Microglia
Spirulina interacts with microglia primarily by calming them down to reduce brain inflammation (neuroinflammation). [1, 2] When the brain experiences stress, injury, or illness, microglia switch into an "activated" pro-inflammatory state. While this defense mechanism is necessary, prolonged or hyperactive microglia activation can destroy healthy brain cells and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. [2, 3] Scientific studies, such as those cataloged on [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22687570/) and [PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8836248/), demonstrate that active compounds inside spirulina alter this microglial behavior: [4, 5] ## 1. Blocking Pro-Inflammatory Signals When microglia sense trouble, they release destructive inflammatory chemicals like Nitric Oxide (NO) and cytokines (such as TNF-α and IL-6). Research shows that spirulina extracts significantly suppress the genes responsible for producing these toxic chemicals, preventing ...