Upper Klamath Lake Wild Blue - Green Algae (AFA)

AFA - The Miracle Food: What is it?
Physicians' Experience with AFA
Viewpoints from Clinical Nutritionist on AFA

The Miracle Food

THE BIOMODULATOR- Upper Klamath Lake AFA
Science is beginning to recognize natural herbs and wildcrafted foods as biomodulators. A biomodulator is a substance that affects many functions and systems in the body in a global manner. Its effects cannot be summarized in one single pharmacological action. As a result, biomodulators have a physiological rather than a pharmacological action in the body. In the true holistic vision of health, the body is the true healer. The medical doctor is but the humble, though revered, servant of the natural healing process present in everyone. For this reason, biomodulators are of great interest and are an extremely valuable tool for holistic practitioners. One such natural, wildcrafted food with astonishing biomodulating effects is the naturally occurring blue-green algae, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), found in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon.

It has been demonstrated that the biomodulating effects of AFA have a beneficial impact on overall health. Although we may not fully understand how this simple blue-green alga has such a positive and pervasive effect on so many systems and physiological functions of the body, the benefits of consuming it have been verified. Further research is currently being carried out to study the ability of AFA to actually prevent cancer and viral infection, lower cholesterol in people with elevated cholesterol, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

WHAT ARE ALGAE?
A note on grammar, "Algae" is the plural of alga, and is properly treated as a plural noun. Blue-Green algae is an excellent food. Algae, also known as phytoplankton, are plant life without roots, leaves or flowers. It is estimated that there are more than 25,000 species of algae in existence. Most are mainly marine algae in the oceans; the rest are freshwater algae. Pond scums, water mosses, sea vegetables or seaweeds are all forms of algae. These algaes span an array of sizes from tiny picoplankton, which need to be magnified 1,000 times in order to be seen, to giant kelps in the oceans up to 50 meters in length.

All algaes are composed of self-sufficient cells. For example, if you break off a piece, the broken piece and its host will still thrive. In addition, algaes can be separated by color. Algaes may be blue-green, green, red, brown, golden and purple. The deeper the color, the more intense is the spectrum of biochemicaI properties. The hot springs at Yellowstone National Park are called the "Paint Pots" because of the striking colors produced by the permanent residue of algae. There are credible scientific and archaeological indications that during the first 30,000 years of the existence of our human race, algae were a significant source of food. The Aztec civilizations of ancient Mexico used and traded edible algae from their lakes.

The algae were often mixed with maize (corn) to provide a nutritious meal. There is historical evidence to suggest that the ancient Incas of South America harvested and ate raw algae. And to this day the Kanembus tribe still eat algae from Lake Chad in Africa, just as their ancestors did; the algae are swept up with nets, sun-dried and shaped into small cakes, sold in the market at Chad's capital, N'Djamena and through-out the country. It is used for soups and sauces, like bouillon cubes. The algae-eating children of this tribe show no signs of malnutrition, unlike their non-algae eating neighbors, who suffer various degrees of malnutrition. Some scholars maintain that, in the Near East during biblical times, the food called manna was prepared with species of algae harvested from the Dead Sea. Moreover, red algae provided the name and color for the Red Sea. For thousands of years, Chinese herbalists have been using algae to treat vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Algae are medically known in the Far East as an aid to digestion.

OXYGENATION
Algae have been around much longer than people, being in fact the initial form of life on Earth. Prior to the existence of algae, the Earth was a barren wasteland with only poisonous gases, devoid of oxygen. Algae assisted the process of making the environment habitable by animal life by using the power of the sun to split water molecules, combining the hydrogen part with carbon dioxide. This biochemical reaction allowed algae to create their own food from the surrounding gases and minerals. The oxygen half of the water molecule was freed into the atmosphere as a by-product, providing the basis for all human and animal life. To flourish, algae need only minerals, water and sunlight. Today, these remarkable forms of life are credited with up to 80 percent of nature's food supply and 90 percent of the Earth's oxygen production.™ If there were no algae, life as we know it would cease to exist.

BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
Of all the many strains of different types of algae in existence, the blue-greens are the most distinct from other plants and algaes. There are anywhere form 500 to 1500 different species of these blue-green algaes. Fossil records indicate that the blue-greens are the most primitive of all algaes, dating back over four billion years. These algaes have endured while thousands of other plant and animal species have become extinct. The blue-greens are true survival pioneers, quickly changing and adapting to light conditions, temperatures and physical and chemical changes as the environment dictates. They were probably the very first organisms to release elemental oxygen into the primitive and barren planetary atmosphere. In evolutionary terms, the blue-greens (scientifically known as Cyanobacteria) represent a link between bacteria and green plants This algae type, therefore, is both a plant and a healthy bacterium. Blue-green algae and bacteria have a similar composition. The genetic makeup, photosynthesis apparatus and the respiratory system are not separated by internal membranes. The "information" in the blue-green algae or bacteria, such as how to produce enzymes, how to digest antibiotics, how to repair cellular injury and how to quench free radicals is totally accessible. (Free radicals attack other molecules with which they come in contact.)

Blue-green algae and bacteria are sometimes referred to as prokaryotes (cells which lack membrane-bound nucleus). All other algaes and higher evolved plants are called eukaryotes. (The nucleus and pigments are confined within distinct membranes.) This is quite significant in terms of absorption, providing access to the goodness of the algae. Research scientist Daryl Kollman writes in his book Hope Is a Molecule about the ease of access to the nutrient profile: "... the essential bacteria in your intestinal tract [have] access to all the information contained in the blue-green algae." It is Kollman's opinion that "the biological information learned routinely by the blue-green algae" is information that the human race needs in order to survive. For instance, it might take us a million years to develop genetic information that would allow us to adapt to excess radiation; blue-green algae would adapt to it in a few months. When we eat the algae we then have access to that information and knowledge of adaptation to our surrounding environment, argues Kollman. On a more metaphysical level, some algae enthusiasts believe that if you eat blue-green algae on a regular basis, you will connect with something essential and ancient. Richard France, a macrobiotic counselor, states, "lt is not inconceivable that on subtle vibrational levels, unique genetic memories and messages of harmony and peace are stored in algae, which have grown undisturbed for aeons in a pristine environment. This information may be passed on to us at a cellular level, encouraging harmony among our own cellular family."

SHARED CHARACTERISTICS WITH PLANTS, ANIMALS, BACTERIA
Blue-green algae are quite distinct from other algaes in that they share characteristics with plants, animals and bacteria. Like plants, they have the ability to perform photosynthesis, but they do it far better than any other plant. They are the most chlorophyll-rich organisms on the planet. Special phycolilin pigments initiate the conversion of light energy to chemical energy by certain wavelengths of visible light to which chlorophyll is not as sensitive. The energy is absorbed by the pohycolilins and passed onto the chlorophyll. Further- more, blue-green algae are similar to animal cells in structure in that both have a soft, digestible cell wall composed of glycogen, which our bodies can use as a food. Many other plants have indigestible cellulose cell walls. Thus, because the algae's cell walls are soft and easy to digest, we can obtain more nutrients from its ingestion.

UNIQUENESS OF THE KLAMATH LAKE ALGAE STRAIN
Wild blue-green algae (Aphanizemenon flos-aqua or AFA) from Klamath Lake, Oregon is different and distinct from most algaes. It is a wild, uncultivated plant food. It is one of the few species of algae, which grows wild in its own natural habitat, one of the world's most rich "nutrient traps." Unlike this indigenous and wild form of blue-green algae, some algaes are grown artificially in manmade farming ponds. The extraordinary and natural environment in which wild blue-green algae is grown is impossible to duplicate on these algae farms. Wild blue-green algae are completely free of artificial, synthetic influences. Because AFA is so purely and naturally grown in its own wild habitat, it has the most beneficial impact upon the human body. The basic argument is that wild AFA is superior: 1) in its rate of assimilability, digestibility and absorption, 2) as a food and energy source, 3) in nutrient density, and 4) as a preventative against disease.

Absorption
AFA algae have a soft cell glucose (glycoliprotein complex Πprotein bonded to carbohydrate) wall that is easily digested by the body; this allows rapid absorption and assimilation of vital nutrients. Other synthetically cultivated algaes and plants may have indigestible cellulose walls making absorption difficult or impossible. Wild blue-green algae is an anabolic substance. and its organic compounds are more readily assimilated, absorbed, digested, metabolized and utilized by the human body.

Life Force Energy
AFA algae require intense sunlight to grow. They favor the summer months in Oregon for their most prolific growth period. This may explain why they have such high levels of chlorophyll. Plant energy can be transferred from the chlorophyll directly to hemoglobin in the red blood cells of human blood plasma. The red blood cells and the plasma transfer the plant energy directly to the cells and to the bond structure, which then transmit it to the overall human body. AFA algae therefore have the ability to purify blood, quell inflammations and rejuvenate.

Fixing Nitrogen
AFA is now known to fix nitrogen. This means that the algae breathe in nitrogen from the air to produce a rich source of proteins, nucleic acids, nitrogen compounds and other essential nutrients. These compounds enrich the soil and environment around them, as the nitrogen acts just like natural fertilizer. Unlike AFA, some algaes do not have the ability to metabolize nitrogen from the air and can only grow in soils where nitrogen compounds are already present or artificially added.

Nutrient Density
AFA is a most nutrient-dense food with high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and other important natural sub- stances. Over 95 percent of the nutrients can be used directly by the body in the same form. The vitamin B-complex profile of AFA is very high, especially vitamins B2, B6 and B12. For example, one gram of wild blue-green algae supplies more than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential for the production of red blood cells. It helps them to develop to a point where protein, folic acid, iron and vitamin C can mature properly and thus carry more oxygen to the cells.

A deficiency of B12 may cause pernicious anemia. Restricted diets and poor absorption can cause a B12 deficiency. AFA has the highest active vegetable source of vitamin B12, in a form that is totally usable by the body. AFA algae have 65 times the B12 content of kelp, and almost 700 times more B12 than alfalfa. The B vitamins within AFA algae are of such high quality that they can boost the body's energy level, endurance and stamina. B vitamins convert carbohydrates into glucose, which the body can then utilize to produce energy. The ability of blue-green algae to efficiently transfer glucose into energy (via the B vitamins) may represent its most important health contribution. In addition, the algae strain AFA has a broader spectrum of minerals than any other green algae.

To date, over 40 macro- and micro-minerals have been identified in the wild blue-green algae. These minerals are bound into a colloidal matrix, which means they are enzyme-bound. Such configurations cannot be synthesized. Choline, an ingredient important to the brain's phospholipids, is absent in many blue-greens but is present in AFA algae. AFA is an elixir for the brain unlike any other algae and has a beneficial impact upon brain synchronization: it specifically enhances the hypothalamus, the pineal and pituitary glands.

In clinical research, Dr. Gillian McKeith found patients reporting improved mental clarity, enhanced memory and a sharper sense of focus after ingesting AFA algae for several months. It ought to be noted that AFA has a slightly bitter taste. According to traditional Chinese medicine, bitter flavors influence the heart-mind system, actually helping the mind to focus better. Victor Kubinskas in his book Survival into the 21st Century described it as a "mental buzz and blissed out feeling." You can't achieve this type of mind enhancement with any other algae. AFA has a much higher concentration of vitamin C than any other algae. This is important because iron needs the synergistic effect of vitamin C to be properly assimilated in our bodies. The iron content of wild blue-green algae is equally impressive; its ability to build the quality of the blood is thus superior. Of its dry weight, more than two-thirds of AFA is assimilable protein, more than any other algae. AFA wild blue-green algae get its protein content from atmospheric nitrogen. AFA may even have "special vibrational fields." Dr. Gabriel Cousins describes it as "ssubtle, organized energy fields." These vibrational energy fields are the life forces of the algae, which he believes has the ability to regenerate mind, body and immune forces. Therefore, more so than any other algae, this wild blue-green strain is a perfect food and perfect food supplement in preventing and treating nutritional deficiencies, imbalances or disorders. Please note that "wild blue-green algae", means specifically the Aphanizemenon flos-aqua (AFA) strain.

THE ALGAE OF KLAMATH LAKE
Klamath Lake is one of the world's richest sources of the AFA strain of wild blue-green algae, the strain scientifically referred to as Aphanizemenon, flos aqua (AFA). This lake is nestled 3000 feet up in the almost inaccessible Cascade Mountains of Oregon, boasting one of the most abundant supplies of minerals and trace elements. This mineral treasury is the result of massive volcanic eruptions that occurred several thousand years ago, blanketing the area with millions of tons of mineral- rich volcanic ash. Fifty thousand tons of this ash flow every day into the 140- square mile lake from the 4000-square mile volcanic basin through a network of 17 rivers, streams and falls. This spectacular lake in its unique position of isolation has become a natural power-packed nutrient-trap impossible for man to duplicate. The blue-green algae from Klamath Lake grow wild; it is free of adverse bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides.

TOXICITY
Algae researcher Dr. William Barry has personally examined many blooms of the AFA strain from Klamath Lake (and other lakes too) and has never found any toxicity. A research report produced by Rapala in The Journal of Applied Phycology (1993) confirmed Barry's conclusion; this report emphatically states that the AFA algae strain is not capable of producing toxins. As further testament to its safety, it should be noted that hundreds of thousands of people worldwide have consumed the AFA strain algae with no trace of toxicity. The only time that AFA should be used cautiously is when you are extremely weak, thin, very dry with a cold constitution or are already pregnant. There are two strains of blue-green algae, which have produced toxins at various times: one is called Anaboena-flos aquae, the other Microcystic aeroginosa. Neither strain is produced commercially and so human consumption would be virtually impossible. The focus of this book is on the nontoxic and safe AFA wild blue-green strain, rather than any potentially toxic forms.

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT
AFA wild blue-green algae is the most nutrient-dense and perfectly balanced whole food in the world. With a dynamic nutritional profile, it is the richest source of almost every nutrient in its purest form. Because it is recognized by the body as a food, it is immediately available with a greater than 90 percent assimilation rate. This means that the body is capable of utilizing virtually all of the algaes nutrients. When taking a conventional multiple vitamin with minerals, the body may only absorb a small fraction of the actual nutrient dosages. In clinical practice, what you eat is important; but what you absorb and assimilate may even be more important. AFA blue-green algae has an extraordinarily high content of vitamins, minerals, amino acids (complete protein) and live enzymes: including a complete amino acid profile with 62 percent protein content, high in beta-carotene, antioxidants and the highest known natural dietary source of vitamin B12 and chlorophyll. The nutritional composition of the foods we eat is vital, as it determines just how much energy our bodies need to break down and process those foods. The more processed the food, the harder our bodies have to work. The more cooked-out foods we eat, the more strain we place on our enzyme quotient. Enzymes are protein molecules, which digest our food and make it small enough to pass through the minute pores of the intestines into the blood. Modern diets are so devoid of key nutrients and enzymes to help break foods down and absorb their goodness that we tire our bodies from simple food abuse. This is why you may feel tired after meals, or bloated and low in energy.

Extra energy is needed to break down and absorb foods that are "empty" or nutrient deficient. Further energy is required to break down and eliminate pesticides and other toxins from our food and environment, and to curb the disruptive effects of high levels of mental stress. The end result is low energy and poor elimination of toxins and waste products. Our bodies then store these nasty residues in our fat cells, in the blood- stream and in the key organs. We poison ourselves and rob our bodies of strength. Depletion of energy reserves is thought to contribute to the fall in immunity and the rise in degenerative diseases that we are now witnessing.

MINERALS
One of the greatest contributions of blue-green AFA algae is its full spectrum of minerals. Minerals are the framework for our bodies, critical to our overall mental and physical well- being. Bones, teeth, muscle, blood, nerve cells, tissues and internal fluids all contain varying quantities of minerals. They help to build the skeletal structure, regulate the heart, balance internal pressure of body fluids, nerve response and oxygen transport from the lungs to the tissues. Minerals act as catalysts for many biological reactions within the body, including muscle response, digestion, metabolism of nutrients in foods, and transmission of messages through the nervous system. Miner- als help to maintain the body's delicate water balance, allowing the mental and physical processes to function properly. They keep blood and tissue fluids from becoming too acid or too alkaline, thus balancing the body's pH. Minerals permit other nutrients to pass into the bloodstream. Minerals also help draw chemical substances in and out of the cells and aid in the creation of antibodies. The problem with minerals, however, is that they can only be supplied to the human body through diet. Thus, if your diet is poor, your mineral profile will be poor, too. Not only are we often robbed of minerals by our inadequate diets, but most soils in which our produce grows are severely mineral deficient. Remember, your body cannot make minerals: if they are not in the soil, they are not in the produce, and are certainly not in you. A U.S. government paper illustrated this problem forcefully when leading authorities from Johns Hopkins University, Yale, Columbia University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that Ninety-nine percent of the American people are deficient in food complexed minerals. A marked deficiency in any one of the more important minerals actually results disease. Any upset of the balance, any considerable lack of one or another element, however microscopic the body requirement may be, can cause us to sicken, suffer and shorten our lives. And that statement was issued in the 1930s! The matter has worsened since then. Therefore, AFA blue-green algae can potentially prevent, correct, alleviate and treat these mineral imbalances and deficiencies. Trace minerals or micro-minerals are needed in minute quantities by the body. No one mineral can function without affecting the others. Each mineral needs other minerals for proper utilization. For example, calcium requires magnesium for its absorption and assimilation. Moreover, a deficiency of even just one mineral can cause severe imbalances of vitamins as well. Getting enough minerals in the right balance is critical if you are to feel well; wild blue-green algae seems to provide a framework for a perfect mineral balance. Wild blue-green algae contains all the essential trace minerals: boron, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc and vanadium.

Since the algae is in such a natural state, it is conceivable that it may even contain other minerals not yet discovered or identified. But the most significant story here is that these minerals are in perfect balance for maximum benefits and positive impact upon human biochemistry. According to Dr. Maurice Schiff, a Professor of Medicine at the University of California at San Diego, the extraordinary mineral profile of the algae will combine and arrange its mineral matrix as if it were identical to the building blocks of our own flesh. Because everything is in its proper proportion, it is readily absorbed by the body,lelo he concludes. It is worth noting that wild blue-green algae has one of the highest sources of cobalt, the essential mineral part of vitamin B12 and one of the highest natural concentrations of iron known. The AFA thus builds up the quality of our blood and assists in resistance to infection and diseases.

VITAMINS
Wild blue-green algae contains the most perfect balance of vitamins of all algaes. Vitamins are essential to life. They aid in digestion, elimination and resistance to disease. Depletions or deficiencies can lead to various nutritional disorders, de- pending on which vitamins may be lacking in the diet. With a few exceptions, most vitamins cannot be manufactured by the body. They must be supplied by the diet or by supplement pills. The vitamin composition of blue-green algae is far superior to any multivitamin supplement pills. In a recent study at Yale New Haven Hospital 257 brands of multivitamin supplement pills were evaluated. The study concluded that 80 percent of the vitamin pills were inadequate, incomplete or imbalanced. With wild-blue green algae, the composition and balance of vitamins is in perfect harmony with human biochemistry for maximum utilization.

Table 2. Key Vitamins in AFA Algae
B1 (thiamine) choline
B2 (riboflavin) pantothenic acid (B5)
B6 (pyridoxine) biotin
B3 (niacin) folic acid
B12 E
C (ascorbic acid)

PROTEINS/AMINO ACIDS
Wild blue-green AFA alga is an exceptionally high source of protein (60 percent), nearly identical to the human body's protein composition. The quality of the protein in AFA algae is superior to that of most other plant or animal protein sources, being derived from all eight essential amino acids. It is important for general good health of the skin, hair, nails, brain, ligaments, bones, teeth, hormones, sex glands and enzymes that we eat foods with all eight essential amino acids. If even one amino acid is missing, then the body cannot make protein. Because plant proteins tend to lack certain amino acids, some vegetarians may suffer from a deficiency of basic protein. On the other hand, meats (including fish, chicken, beef, turkey) usually contain all eight essential amino acids to form complete protein. But studies clearly indicate that animal protein raises cholesterol, increases the risk of heart disease and forms excess mucus. In addition, animal protein is rather difficult to digest. If protein digestion is incomplete, then bacteria can form toxic compounds. AFA algae protein is of a type called glycoprotein, whereas meat and regular vegetable protein is of a type called lipoprotein. The body must convert lipoproteins into glycoproteins in order to utilize it. Since algae is already in the form of glycoprotein, the body need not make any biochemical conversion. Thus, eating the blue-green algae protein is more biochemically efficient and preserves metabolic energy. The protein in AFA algae is 85 percent assimilable, compared to beef with just a 20 percent assimilable rate. Improper or incomplete protein digestion may not only produce toxins, but may very well render the protein worthless.

Finally, AFA protein assists in nourishing the brain and nervous system because of algae's rich source of amino acid pep tides. These peptides are precursor for neurotransmitters, which carry messages from the brain to ordinary muscles, and from the organs back to the brain. Although the brain comprises just two percent of total body weight, it actually uses 20 percent of the body's energy resources. Thus, the brain needs to be fed and satisfied virtually every minute of the day. The nervous system and brain interface with each other continually as messages are sent back and forth incessantly. Therefore, if there is the slightest break in this amino acid-peptide link, you may experience memory loss, mental fatigue or nervous disorders.

ENZYMES
There are thousands of live active enzymes in AFA algae. Enzymes are critical for life; they are the body's labor force. Enzymes metabolize, digest and assimilate all substances entering the body. For example, live enzymes digest food, destroy toxins, even break down fats and cellulose and metabolize starch and proteins. Furthermore, enzymes are involved in moving muscles, nourishing nerves, stimulating brain function, breathing, accompanying male sperm and female eggs, fighting off illness, infection and disease and more. A shortage of live active enzymes could wreak havoc in your body. Unfortunately, most people do not have sufficient enzyme activity. Although the pancreas manufactures a certain limited number of enzymes for digestion, there is still a need to supplement the body with additional enzymes. Supplementary enzymes are generally acquired through the foods that we eat; raw fruits and vegetables are packed with live active enzymes. However, these supplementary enzymes are easily destroyed when we cook, broil, boil, bake, fry, sauce, poach or even freeze our foods. The enzymes within the body are further destroyed by stress, fatigue, chemical pollutants, even pregnancy and possibly an extraordinarily strenuous exercise regime. Thus, the thousands of live active enzymes within wild blue-green AFA algae can contribute to a substantially healthier life.

Table 3. Amino Acid Content of AFA Algae

CHLOROPHYLL
A green pigment found in plants, chlorophyll is responsible for the transformation of light energy into chemical energy. Although cholorophyll is present in all green vegetables, it is exceptionally abundant in AFA (one of two percent of dry weight). Structurally, chlorophyll is almost identical to heme (also called hematin), which is the core hemoglobin, the molecule responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood.

Scientific research as well as popular medicine has produced evidence of the healing and anticancer properties of chlorophyll. For example, recent studies have reported that chlorophyllin, a water-soluble form of chlorophyll, protects against certain forms of liver cancer at a concentration similar to that found in green leafy vegetables (3,4,5,6). This finding may have important implications in intervention and dietary management of cancer risks in humans.

BETA-CAROTENE AND OTHER CAROTENOIDS
Blue-green algae is sucha an exceptional source of carotenoids, nearly 240 retinol equivalents per gram, that it has been used for years as a poultry feed supplement to promote skin color and healthy-looking egg yolks.

Beta-carotene and other carotenoids have been shown to be powerful antioxidants, helpful in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (7,8). Epidemiological studies suggest that high dietary intake of naturally occurring beta-carotene decreases the risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease by protecting LDLs from oxidation (9). Blood levels of carotenoids were measured in 1,899 men, and their cardiovascular health was followed for 13 years. During this time, the men with the highest blood levels of carotenoids had 36% fewer heart attacks and deaths than those with the lowest carotenoids (10).

Beta-carotene has also been demonstrated to stimulate the immune system (11,12,13) and prevent skin (14), oral (15,16,17), and breast cancer (18,19). Besides being a rich source of beta-carotene, AFA also contains lutein and lycopene, two carotenoids that are known to protect against certain forms of cancer (20).

PHYCOCYANIN
Phycocyanin is the blue pigment present in all blue-green algae. In the living alga cell, phycocyanin serves as a protein storage unit and as an antioxidant protecting the cell from certain wavelengths. Phycocyanin accounts for nearly 15% of AFA's dry weight.

Phycocyanin has been shown to have significant anticancer properties. As an example, when phycocyanin was fed orally to mice injected with liver tumor cells, it significantly increased survival rate. In addition, daily ingestion of a small dose of phycocyanin was shown to maintain or accelerate lymphocyte activity to prevent malignancies or to inhibit their growth or recurrence (21). Phycocyanin was also confirmed to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (22,23) and to protect the liver against toxic substances (24). Recently, phycocyanin was shown to prevent colitis in an animal model (25). This may explain the numerous reports of improvement following consumption of AFA in conditions such as Crohn's Disease and other bowel inflammatory diseases.

POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS (PUFAs)
Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially omega-3-fatty acids, have been shown to be beneficial to the immune, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. It is interesting to note that nearly 50% of the lipid content of dried AFA is composed of omega-3-fatty acids (mostly linolenic acid).

Deficient in omega-3-fatty acids is increasingly linked to cardiovascular diseases (26,27,28,29,30,31), immunosuppression (32), arthritis (33), mental disorders (34,35,36,37) and skin problems (38). In addition, omega-3-fatty acids have been demonstrated to prevent platelet aggregation (39,40,41) and also to lower cholesterol (42,43). Consumption of PUFAs, mostly omega-3-fatty acids was also shown to inhibit many forms of cancer, namely breast, prostate, pancreatic, and colon cancer (44,45). There is also evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may help in neuropathic conditions associated with diabetes (46,47).

Significant interest has been raised by the relationship between PUFAs and nervous system functions. Epidemiological studies in various countries and in the United States suggest that decreased omega-3 fatty acid consumption correlates with increasing rates of depression (48). Consumption of foods containing omega-3 fatty acids may constitute an alternative treatment for depression. Furthermore, decreased concentrations of certain PUFAs in plasma have been found in children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperacidity Disorder (ADHD) (49). Based on various unpublished studies, consumption of AFA was demonstrated to be beneficial in the treatment of ADHD.

Most interesting is the research data on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of the main omega-3 fatty acids, which has drawn special attention in the past few years. EPA was shown to stabilize the membranes of nervous cells. For example, EPA has been shown to prevent arrhythmia and ventricular fibrillation (50,51,52) and to protect myocardial cells against hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced injury following ischemic heart disease (53). EPA was also shown to prevent epileptic seizures in a rat model of epileptogenesis (54,55). This may explain the reports of improvement of epileptic conditions after consumption of AFA.

Finally, more than 60 years ago, it was discovered that linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, prevented epidermal water loss and that dry skin was one of the main symptoms of deficiency of PUFAs (56,57,58). PUFAs are necessary for healthy and resistant skin, as well as for the health of mucus tissue such as that lining the intestinal wall. PUFA deficiency has been associated with scleroderma (59) and Raynaud's syndrome (60).

AFA RESEARCH IN NUTRACEUTICALS
Over the years, testimonies and empirical observations have suggested that AFA may be effective at improving conditions such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, poor memory, Attention Deficit disorder, chronic fatigue, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, poor immunity, skin problems, allergies, asthma, rheumatoid diseases and depression. Cases have also been reported of significant improvements in conditions such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia, and cancer.

CHEMOPROTECTION
A substance is "chemoprotective" when it protects the toxic effects of chemicals or compounds (particularly the heavy metals) present in our food or environment. Various species of microalgae have been demonstrated to absorb heavy metals, and their consumption may promote the elimination of heavy metals (61,62,63). Scientific studies have shown that blue-green algae offers significant protection against heavy metal toxicity to the kidneys (64). A sugar present on the cell membrane of microalgae has been confirmed to bind and eliminate pesticides from the intestine (65). Phycocyanin, the blue pigment present in blue-green algae and abundant in AFA, has also been shown to have chemoprotective properties (66).

ANTICANCER AND IMMUNE SYSTEM
Natural killer (NK) cells, also considered a subtype of T-cells, are a part of the immune system and are mainly responsible for detecting and destroying cells that are altered either due to viral infection or malignant transformation. Although NK cells are normally measured in blood, it is in the tissues that they perform immune surveillance and eliminate virally infected or cancerous cells.

In a double blind, crossover study, the immediate effect of AFA on NK cells was evaluated in five normal, healthy volunteers. Within two hours, ingestion of AFA resulted in a significant decrease of 40% in NK cells in the blood (figure 1). This data, taken as a whole, was interpreted as a migration of NK cells from the blood to the tissue, consequent to an increased number of adhesion molecules on NK cell membranes (67).

Many substances, such as green tea and gingko biloba, are known to improve the activity of NK cells. But, until this recent finding on AFA, no dietary substances were known to stimulate natural killer cells to migrate into the tissues to search and destroy "sick" cells. This research suggests that eating AFA daily may stimulate the immune system to help prevent cancer as well as illnesses associated with viral infections. The anticancer properties of AFA have already been evidenced by the ability of AFA to prevent cancer in the Ames test (68).

On a separate note, numerous scientific studies have established that foods containing beta-carotene are effective in preventing certain forms of cancer. In order to determine if beta-carotene truly prevents cancer, scientists researched the effects of isolated beta-carotene in the prevention of cancer. After the completion of a 12-year study, the scientists concluded that beta-carotene alone did not offer any protection against cancer (69). However, what that study really demonstrated is that beta-carotene, administered without the numerous other carotenoids present in foods containing beta-carotene, is not effective at preventing cancer. It became clear that to prevent cancer, beta-carotene must be accompanied by the other carotenoids found with it in nature.

BRAIN MODULATOR
One of the most common experiences of people eating AFA is the feeling of greater energy and the experience of an increased ability to focus. For example, many children suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity, experience significant improvement in their condition, often to the point of being able to discontinue the use of psychoactive drugs. This could be explained by AFA's PUFA content and the ability of AFA to increase blood DHA of which was many times more effective than soybean oil in providing dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (70).

In order to study the effect of AFA on the nervous system, 90 individuals were fed either AFA or a placebo and their electroenchepalograms were monitored regularly. In addition, a brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) test and a P300 test were performed to measure the ability of the brain information.

When the BAER test is administered, a sound is sent into the left ear. An EEG measures brain activity as the signal travels through various areas of the brain and across the corpus callosum. Eating AFA for nearly one month significantly improved central nervous signaling as measured with this BAER test (figure 2).

In a P300 test, participants must discriminate between sounds at different frequencies that are heard through a headset. When the participant reports hearing a sound of different frequency, the signal obtained is a reflection of the number of neurons involved in the task and the coordination or simultaneity of neurons' recruitment. A greater ability of the central nervous system to perform this task is indicated by a faster response, which is demonstrated in figure 3. As indicated by the triangles in (figure 3), eating AFA for one month significantly increase cognitive functions.

Using a digital electroencephalogram (dEEG), researchers found that AFA normalized EEG modulation in participants who exhibited subclinical abnormal modulations, or lack of central nervous integration. Abnormal modulations or lack of integration between the various regions of the brain may be associated with lack of attention, poor memory, irritability, sleep disorders, depression, and other impairments and disorders. Participants in this study reported an overall improvement in their health condition, which was verified using numerous health-related quality-of-life questionnaires.

This scientific information may have far-reaching implications. Much research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology has established the intricate relationship between the nervous and immune systems. An optimal nervous system will necessarily lead to better immune function and in turn, better immune function will increase the ability of the body to handle conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, infections of various kinds, allergies, inflammatory diseases, etc. The fact that AFA positively modulates brain activity and improves cognitive functions may be one of the underlying explanations behind many of the different benefits reported by algae eaters.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH
In Nandaime, Nicaragua, over 3,500 children have been eating AFA for more than 5 years. Improvements in the children's health condition have been reported in a thesis published by the the Department of Nutrition of the Universidad Centroamericana. In brief, providing these children with 500mg of AFA daily for one year was shown to significantly improve overall health conditions (figure 4).

Eating AFA also significantly improved academic performance (figure 5) and school attendance (figure 6). In the group of children eating AFA, 32% of the children significantly increased their academic grades and 14% moved from the 0-89 percentile to the 90-100 percentile compared to a reverse movement of 9% from 70-100 to 0-69 percentile in the control group. The school's overall academic average increased from 65% to 82%, ranking the school number one in Nicaragua after years of poor standings. In addtion, according to the teachers, besides showing increased attendance, children eating AFA also showed a much greater level of participation and enthusiasm.

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