Evidence mapPaperPMID 40310870Full record

Trial reportJournal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition2025

Physiological effects of spirulina supplementation during lactate threshold exercise at simulated altitude (2,500 m): a randomized controlled trial.

Tom Gurney, James Brouner, Owen Spendiff

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Tom GurneyKingston University, School of Life Sciences, Kingston upon Thames, England.ORCID 0000-0002-2490-2960
James BrounerKingston University, School of Life Sciences, Kingston upon Thames, England.
Owen SpendiffKingston University, School of Life Sciences, Kingston upon Thames, England.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExisting literature indicates that spirulina supplementation can improve a variety of blood morphological parameters (such as hemoglobin) in healthy and clinical populations. Given the importance of hemoglobin for endurance exercise, particularly at altitude, this study aimed to investigate whether spirulina supplementation can improve blood morphological parameters in healthy cyclists and positively influence physiological variables when completing a lactate threshold test at simulated moderate altitude (2,500 m).

methodsTwenty (18 male; 2 female) healthy participants (Mean  ±  SD; Age 37   ±   9 years, Stature 181   ±   6 cm, Mass 81   ±   9 kg,

resultsFollowing spirulina supplementation, heart rate at the lactate threshold was significantly lower in comparison to placebo supplementation (spirulina = 152   ±   11 b.min -1 vs. placebo = 155   ±   12 b.min -1,

conclusionIn conclusion, three weeks of spirulina supplementation at 6 g/day reduced heart rate during a lactate threshold test at a simulated moderate altitude (2,500 m), but did not produce additional physiological or hematological benefits.

Indexed as

AltitudeAnaerobic ThresholdDietary SupplementsLactic AcidSpirulinaAdultBicyclingCross-Over StudiesDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHeart RateHemoglobinsHumansMaleMiddle AgedOxygen ConsumptionHemoglobinsLactic AcidalgaeAltitudecyclingheart ratelactate

Identifiers

PMID40310870
PMCPMC12046610

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.