AFA Algae – No Blue Miracle

AFA algae are said to detoxify, protect and are said to have miraculous effects on neurological disorders – wrongly so.

The essentials in brief:

• AFA (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) belong to the cyanobacteria, but are commonly referred to as blue-green microalgae or blue-green algae and are offered dried as a dietary supplement.
• A positive effect of AFA as a dietary supplement is questionable. The amount of protein, vitamins, minerals (including iodine) and fatty acids that is supplied as a result is very low.
• Alleged effects of AFA to alleviate or cure diseases such as ADHD, Alzheimer’s or depression have not been scientifically proven.
• Products should definitely be free of toxic microcystine and heavy metals. AFA products are not suitable for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women.

What is behind the advertising of AFA products?

AFA (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, BlueGreen alga, blue-green alga, green spanalgae) from Lake Klamath in Oregon/USA are described in particular on the Internet as brain food and particularly health-promoting, and they are also said to have healing effects.

AFA are often described as superlative foods with numerous nutrients (“the natural food richest in vital substances”, “richest in nutrients”, “important source of the rare blood-forming vitamin B12”), according to advertising they are supposed to help with problems such as “premature aging”, allergies , Candida infestation, wrinkling, weight problems, hair loss, skin problems, immune deficiency, cancer, muscle breakdown, constipation and bleeding gums. Not to be forgotten: The supposedly positive effects on the brain and nerves, for example in the case of poor memory and concentration, PMS or addiction problems.

The AFA, which belong to the cyanobacteria, are said to strengthen the immune system with “powerful” antioxidants, protect against environmental toxins and free them from them. Heavy metals such as mercury from amalgam fillings or lead from drinking water should be bound and excreted in AFA by certain amino acids (excretion). There is no scientific evidence for this, and such a claim is legally misleading (Article 7 (1) b of the Food Information Regulation).

Incidentally , vitamin B12 is not a rare vitamin, but is contained in all animal foods. Only vegan eaters have a problem with insufficient intake . AFA can produce vitamin B12. However, according to the Max Rubner Institute, this is largely a form of vitamin B12 (pseudovitamin) that humans cannot use. So dietary supplements containing these cyanobacteria are not a suitable B12 source.

Again and again, AFA products are used as a natural alternative to medically prescribed drug therapy with the active ingredient methylphenidate / MPH (trade names e.g. Concerta, Medikinet, Ritalin) for neurological disorders such as childhood attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome (ADHD) and depression or dementia diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The Federal Institute for Consumer Health Protection and Veterinary Medicine (BgVV) and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) warn that there is no scientific evidence whatsoever for such medical (therapeutic) effects of such AFA products offered as dietary supplements .

Aside from the lack of evidence supporting these claims, dietary supplements are not intended to cure, alleviate, or treat any disease. That’s the job of medicines. In Germany, no preparation containing cyanobacteria is approved as a medicinal product for the treatment of diseases, and no approval has been applied for.

Health-related statements (health claims) are only permitted for foodstuffs and thus also for food supplements if they are expressly permitted by the EU. In fact, according to the EU register for AFA, neither claims have been applied for nor approved.

What should I look for in AFA supplements?

• ⁠Cyanobacteria occur in many surface waters – also in Germany. Many of them produce toxins – cyanotoxins (microcystins) – which pose a health hazard in the recreational use of water and sometimes also require special attention in drinking water treatment. This also applies to AFA from Lake Klamath in Oregon/USA.
• Pay attention to the information on the packaging that the AFA products are free of contamination (such as microcystins, heavy metals, harmful bacterial contamination) or are regularly checked for this. Otherwise you should check with the manufacturer and ask for test results. If this is guaranteed, healthy adults have no objections to consumption.
• Children should generally not consume AFA products. To be on the safe side, pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid it to protect the (unborn) child.
• People suffering from autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis should avoid AFA because the disease could be made worse, according to patient reports. This may have something to do with interactions with the medication being taken. A Canadian study also reported mobilization of various immune factors. In addition, even very small amounts of microcystine can affect the metabolism of pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid.
• The specified daily amount is 1.5 to 2 grams. Pay attention to an exact dosage information, information such as “6-8 pellets” are not acceptable.
• Interactions with medications such as immunosuppressants, anticoagulants and certain painkillers are possible. Therefore, before consuming AFA, ask at a doctor’s visit or at the pharmacy.
• Under no circumstances should necessary medical treatments or medically prescribed drug therapies be discontinued in favor of consuming AFA products in reliance on the “healing power of AFA algae”.

For AFA “algae” the term “organic AFA algae” is often used (unlawfully) even with words like “pure” and “natural” or “controlled harvest / wild growth”. In fact, there is no organic production here. Although the new EU Organic Regulation (VO (EU) No. 2018/848, Part III 2.2.1) also applies to the collection of wild algae from inland lakes, the criteria are strict. The growth water must be suitable in terms of health and in a very good ecological condition. In addition, the collection must not affect the stability of the natural ecosystem and the conservation of the species. Fertilizers must not be used. Since several producers fish in this lake, the total amount collected should be based on the EU organic regulation (Part III 2.4).

What is AFA Algae?

AFA (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) belong to the cyanobacteria. They are also popularly called blue or blue-green algae. AFA originate from freshwater, as do the well-known spirulina, also cyanobacteria, and the green chlorella microalgae. Unlike these, AFA are not farmed, but harvested wild from mountain lakes. Therefore, the term “organic AFA algae” is often used, although the term is neither justified nor permitted under the EU organic regulation (see box above).

For the production of the dietary supplements, the algae are fished off, washed, filtered and air-, spray- or freeze-dried. They are sold as powder or pellets. With a daily dose of 1.5 grams, the products cost between 1.10 and 1.50 euros per day.

As with other cyanobacteria and microalgae, it mainly contains protein (57-62%, biological value 75-80, but very small portion size), multiple sugars / polysaccharides (23-25%) and fat (5%) as well as the plant pigments chlorophyll and beta-carotene . The energy content is given as approx. 260 kcal/100 g. Since AFA comes from an inland lake with fresh water, the iodine content is very low (approx. 1.5 µg per 1.5 g). A particularly high vitamin B12 content is often highlighted. However, this is predominantly in a form that humans cannot use.

In addition, the content of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, is highlighted. This amounts to a maximum of 10% (45-139 mg) of the guide value of 1-1.5 g recommended by the German Society for Nutrition per AFA daily dose of 1.5 g. In addition, the “rare” omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is essential for the brain, eye and nervous system development of babies, is frequently reported.

In fact, DHA is mainly found in oily sea fish. No supplier writes how much DHA is actually contained in AFA. A statement about DHA without specifying the quantity is not permitted. Under no circumstances should the allegedly high DHA content be a reason for consumption for pregnant or breastfeeding women (or even small children). Presumably, a high DHA content occurs less in AFA than in marine microalgae such as Schichozytrium and Ulkenia.

Tip:

Omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in fish such as salmon, herring or mackerel, as well as in walnuts, flaxseed, their oils and rapeseed oil. Other sources include perilla oil or DHA-rich microalgae oils. Chlorophyll is a component of green leafy vegetables, beta-carotene is also contained in carrots, peppers or kale.

What problematic substances can it contain?

Certain AFA strains can produce poisons (toxins) that can attack and damage the nervous system. In addition, AFA can be contaminated with other cyanobacteria (e.g. Microcystis, Planktothrix), which produce so-called microcystins. Microcystins are carcinogenic, damage the nervous system and are toxic to the liver.

Depending on the time of harvest, dried AFA contain significant amounts of microcystins. Tests by Stiftung Warentest and the chemical and veterinary investigation office in Sigmaringen showed microcystins in all AFA samples. The amounts found could lead to the provisional tolerable daily intake level specified by the WHO being exceeded, at least in children.

After heavy algae blooms in 2014/2015 in Lake Klamath, among other places, the FDA, the national health authority in the USA, is now keeping a strict eye on the production of AFA. There were numerous product recalls, especially in 2018 and 2020.

German distributors often state that all harvest batches are filtered and checked for microcystins. However, there is no evidence that filtering actually removes microcystins. Other distributors state that they use their own laboratory analyzes to ensure that their products are free of harmful substances. In some cases, the analysis certificates are also stored on the Internet. Pay attention to the relevant information and ask the manufacturer if necessary.

AFA are a typical natural product. When fishing, contamination, for example with water fleas and other small animals in the water or even microalgae, cannot be avoided. Due to the open location of lakes, there is also a high input of bird droppings with corresponding microbial contamination by enteric and coliform bacteria. Lake Klamath (Upper Klamath Lake), for example, lies directly beneath one of Oregon’s main bird migration routes.

What is Microcystin-LR?

Microcystin-LR is a highly liver-toxic substance which, in animal experiments, can increase the effect of carcinogenic substances in the liver. There is also evidence that microcystin-LR can cause DNA damage both in the test tube (in vitro) and in the body (in vivo). However, there are no adequate studies with statements on the long-term toxicity and carcinogenicity of microcystin-LR in humans. Microcystin is considered to be possibly carcinogenic (group 2b).
A limit value of 1 µg/l microcystine (important for surface water) applies to drinking water, which corresponds to the WHO limit value. More information is available from the CyanoCenter at the Federal Environment Agency.
In view of the contamination data, the daily intake of AFA algae products recommended by the manufacturers can result in the provisionally tolerable daily intake (P-TDI) for microcystin-LR being exceeded. The toxicity of other microcystins from blue-green algae has hardly been researched.