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Postoperative Spirulina Platensis Supplementation Optimizes Body Composition Improvement without Adverse Effects in Women Undergoing Gastric Bypass: a Pilot Study Randomized and Placebo-Controlled.

  • 2025-11-26
  • Obesity surgery 36(1)
    • Paula Caroline de Almeida
    • Thiago da Rosa Lima
    • Eudes Thiago Pereira Avila
    • Gabriel Abreu Brito
    • Natália Ost Malheios
    • Régis Vilela Leal
    • Eduardo Rodrigues Alves Junior
    • Gunther Peres Pimenta
    • James Wilfred Navalta
    • Amilcar Sabino Damazo

Study Design

Type
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Sample size
n = 25
Population
49 women indicated for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB)
Methods
Randomized into two groups: SP group received 2 g Spirulina daily, placebo group received 2 g starch daily for 30 days post-RYGB
Duration
30 days
Funding
Unclear
INTRODUCTION: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is an effective treatment for obesity and metabolic disorders. Co-administration of Spirulina (SP), a cyanobacterium of the genus Arthrospira platensis, accelerates weight loss and improves body composition. It is believed that supplementing with 2 g of SP for 30 days is safe and improves body composition in women undergoing RYGB. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of SP supplementation on body composition and blood parameters of women undergoing RYGB. METHODS: Forty-nine women indicated for RYGB were divided into two groups: SP (n =25), which received 2 g of SP, and placebo (PL, n =24), which received 2 g of starch. The parameters were analyzed at baseline and after 30 days of post-RYGB intervention. ANCOVA and chi-square were performed in SPSS (version 25), with a significance level of 5% (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Thirty patients (SP, n = 15; PL, n = 15) with a mean age of 42.82±9.35 years concluded the study. Post-RYGB, the SP group exhibited significant decreases in arm circumference (p = 0.035), fat mass (p = 0.033), muscle mass loss (p <0.001), body fat (p = 0.018), subcutaneous fat (p = 0.019), and blood urea levels (p = 0.042) compared to the PL group. The SP group had significantly more lean mass (p = 0.036) and skeletal muscle mass (p = 0.030), elevated BMR (p = 0.034), and a higher percentage of fat mass loss (p <0.001), along with increased levels of body protein (p = 0.028) and hydration (p = 0.037) in comparison to the PL group. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with 2 g of SP for 30 days was safe, improved body composition, and decreased urea levels in women with obesity undergoing RYGB.

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