Disclaimer - I have no medical training and can only speak to own situation.
I forget which episode of stronger by science it was, but they mentioned there is good evidence to support Spirulina as an antihistamine (none of the other claims have any evidence).
Tried it over spring / summer with good results. Apparently a different mechanism to other antihistamines so can be used in conjunction with them if you’re a big sufferer.
Be aware though that Spirulina can be grown almost anywhere, so if you do use it, get it from a reputable source so that it doesn’t contain heavy metals etc.
Interesting, a lot of the ‘weight loss’ supplements in Canada have berberine as the active ingredient have a bottle of a product called Mimic marketed as a Glucose disposal agent which contained Berberine Magnum Nutraceuticals | Award Winning Sports Nutrition Supplements – Magnum Worldwide that I got for free (buy protein from a supplement store), have taken it on occasion over the past 18 months (still have some), wasn’t aware it could interfere with training adaptation, they suggest it boosts recovery lol.
I guess if I want a boost to shed some weight in the future (I feel I generally run 4-6 pounds above my ideal) an ECA stack would be the way to go.
Oh! I didn’t know you could still purchase ephedrine-hcl in Canada! Well my experience is that ECA (or just EC) stack is way more effective than Berberine, yes. But, of course, all the usual ephedrine caveats apply.
One other thing you might consider is phloridzin. You can get it as herbal supplements…for example, Applewise. It’s an SGLT2 inhibitor. So, taken at an appropriate dose it’d be ~not drinking a can of coke every day. And it’s gonna be a lot less harsh than a round of ECA stack.
Would be ironic if it inhibits performance adaptations, though, since it has been eaten and promoted by health and fitness gurus for years. I’ve been through many a phase myself.
From what I remember, antihistamines work not by stopping histamine production but by preventing the histamine from binding to the nerve receptors that results in the allergic response.
Spirulina apparently inhibits the production of histamine itself, which is why it can work in conjunction with antihistamines.
So I guess it depends on which part of the antihistamines process is inhibiting performance as to whether the same applies to Spirulina.
Also, I can say my performance is negatively impacted by hay fever
The first article is presented in a sloppy way, but that doesn’t change that it is a blinded RCT in 150 people. the effect on subjective nasal congestion scores is present after a few weeks and more pronounced over time. Participants report on a 4-point score.
Do we believe the effect would be substantial? For a simple supplement.
