ReviewNutrition & metabolism2025
Effects of spirulina supplementation on body composition in adults: a GRADE-assessed and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs.
Review in Nutrition & metabolism, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Trial
- Red Seaweed-Derived Phycobiliproteins: Marine Bioactive Colorants with Functional Health Properties.Marine drugs · 2026Review
- Algae and Algal Protein in Human Nutrition: A Narrative Review of Health Outcomes from Clinical Studies.Nutrients · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimWeight management remains a global health concern, with increasing interest in nutritional interventions to support healthy body composition. In recent years, the potential role of supplements like Spirulina has gained considerable attention as a possible intervention. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Spirulina supplementation on body composition in adults.
methodsA comprehensive search strategy was conducted across online databases to find relevant RCTs from inception until December 2024. The primary endpoints were changes in anthropometric indices. Meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed using STATA software, and sensitivity, subgroup, and publication bias analyses were also conducted.
resultsThe pooled analysis of 17 RCTs indicated that Spirulina supplementation significantly reduced body weight (BW) (WMD: -1.07 kg; p = 0.004), body mass index (BMI) (WMD: -0.40; p = 0.025), body fat percentage (BFP) (WMD: -0.84%; p = 0.002), but had no significant effects on waist circumference (WC) (WMD: -0.46 cm; p = 0.280). Based on Egger's regression test, there is no publication bias for BW (p = 0.097), BMI (p = 0.382), BFP (p = 0.945), and WC (p = 0.488). A significant dose-response effect on BMI and intervention dose (Coefficient: -0.17, P = 0.007) and duration (Coefficient: 0.13, p = 0.042).
conclusionSpirulina supplementation effectively reduces BW, BMI, and BFP, with stronger effects at higher doses and longer durations, especially in obese or older individuals. While no significant change in WC was observed overall, subgroup analyses suggest potential benefits for specific populations, emphasizing the importance of personalized supplementation strategies.
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Registered trials
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.