 369.2/ticker/235

Height: 6'1

Default

I don't know about weightloss.. but i do know that its great for over all health.. a definite super food! loads of greens and vitamins and all that good stuff for your body!
I used the powder in a smoothie. I dont know if you will see a huge weightloss difference.. but i know I feel like a million bucks after chugging a smoothie with sea greens in it!
mountain mama is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2011, 04:36 PM   #14  
Gotta run!
 
Aunty Jam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 923

S/C/G: 210/*ticker*/160

Height: 5'5

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WebRover View Post
Really? People eat this? I've only ever bought it for my salt-water aquarium fish to eat! (Sorry, it just struck me as funny.)
Exactly my thoughts! I feed discs of this to my pleco's. Wonder if I should crunch a few of them down

I will look into it.. but I'm not likely to take them.
Aunty Jam is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Related Topics
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Metabolic Research Center - Take VI! nomoredonuts4me Metabolic Research Center 603 12-14-2007 12:54 PM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:41 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.