{
  "dataset": "spirulina-cost-by-brand",
  "title": "Spirulina Supplements Compared — cost per serving, cultivation source, and testing transparency",
  "sourcePage": "https://verifiedsupplementdata.com/spirulina/best-overall/",
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Verified Supplement Data (2026), Spirulina Cost & Source-Transparency Comparison",
  "dateModified": "2026-07-16",
  "methodology": "Commercial \"spirulina\" is cultivated Arthrospira platensis (Karkos 2011, PMID 18955364). Independent testing found cultivated spirulina FREE of microcystin toxins, while wild \"blue-green algae\"/AFA (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) tested positive up to ~5.2 ug MC-LR eq/g (Vichi 2012, PMID 23036452; Heussner 2012, PMID 23064102) — so the microcystin risk belongs to AFA, not true spirulina. The real quality axis for spirulina is cultivation SOURCE + contaminant (heavy-metal) testing transparency. \"verdict\" classifies each product: source-and-tested (names a controlled source AND explicit contaminant testing / third-party ingredient verification), source-disclosed (names a specific controlled cultivation region, generic testing), vague-generic (no specific source, vague \"third-party tested\" with no named lab or contaminant figure). costPerServing = live Amazon price / servings per container. Note: no controlled trial shows spirulina lowers heavy-metal body burden; \"detox\" claims are not supported. A clean peer-reviewed lead/arsenic/cadmium quantification across brands does not exist in the literature — that risk is documented by consumer-testing bodies (e.g. ConsumerLab, California Prop 65), cited as such, not as journal evidence.",
  "headline": {
    "productsCompared": 10,
    "sourceOrTestDisclosed": 5,
    "vagueTransparency": 5,
    "cheapestTransparentBrand": "Zazzee",
    "cheapestTransparentCostPerServing": 0.13,
    "note": "Of the products compared, 5 disclose no specific cultivation source and only a vague \"third-party tested\" claim. The active organism is the same cultivated Arthrospira in all — the difference that matters is source + contaminant-testing transparency."
  },
  "columns": [
    "brand",
    "product",
    "slug",
    "form",
    "source",
    "servings",
    "price",
    "costPerServing",
    "verdict",
    "testing"
  ],
  "units": {
    "price": "USD",
    "costPerServing": "USD/day"
  },
  "citations": [
    {
      "claim": "Cultivated spirulina was free of microcystin; wild AFA \"blue-green algae\" tested positive (up to ~5.2 ug MC-LR eq/g).",
      "source": "Vichi S, et al. 2012, Food Chem Toxicol",
      "pmid": "23036452"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Of algal supplements tested, only AFA products were positive for microcystins; spirulina and chlorella were negative.",
      "source": "Heussner AH, et al. 2012, Toxicol Appl Pharmacol",
      "pmid": "23064102"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Spirulina lowered LDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides (SMD ~-0.6) and modestly raised HDL.",
      "source": "Rahnama I, et al. 2023, Pharmacol Res (20 studies, 1,076 participants)",
      "pmid": "37263369"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Spirulina lowered systolic BP ~4.4 mmHg and diastolic ~2.8 mmHg (GRADE-assessed).",
      "source": "Shiri H, et al. 2025, Phytother Res",
      "pmid": "39529406"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Spirulina lowered fasting glucose ~17.9 mg/dL in type 2 diabetes; no significant HbA1c effect.",
      "source": "Hatami E, et al. 2021, J Diabetes Metab Disord",
      "pmid": "34178867"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Reported cases link spirulina to autoimmune onset/flare (dermatomyositis, pemphigus) via immune stimulation.",
      "source": "de Carvalho JF, et al. 2025, Adv Rheumatol; Bax CE, et al. 2023, iScience",
      "pmid": "40087772"
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "brand": "Zazzee",
      "product": "USDA Organic Spirulina Powder (1 kg)",
      "slug": "zazzee-spirulina",
      "form": "powder",
      "source": "Made in USA (grow site unstated)",
      "servings": 303,
      "price": 39.97,
      "costPerServing": 0.13,
      "verdict": "source-and-tested",
      "testing": "3rd-party tested: microcystin + heavy metals + BMAA + nitrates + pesticides"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Triquetra Health",
      "product": "Triquetra Organic Spirulina Powder, made with Parry (8 oz)",
      "slug": "triquetra-spirulina",
      "form": "powder",
      "source": "Parry Organic, India (controlled cultivation)",
      "servings": 75,
      "price": 26.95,
      "costPerServing": 0.36,
      "verdict": "source-and-tested",
      "testing": "USP-verified ingredient; Prop 65 approved; lab docs on request"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Nutrex Hawaii",
      "product": "Pure Hawaiian Spirulina Powder (5 oz)",
      "slug": "nutrex-hawaii-powder",
      "form": "powder",
      "source": "Kona, Hawaii USA (controlled ponds)",
      "servings": 47,
      "price": 16.99,
      "costPerServing": 0.36,
      "verdict": "source-disclosed",
      "testing": "GMP; Hawaiian-grown; cited passing heavy-metal screens"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Nutrex Hawaii",
      "product": "Pure Hawaiian Spirulina 500 mg Tablets (400 ct)",
      "slug": "nutrex-hawaii-tabs",
      "form": "tablet",
      "source": "Kona, Hawaii USA (controlled ponds)",
      "servings": 66,
      "price": 30.99,
      "costPerServing": 0.47,
      "verdict": "source-disclosed",
      "testing": "GMP; Hawaiian-grown"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Zhou Nutrition",
      "product": "Zhou Spirulina Tablets (180 ct)",
      "slug": "zhou-spirulina",
      "form": "tablet",
      "source": "California, USA",
      "servings": 30,
      "price": 25.69,
      "costPerServing": 0.86,
      "verdict": "source-disclosed",
      "testing": "Third-party tested; non-irradiated"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Micro Ingredients",
      "product": "Organic Spirulina Powder (1 lb)",
      "slug": "micro-ingredients-spirulina",
      "form": "powder",
      "source": "Not stated / vague",
      "servings": 151,
      "price": 21.95,
      "costPerServing": 0.15,
      "verdict": "vague-generic",
      "testing": "cGMP; 'third-party lab tested' (no public COA / named lab)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "NOW Certified Organic Spirulina Powder (1 lb)",
      "slug": "now-org-spirulina-powder",
      "form": "powder",
      "source": "Not stated (USDA organic)",
      "servings": 180,
      "price": 30.25,
      "costPerServing": 0.17,
      "verdict": "vague-generic",
      "testing": "Non-GMO, GMP; internal ID testing"
    },
    {
      "brand": "KOS",
      "product": "Organic Spirulina Powder (13.5 oz)",
      "slug": "kos-spirulina",
      "form": "powder",
      "source": "Not stated on Amazon (brand site claims Hawaiian)",
      "servings": 109,
      "price": 20.39,
      "costPerServing": 0.19,
      "verdict": "vague-generic",
      "testing": "'Lab tested by a verified third party' (no named lab)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "BulkSupplements",
      "product": "Organic Spirulina Powder (250 g)",
      "slug": "bulksupplements-spirulina",
      "form": "powder",
      "source": "Not stated (sourced globally)",
      "servings": 83,
      "price": 20.97,
      "costPerServing": 0.25,
      "verdict": "vague-generic",
      "testing": "Third-party tested; COA on request"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "NOW Certified Organic Spirulina 1000 mg Tablets (120 ct)",
      "slug": "now-org-spirulina-1000-tabs",
      "form": "tablet",
      "source": "Not stated (USDA organic)",
      "servings": 40,
      "price": 13.46,
      "costPerServing": 0.34,
      "verdict": "vague-generic",
      "testing": "Non-GMO, GMP"
    }
  ]
}