A study carried out by C2VN's CriBioM platform for Microphyt, a company specializing in natural solutions derived from microalgae for nutrition and well-being.
The wealth of bioactives in microalgae for the benefit of health
Did you say microalgae?
Microalgae are single-celled organisms that live in a wide variety of habitats. Present on Earth for 3 billion years, they have adapted to all biotopes. They can be found in freshwater, the sea, brackish waters and even on land, where they are surprisingly well adapted. They also thrive in extreme pH and temperature environments. Several tens of thousands of species have been identified to date, but this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Whether to regulate osmosis, capture light energy or manage oxygen, microalgae have adapted by producing specific biocompounds. As a result, these microscopic organisms have naturally high levels of various active ingredients such as omega-3s, vitamins, antioxidants, proteins, etc. The great biodiversity of microalgae and their bioactive compounds offer highly sought-after solutions in terms of nutrition and well-being.
Porphyridium cruentum
Among the wide variety of microalgae, Porphyridium cruentum, a unicellular species of the red alga family that appeared over 625 million years ago, has demonstrated an astonishing resilience to its environment over the years, enabling it to survive
extreme climatic conditions such as high sun exposure, temperature variations and intense hydric and osmotic stress. To achieve this, Porphyridium cruentum has developed several strategies to protect itself, synthesizing compounds capable of providing strong protection in the face of these environmental stresses:
firstly, thanks to its wall composed of exopolysaccharides (polymers of xylose, glucose, galactose and glucuronic acid), surrounding it with a cocoon that protects it from dehydration and maintains cell rigidity, facilitating its development in different environments.
Finally, it also synthesizes polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, arachidonic, palmitic and linoleic acids), carotenoids, minerals and vitamins E and K. This
microalgae
is
a
veritable
health food
. This microalgae is thus a genuine source of bioactive compounds with multiple properties of interest in nutraceuticals and cosmetics.
Study of the efficacy of Pophyridum crumentum extract
This microalgae's wealth of molecules may be of interest in the field of sports nutrition. The combination of these different active ingredients could not only enhance endurance capacities, but also maximize muscle recovery after exercise by improving "fuel" storage and muscle repair, via modulation of the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Two pre-clinical in vivo studies have been carried out by the CriBioM platform at C2VN (Aix-Marseille University), to assess the efficacy of a Porphyridium cruentum microalgae extract developed by Microphyt.
In the first study, concerning muscular endurance, different groups of mice were subjected to increasing doses of microalgae extracts incorporated directly into the diet. After 6 weeks on the supplemented diet, the mice trained for one hour 3 times a week, and were then challenged to an endurance run on an adapted treadmill.
In a second study, focusing on muscle recovery after exercise, the mice were also fed different doses of microalgae extract incorporated into their diet. After 4 weeks of untrained dietary supplementation, they were forced to run downhill on a treadmill for 120 minutes, in order to induce microtears in the muscle fibers
. In both studies, parameters associated with muscle damage, inflammation and muscle gene expression were assessed either 24 hours or 48 hours after exercise.
Encouraging results
In the performance study, the different groups of animals showed comparable levels of daily physical activity in terms of training distance and food consumption.
With regard to the parameters measured, a slight reduction in certain inflammation factors was observed, suggesting the rapid activity of microalgae extract intake. In addition, gene expression of inflammation factors within the muscle was significantly induced at 24 hours for the high-dose extract group, suggesting better mobilization of tissue repair factors.
For the muscle recovery study, the animals showed comparable values for weight gain and distance achieved during the downhill running protocol.
The results provide evidence of the efficacy of a Porphyridium cruentum microalgae extract in regulating physiological responses optimizing muscle recovery after intense exercise. For example, the inflammatory response appears to be accelerated in groups supplemented (dose-response effect) with microalgae extract, as evidenced by significantly lower values of certain cytokines in the blood compared with the control group. At muscle level, the data suggest an improvement in the activity of macrophages and myoblasts, the cells involved in muscle repair following traumatic exercise.
Building on these positive results, further studies are underway between C2VN's CriBioM platform and Microphyt.
The fascinating world of microalgae has certainly not finished surprising and inspiring us.