What is it used for?
All products
Source of antioxidants/Provides antioxidants [Source note 2].
Source of antioxidants/Provides antioxidants that help fight/protect (cell) against/reduce (the oxidative effect of/the oxidative damage caused by/cell damage caused by) free radicals [Source note 3].
Uses based on constituent potency, provided at or above the minimum doses indicated in the dose section below.
Constituents: Beta-carotene, Biotin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K1, Zinc
Source of vitamin(s)/mineral(s)/vitamin(s) and mineral(s), a factor/factors in the maintenance of good health.
Ingredient-specific uses or purposes as per the source authority Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements reference (except uses or purposes associated with pregnancy).
Constituent: Lutein
Ingredient-specific uses or purposes as per the source authority Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements reference.
Constituent: Algal protein
Source of protein for the maintenance of good health [Source note 4].
Source of protein which helps build and repair body tissues [Source note 5].
Source of amino acids involved in muscle protein synthesis [Source note 6].
Constituents: L-Histidine, L-Isoleucine, L-Leucine, L-Lysine, L-Methionine, L-Phenylalanine, L-Threonine, L-Valine, L-Tryptophan
Source of (an) essential amino acid(s) for the maintenance of good health [Source note 7].
Source of (an) (essential) amino acid(s) involved in muscle protein synthesis [Source note 8].
Constituents: L-Alanine, L-Arginine, L-Aspartic acid, L-Cysteine, L-Glutamic acid, Glycine, L-Proline, L-Serine, L-Tyrosine
Source of (an) (non-essential) amino acid(s) involved in muscle protein synthesis [Source note 9].
Note: The above uses can be combined on the product label (e.g., Source of amino acids involved in muscle protein synthesis and protein for the maintenance of good health).
What this guide covers
The solidus (/) indicates that the terms and/or statements are synonymous. Either term or statement may be selected by the applicant on the label.
Who does this guide cover?
Adults 18 years and older
How is it taken?
Oral
Which forms are covered?
this reference excludes foods or food-like dosage forms as indicated in the Compendium of references Guidance Document.
Quantities
Methods of preparation: Dry, Powdered, Non-Standardized Extracts (Dry extract, Tincture, Fluid extract, Decoction, Decoction concentrate, Infusion, Infusion concentrate)
Not to exceed 6 grams of Chlorella broken cell per day [Source note 10].
Methods of preparation: Dry standardized, Powdered standardized, Standardized extracts (Dry extract, Tincture, Fluid extract, Decoction, Decoction concentrate, Infusion, Infusion concentrate)
Not to exceed 6 grams of Chlorella broken cell per day [Source note 11].
AND
Constituents: Beta-carotene, Biotin, Folate, Iron, Lutein, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K1 and/or, Zinc
As per the source authority Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements reference.
Constituents: Algal protein, L-Histidine, L-Isoleucine, L-Leucine, L-Lysine, L-Methionine, L-Phenylalanine, L-Threonine, L-Valine, L-Tryptophan, L-Alanine, L-Arginine, L-Aspartic acid, L-Cysteine, L-Glutamic acid, Glycine, L-Proline, L-Serine and/or L-Tyrosine
As per the source authority Workout supplements reference. Note: For algal protein constituent, refer to Table 2. Doses and methods of preparation for Group 1 (Proteins).
For a use or purpose based on a particular constituent (e.g., beta-carotene, iron, protein), the name and the amount of the constituent must be provided in the potency section of the product documentation form.
The minimum and maximum daily doses of the constituent must be within the range of the doses listed on the source authority Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements reference or the source authority Workout supplements reference.
If ingredients such as vitamins and minerals are added to the product, they should be listed as separate active ingredients on the product documentation form and label. In this case, it would be considered a Class II or III application.
How is it used?
Products providing 250 mg or more of chlorella per day
Take a few hours before or after taking other medications or health products [Source note 12].
Constituents: Folate, Iron , Zinc
As per the source authority Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements reference.
How long is it used?
The reference does not require an additional label statement in this section. This does not establish an absence of risk.
Warnings and precautions
All products
Ask a healthcare professional before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Products providing 250 mg or more of chlorella per day or 6 µg or more vitamin K per day
Ask a healthcare professional before use if you are taking blood thinners (Ohkawa et al. 1995; source authority Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements reference).
Products containing chlorella enriched with selenium and providing more than 70 µg of selenium per day
Ask a healthcare professional before use if you have a history of non-melanoma skin cancer (Doucha et al. 2009; source authority Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements reference).
When should it be avoided?
The reference does not require an additional label statement in this section. This does not establish an absence of risk.
Possible side effects
Stop use if hypersensitivity/allergy occurs [Source note 13].
Storage
Must be established in accordance with the requirements described in the applicable product regulations.
Preparation details
Ingredient identity, preparation requirements, and other details that define the scope of this guide.
Ingredients and preparations
| Proper name(s) | Common name(s) | Source information / Source material(s) | Source information / Part(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorella vulgaris | Chlorella | Chlorella vulgaris | Broken cell |
References: Proper name: Guiry and Guiry 2024; Common name: Lee et al. 2010; Tiberg et al. 1995; Source information: Becker 2007.
Other ingredients
Must be chosen from the current source ingredient database and must meet the limitations outlined in the database.
Preparation and quality requirements
The finished product specifications must be established in accordance with the requirements described in the source authority source’s product quality guidance.
The raw material tolerance limit for microcystins is 1 ppm. Note that source authority has published an article comparing various methods available to determine microcystin concentration levels [Source note 14].
The active ingredient must comply with the requirements outlined in the source ingredient database.
Guide change history
Updates to this SupplementSafety.org guide.
Minor updates
Updated guide wording, organization, and source presentation. Added our editorial change history.
Initial release
Initial SupplementSafety.org guide prepared from source reference material.
Validation: Not yet completed. Editorial updates do not constitute clinical validation.
Sources
Source information
This guide organizes source material about uses, preparations, amounts, and precautions. Read the conditions alongside each statement; the information may apply only to particular preparations or populations.
The source document includes supporting references. We have not independently summarized or assessed every cited study for this guide.
- Source document version
- June 27, 2025
- Source captured
- Aug 15, 2026
- Editorial work
- Editorial preparation. Independent clinical review has not been recorded for this guide.
Full citations are available through the link above. Verification is required to open them; reading this guide does not require verification.
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Explore our supplement–medication interaction checker. Its coverage and review status are shown with the results; a missing finding does not establish that a combination is safe.