Chlorella

Overview

Chlorella is a microalgae providing bioavailable, true vitamin B12 (cobalamin) confirmed in animal feeding trials, plus antioxidants and amino acids. Chlorella contains bioavailable, true vitamin B12 (cobalamin), confirmed in animal feeding trials, and may help close vegan nutrient gaps.

Recipes

no recipes found

Substances

2 substances in this food

Iron

Oxygen transport; dopamine synthesis (tyrosine hydroxylase cofactor)

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Methylation; myelin; mitochondrial odd-chain FA metabolism

Preparation Notes

• Available as powder, tablets, or capsules
• Important for vegan B12 intake
• Choose quality sources with confirmed B12 content
• Part of functional food strategy

Biological Target Matrix

Biological Target	Substance	Contribution Level	Therapeutic Areas	Mechanism of Action
Methylation & One-Carbon Metabolism	Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease	Essential cofactor in remethylation of homocysteine to methionine, which is converted to S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe); works with B6, B2, and folate; contributes meaningfully to homocysteine reduction, especially in combination with omega-3 fatty acids
Mitochondrial Function & Bioenergetics	Iron	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Critical for oxygen delivery to the brain via hemoglobin; supports mitochondrial function and energy production
Mitochondrial Function & Bioenergetics	Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Crucial role in conversion of methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA, a key step in mitochondrial energy production; deficiency leads to buildup of methylmalonic acid and odd-chain fatty acids, which are neurotoxic
Neurotransmitter Regulation	Iron	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Essential cofactor for tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the conversion of tyrosine to dopamine; critical for catecholamine synthesis
Neurotransmitter Regulation	Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Supports neurotransmitter production through methylation; essential for myelin synthesis

References

• Chlorella contains bioavailable, true vitamin B12 (cobalamin), confirmed in animal feeding trials, and may help close vegan nutrient gaps Watanabe et al. 2002. By contrast, spirulina is dominated by pseudovitamin B12 analogues, which are inactive in humans and therefore unsuitable as a primary B12 source. Nonetheless, both algae provide antioxidant and amino acid support