Recruiting

SpirulinaEffects of Spirulina Supplementation on Mental Health in Healthy Adults

Sponsor:

Arizona State University

Code:

NCT06936202

Conditions

Depression

Mental Acuity

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 16 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Spirulina capsules

Placebo

Study Details

Brief summary:

Spirulina platensis is a form of cyanobacteria, a blue-green algae, and is a superfood most known for being rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, and healthful phytochemicals. Spirulina supports brain health through neuroprotection offered by its antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and hormone regulation.

The aim of this study is to supplement healthy adults from a campus community with 3g of spirulina, daily, for 8 weeks to improve mood and mental acuity in comparison to receiving a placebo.

Conditions

Depression

Mental Acuity

Study ID

NCT06936202

Start date

Apr 15, 2025

Status verified date

Aug, 2025

Completion date

May, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 16 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

healthy adults
ages 18-65
no underlying chronic disease or acute conditions
no autoimmune conditions
do not consume alcohol in excess, smoke, use recreational drugs
does not follow restrictive diets
will be recruited from the ASU university campus.

Exclusion Criteria:

not have been clinically diagnosed with depression
not taking antidepressants, anxiety, or stress medications, or any other medications
drugs, or supplements that could influence mental capacities
not pregnant or breastfeeding
not a competitive athlete

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: spirulina capsules

six capsules daily (totaling 3 g)

placebo comparator: Placebo

Pea powder - 6 capsules daily

Interventions

Spirulina capsules

active intervention

Placebo

no active ingredient

Primary outcome measure

POMS (profile of mood states questionnaire) [ Time Frame: conducted at baseline and at week 8 (study's end) ]
Trail Making Test [ Time Frame: conducted at baseline and at week 8 (study's end) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Carol Johnston, PhD

16024962539 carol.johnston@asu.edu

Locations

850 PBC

Recruiting

Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85004

Contacts

Carol Johnston

602-496-2539 carol.johnston@asu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Arizona State University

Last update posted

Aug 19, 2025

Last verified

Aug, 2025

Keywords

spirulina
depression
mental acuity

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Arizona State University on 2025-08-19.