Side Effects Of Spirulina

May 10, 2011 by  
Filed under Supplements And Vitamins

Health Advice Online asked:


Spirulina is a totally natural product and will not normally cause any problems to the body. Even if too much is taken, there will be no harm to the body, but doing this is a waste.

Spirulina is known to be relatively safe even in high doses and without side effects. Research is somewhat scarce and some adverse effects could manifest depending on dosage, quality and personal biochemistry. Scientists say up to 50 grams spirulina per day could be safe, but the recommended dosage usually varies between 1 to 8 grams per day depending on quality.

When starting with spirulina supplementation you might experience what is perceived as spirulina side effects due to natural processes spirulina may trigger, like detoxification of the body or the enzymatic and probiotic effect on the digestive system. Results can be experienced as passing “side effects”. These so called spirulina “side effects” are a healthy sign that spirulina is doing your organism good. However, if you are an insulin dependent diabetic or type 2 diabetic you should consider consulting your physician before taking spirulina. The same goes for anyone who might be predisposed to gout (also known as podagra or uric acid arthropathy).

However some people may experience some of the following symptoms after taking Spirulina;

1. Slight fever due to the body’s need to burn the extra protein from Spirulina

2. Slight dizziness. If this occurs, take less of the product. If the symptom does not improve please stop taking Spirulina

3. Thirst and constipation. After taking a high volume of Spirulina we recommend at least an extra 1/2 litre of water per day to help our body absorb the Spirulina

4. Stomach ache

5. Skin itch or slight body rash

This can be normal since the body needs to burn extra protein found in spirulina. When taking spirulina, you should increase your water intake. At least half a liter should be taken for the body to absorb the spirulina herb well.

High-quality spirulina is considered relatively safe and even recommended during pregnancy. Although animal studies are promising, no human research has looked into possible side effects during pregnancy, consulting your physician is always advisable.

Look for well established and trusted brands that provide you with relevant information about production, quality and safety to avoid spirulina side effects. Keep in mind that you might experience some passing “side effects” from spirulina as it takes effect on your organism. A healthy detoxification process could be perceived as a “side effect”, but usually passes within two weeks.



Top Three Consideration for Preconception Health

May 10, 2011 by  
Filed under Relationships

Francis Githinji asked:


The available wealth of information concerning preconception health should enable you to enrich your baby’s life as well as yours. Years back women were ignorant about preconception health. Conception and child birth was best learn through experience or in other words through severe mistakes. Our generation is lucky enough to be able to take sexual responsibilities in their lives. It is possible to plan when to get that wanted pregnancy. There is information about safe days, contraception and the prime time when a woman can conceive. In this day and age, an unwanted pregnancy shows that the woman is careless with her sexual life.



A female’s age is a big point to consider while planning about your reproductive life. According to theory, the reproductive age is said be between 15 to 45 years of age. Preconception health advises that a woman should not conceive at the two extremes of this range. If the woman is too young, her body is not in a full capacity to cater for the pregnancy. There will be an emotional and physical dissatisfaction in the pregnancy. Teenage pregnancies subject the mother to great harm. If you are a man, do not sire babies with young girls because you are harming their body’s health. On the other hand, women over 35 years are not reproductively suit to produce healthy babies. Chances are the babies born of these older mothers will have a problem with congenital abnormalities for example Downs’s syndrome and others.

If you have had problems with past pregnancies, you should be keen when you want to conceive yet another time. What affected the previous pregnancy might as well rear its ugly head on the one you are planning. May be it is a miscarriage. You aborted before it was due. This is very painful to any woman. It is such pain to lose a life you had started to develop a connection with. To avoid a repeat of the same, visit your doctor for some preconception health advice. If you were a victim of serial abortions you might be in real hot soup too. Medics say that if you had aborted once or twice you might be lucky to carry your pregnancy until its due. If you have a habit of aborting the fetus when they are two or three months in the womb, you might have a problem with carrying the pregnancy to its full time. It is worse if the frequency of abortions exceeds five times. If the baby previously born had a birth defect, you should see the doctor to establish the cause before you conceive again.

Preconception health advises that you have to look in to your lifestyle and nutrition if you are planning to have a healthy baby. Everything good comes with a price so you have to watch what you consume and what you do. Stress reduces the chances of conceiving. You might think you are infertile while actually you are undergoing stress. For the sake of your unborn baby eliminate stress. Diet is a key issue during preconception planning. As the pregnancy advances, the requirement in terms of nutrition increase too. While pregnant, make it a habit to visit your doctor in order to get a prescription of a well balanced diet. The diet should provide enough minerals, vitamins, proteins and energy for the mother and the fetus. If you want to make healthy babies abstain from alcohol, cigarettes and any form of drugs.