| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Composition A single double-blind RCT in 46 healthy young men found both 25 and 200 mg/day for 60 days increased muscle mass and decreased fat mass, with concurrent increases in free testosterone, IGF-1, and erythropoietin. Awaits replication. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 3 studies | 46 people | ||
Studies that measured body composition
| ||||||
Supplement
Tetraselmis chuii is a marine microalga, a tiny single-celled plant of the sea, that makes antioxidant compounds and is sold as a whole-food supplement. People mostly look at it for exercise recovery, and three small trials found less muscle damage after hard exercise, less drop in jump power, and better perceived recovery. Still, the evidence is limited: those trials were short and had only 19 to 32 people each.
Sources: PMID 32635494; PMID 33887828
- Updated
- How we grade
- 9 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 4
- Outcomes
- 7
- Graded outcomes
- 0043
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant Enzyme Activity A randomized crossover trial demonstrated upregulated NRF2, GPX7, GSR, GSTM3, and PRDX6 gene expression in human skeletal muscle biopsies — the first in vivo confirmation in humans. In vitro studies in human myoblasts showed SOD activity increased 34-37%, GPx 72-83%, and CAT 37-42%. Supported by animal data showing enhanced liver GPx and GSH. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 5 studies | 46 people | ||
Studies that measured antioxidant enzyme activity
| ||||||
General
- Immune Function: improves
- Inflammation: improves
- Sperm Quality: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immune Function In a placebo-controlled RCT (n=19), 25 mg/day preserved salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels post-exercise while placebo showed significant decline. A separate RCT (n=46) found significant increases in leukocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes after 60 days of supplementation at both 25 and 200 mg/day. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 4 studies | 65 people | ||
Studies that measured immune function
| ||||||
| Inflammation In rat models of metabolic syndrome, Tetraselmis chuii significantly reduced TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IFN-gamma, and NF-kB expression while increasing anti-inflammatory IL-10 and reducing oxidized LDL. A separate rat study confirmed dose-dependent reductions in serum and muscle TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. Human anti-inflammatory data is limited to exercise recovery contexts. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 5 studies | |||
Studies that measured inflammation
| ||||||
| Sperm Quality A pilot trial in 40 idiopathic infertile men found 250 mg/day for 90 days increased sperm concentration by 86%, total sperm count by 138%, and progressive motility by 26%, with reduced DNA double-strand breaks. However, this trial lacked a placebo arm and compared two doses only. A placebo-controlled RCT has been presented at conference but not yet fully published. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 2 studies | 40 people | ||
Aerobic Exercise Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Performance: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Performance A double-blind trial in 32 amateur soccer players found 200 mg/day for 30 days increased VO2max and oxygen pulse with decreased heart rate. A separate randomized crossover RCT confirmed increased VO2peak at 25 mg/day for 14 days in healthy adults. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 3 studies | 50 people | ||
Studies that measured aerobic exercise performance
| ||||||
Body Composition
- Body Composition: improves
Key findings
- Exercise RecoveryImproves (the measure goes up)
- Antioxidant Enzyme ActivityImproves (the measure goes up)
- Immune FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)
Shop Tetraselmis Chuii
Third-party tested Tetraselmis Chuii products. The evidence above is limited, so read it before you buy.
- Grade C
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Studies cited
9 studies from PubMed
- The Potential of Superoxide Dismutase-Rich Tetraselmis chuii as a Promoter of Cellular Health
- Neuroprotective Potential and Bioactive Compound Characterization of Tetraselmis chuii
- Effects of Tetraselmis chuii Microalgae Supplementation on Anthropometric, Hormonal and Hematological Parameters in Healthy Young Men: A Double-Blind Study
- TetraSOD, a Unique Marine Microalgae Ingredient, Promotes an Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Status in a Metabolic Syndrome-Induced Model in Rats
- Marine phytoplankton improves recovery and sustains immune function in humans and lowers proinflammatory immunoregulatory cytokines in a rat model
- Marine Phytoplankton Improves Exercise Recovery in Humans and Activates Repair Mechanisms in Rats
- Phytoplankton Supplementation Lowers Muscle Damage and Sustains Performance across Repeated Exercise Bouts in Humans and Improves Antioxidant Capacity in a Mechanistic Animal
- Effects of Tetraselmis chuii Microalgae Supplementation on Ergospirometric, Haematological and Biochemical Parameters in Amateur Soccer Players
- Safety assessment of a lyophilized biomass of Tetraselmis chuii (TetraSOD) in a 90 day feeding study