Dunaliella salina is a micro-algae found in salt marshes, giving them their attractive pink-orange colour.
It is also one of the few organisms that can survive in such salty conditions!
Origin
It was during the Roman Empire that the historian and writer Pliny first mentioned Dunaliella Salina in his texts.
He then described a salt flower "Flo Salis" with a rusty colour, a colour he attributed to seaweed.
Dunaliella Salina was then studied by the French botanist Michel Felix Dunal in 1838, who named it Haematococcus salinus, putting an end to the belief that the pink/orange colour of the salt pans was caused by shrimp.
It wasn't until 1905 that it was studied and named by the Romanian Theodoresco, who published a paper describing this unusual alga.
Since then, Dunaliella has been the subject of much research to understand its high salt tolerance.
We have gradually come to understand that the alga is loaded with pigments that help protect it from the strong light exposure it suffers in the very shallow waters of salt marshes.
These pigments allow it to protect itself from photo-oxidation caused by UV radiation.
Nutritional benefits
It is therefore the red pigments, which Dunaliella Salina contains in large quantities to protect itself from the sun's rays, that give it its atypical colour for an alga, as well as its many properties.
Dunaliella Salina contains no less than 4 pigments known for their antioxidant activity: beta-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin.
This combination of carotenoids acts synergistically at different levels of the body (vision, skin, cells).
Dunaliella salina is also a very good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6.
Benefits and virtues
Like the carotenoids it contains in large quantities, Dunaliella Salina is an extremely antioxidant algae.
Dunaliella Salina would contribute to this:
Preparing the skin for the sun
Precursors of vitamin A, carotenoids, in particular beta-carotene and lutein, are pigments that activate melanogenesis (the production of melanin by the skin).
They prepare the skin for exposure to the sun by helping the epidermis to increase its resistance to ultraviolet rays.
Beta-carotene is also responsible for inhibiting the production of free radicals from UV rays.
Fight against premature ageing
This synergy of 4 carotenoids, already known individually for their antioxidant action, is increased tenfold!
In fact, Dunialellia Salina is 10 times more antioxidant than beta-carotene alone.
This precious algae is therefore a very effective way of combating the harmful effects of free radicals and limiting the premature ageing of cells.
Prevention of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers
Carotenoids have been the subject of several studies, including one in 2011 that linked low levels of carotenoids in the blood to increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Supplementation is then recommended to restore protective carotenoid stores.
Preventing senile dementia
A large study conducted at Harvard University in 2007 on 6,000 people highlighted the effectiveness of beta-carotene in preventing senile dementia.
This was largely due to the antioxidant effect of provitamin A.
With its richness in different carotenoids, Dunialellia Salina would be a supplement of choice for the prevention of age-related dementia.
How to dose
Dunialellia Salina is usually available in capsule or tablet form, with doses ranging from 40 to 70 mg per active ingredient.
The recommended dose is 1 to 2 capsules a day, taken with a meal.
As excess beta-carotene is excreted through the urine, there is no risk of overdose.
Side effects and contraindications
In the absence of data, pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children should avoid starting treatment with Dunaliella salina.
A study (ATBC) also showed that high-dose (20 mg/day) beta-carotene supplementation in chronic heavy smokers (more than 20 cigarettes per day) significantly increased the risk of lung cancer.
In non-smokers, however, it is associated with a reduced risk of cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, pharynx and lung.
Heavy smokers should therefore avoid taking beta-carotene supplements.
It should also be noted that a very high intake of carotenoids can cause an orange tint to the skin, which is most noticeable around the nasal folds, the mouth, the soles of the feet and between the fingers and toes.
This carotenoid is completely safe.