Phycocyanin: A molecule worthy of interest from a nutritional and skin point of view.
What is this?
Phycocyanin is a blue pigment found in Spirulina. It is isolated from organisms has the characteristics of high efficacy and low toxicity. Furthermore, it can be used as a functional food. It has been reported to have:
- antioxidant function,
- anti-inflammatory activity,
- immune-boosting function,
- protective effects on the liver and kidneys.
All of these studies tend to show that very large daily doses of spirulina are necessary to trigger certain health effects. We then greatly exceed the 5 grams recommended daily. However, many people find it difficult to consume and digest spirulina in high doses, not to mention that it can be harmful.
During this great work of scientific research, it was highlighted that this efficacy, came phycocyanin. The blue pigment gives its formidable color to spirulina, which was at the origin of the whole of its health effects. At the same time, it appeared that the extraction of the molecule was strategic since it made it infinitely more efficient. In addition phycocyanin is very well tolerated and does not cause discomfort as one can feel with spirulina.
The multiplied performance of the extracted phycocyanin can be explained by its place of absorption.
Indeed, this pigment is absorbed very early during digestion, just after the stomach while spirulina is destroyed late and releases phycocyanin which it contains in the intestine, a place much less conducive to assimilation.
This is how researchers began to multiply studies showing the interest of extracting phycocyanin to potentiate health effects.
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