Lily asked
Hi. The Chlorella (chlorella growth factor) is safe for teenager? And it is true that it can help increase height of a teen? Or can you suggest what supplement can I take to increase my height? I'm 16 years old girl, my height is 4'9 and my weight is 44kg. I'm also doing stretching everyday.
Answer
Chlorella growth factor is naturally present in chlorella supplements and is also available as a single extract. The growth factor contained in chlorella is thought to be responsible for the algae's extremely fast replication rate. In fact, chlorella can replicate by a factor of 4 solely in the presence of carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and a few select minerals.
There is insufficient evidence however that chlorella supplement can affect height, as discussed below.
Chlorella Constituents & Benefits
Chlorella (and chlorella growth factor) contains a variety of substances including:
- Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)
- Fatty acids
- Protein
- Chlorophyll
- Carotenoids
- Vitamins (including vitamin B12 and vitamin K )
- Minerals
- Galactose
- Rhamnose
- Arabinose
Chlorella is a nutrient dense phyto-supplement and has many benefits but more studies need to be done to better understand how it works and what its best utilization is.
Below, we list some benefits that studies have shown with chlorella use:
Energy
In addition to the various vitamins and minerals contained in chlorella, some sources theorize that the nucleic acid content in chlorella may help the body conserve energy and thus, reduce exertion. Most studies indicate users reporting increased energy levels when supplementing with chlorella.
Wound Healing
A few clinical studies have shown an increase in wound healing activity after chlorella supplementation. In addition, chlorella may aide in tissue repair, helping to recover from workouts and exertion faster than usual. Chlorella has also been found to be a fairly potent anti-inflammatory agent. Studies have shown chlorella having strong inhibitory effects on various enzymes known to be part of the inflammatory process (e.g. human protein tyrosine phosphatases).
Immune Boosting Agent
Chlorella has shown some immunomodulatory activity in studies and can stimulate B cell proliferation and activate macrophages. In addition, one study had positive results with fibromyalgia patients in regard to boosting immune function (based on blood chemistry tests)
Anti-Aging
Chlorella is a potent antioxidant and can remove harmful free radicals in the body.
Other Information
In regard to chlorella growth factor increasing height, there is a lack of evidence to support this claim. After some research, the only study that is referenced by those claiming that chlorella growth factor can increase height is the following: Yamada, Yoshio, et al. "School Children's Growth and the Value of Chlorella." Nihon III shimpo, No. 2196, 1988. We have not been able to locate this study for evaluation. In addition, it is certain that more well conducted, high quality studies would need to be conducted to better understand the effects of chlorella on height.
There is currently no supplement or regimen that is proven to increase ones height.
