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Can you take spirulina while breastfeeding?

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the NIH/NLM Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) sourcesUpdated Jun 21, 2021How we research

What LactMed says

The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.

Spirulina (Aphanizomenon sp., Spirulina sp., and others) is a fresh-water blue-green alga that contains various nutrients such as protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, and iron. Spirulina has no specific lactation-related uses. No data exist on the excretion of any components of spirulina into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of spirulina in nursing mothers or infants. Spirulina is generally well tolerated when grown under controlled conditions. Minor adverse effects include diarrhea, bloating, upset stomach, flatulence, edema, headache, muscle pain, facial flushing, and sweating. Products that are grown in uncontrolled conditions can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. Some products can be contaminated with the blue-green algae species Microcystis aeruginosa, which produces the hepatotoxins called microcystins. Breastmilk discoloration, green in one case, has been reported.

Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products. More detailed information about dietary supplements is available elsewhere on the LactMed Web site.

Quoted from Spirulina — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised June 21, 2021.

How much spirulina gets into breastmilk

Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

What has been seen in breastfed infants

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects on milk supply

Three days before delivery, a mother replaced her normal iron supplement with blue-green algae complex (blue-green algae, chlorella, and spirulina; Ambrosia-SupHerb Ltd., Israel) 750 mg once daily. On the second day after delivery she expressed 30 mL of dark green milk. No abnormal milk cytology was found and a microbiologic culture was negative. After stopping the supplement, her milk returned to a normal color over the next 3 days. The change in color was probably caused by the algae supplement.

Frequently asked questions

Can you take spirulina while breastfeeding?

What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Spirulina while breastfeeding — quoted in full. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.

Does spirulina pass into breastmilk?

LactMed's measured drug levels for spirulina are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".

Do I need to pump and dump after taking spirulina?

LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.

More on spirulina

LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.