Blue-green algae
<p ><i><b>Aphanizomenon flos-aquae</b></i> is a freshwater species of cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are an ancient clade of bacterial <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microphyte" title="Microphyte" >microphytes</a>, part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria" title="Cyanobacteria" >cyanobacteria</a> phylum.</p>
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<i>Aphanizomenon flos-aquae</i> as a species has both toxic and nontoxic forms.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphanizomenon_flos-aquae#cite_note-0" >[1]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphanizomenon_flos-aquae#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup> Most sources worldwide are toxic, containing both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatotoxin" title="Hepatotoxin" >hepatic</a> and neuro<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endotoxins" title="Endotoxins" class="mw-redirect" >endotoxins</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphanizomenon_flos-aquae#cite_note-2" >[3]</a></sup></p>
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<b>Research</b></p>
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Recently, many scientifically-controlled studies have analyzed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immune_system" title="Immune system" >immune system</a>-enhancing properties of <i>A. flos-aquae</i>.</p>
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A recent double-blind, cross-over study at the Royal Victoria Hospital led by Dr. Gitte Jensen, discovered cyanobacteria uniquely support<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify" title="Wikipedia:Please clarify" >clarification needed</a></i>]</sup> the healthy function of the immune system.<sup class="Template-Fact" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p>
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The following are brief summaries of other scientific studies:</p>
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<li >University of New Mexico - placebo controlled study. After eating AFA food supplement for a period of one month, intestinal function can improve. Another placebo-controlled study suggests that </li>
<li >eating Aphanizomenon flos-aquae can stimulate specific areas of the brain for increased mental alertness.</li>
<li ></li>
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<p >Recently<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style_(dates_and_numbers)#Chronological_items" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)" class="mw-redirect" >when?</a></i>]</sup> the first stage of an extensive research project carried out at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Canada,<sup class="Template-Fact" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a></i>]</sup> studying the effect of <i>A. flos-aquae</i> on the immune and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_system" title="Endocrine system" >endocrine systems</a>, as well as on general blood physiology, found that eating it had a profound effect on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_killer_cell" title="Natural killer cell" >natural killer cells</a> (NKCs).<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphanizomenon_flos-aquae#cite_note-4" >[5]</a></sup> <i>A. flos-aquae</i> triggers the movement of 40% of the circulating NKCs from the blood to tissues.
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