Researchers unveil sustainable spirulina solution to vitamin B12 deficiency

Scientists have found a way to grow Spirulina that produces biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef, potentially overcoming one of the biggest nutritional limitations of this widely promoted algae.

The research, published in the scientific journal Discover Food, was led by Dr. Asaf Tzachor, Founder and Academic Director of the Aviram Sustainability and Climate Program at Reichman University, together with researchers from Iceland, Denmark and Austria. Using advanced biotechnology and carefully controlled light conditions, the team produced carbon-neutral, nutrient-rich Spirulina biomass containing active vitamin B12. According to the researchers, this is the first time biologically active vitamin B12 has been reported in Spirulina.

A Global Vitamin B12 Problem

Vitamin B12 is an essential micronutrient involved in several critical processes in the body, including red blood cell formation and normal nervous system function. More than a billion people worldwide are estimated to have low levels of the vitamin.

For many people, meat and dairy products are important dietary sources of B12. The recommended intake cited by the researchers is 2.4 µg/day. However, producing animal-based foods at the scale required to meet global demand also carries environmental costs, which has driven interest in more sustainable alternatives.

Spirulina blue green algae (Arthrospira platensis) has often been promoted as one such option because it is nutrient dense and can be cultivated with a relatively small environmental footprint. But there has been a major obstacle.

Traditional Spirulina contains much of its B12 in the form of pseudo-vitamin B12. Although chemically similar to the vitamin humans need, this form is not bioavailable to people, meaning the body cannot effectively use it. That limitation has prevented conventional Spirulina from serving as a reliable replacement for animal-sourced vitamin B12.

Using Light to Change Spirulina's Nutrition

To address that problem, researchers from Reichman University, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Ruppin Academic Center, Danish Technological Institute, and MATIS, Iceland, carried out an exploratory study of a biotechnology platform developed by VAXA Technologies in Iceland.

The team examined the system's engineering design, its inputs (such as energy), and the nutritional composition of the biomass it produced.

A central feature of the technology is photonic management (modified light conditions). By changing the light environment in which Spirulina grows, the researchers were able to encourage production of biologically active vitamin B12.

The cultivated Spirulina also contained other bioactive compounds associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties.

Most notably, the resulting carbon-neutral biomass contained 1.64 µg of active vitamin B12 per 100 grams, compared with 0.7-1.5 μg per 100 grams in beef.

Dr. Asaf Tzachor explains, "the findings demonstrate that photosynthetically controlled Spirulina can produce desirable levels of active vitamin B12, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional animal-source foods."

Could Spirulina Supply Vitamin B12 at Scale?

The researchers also explored what could happen if the system were expanded far beyond its current scale.

In one scenario, reallocating electricity currently used by heavy industry in Iceland could support production of 277,950 tonnes of Spirulina biomass each year. The researchers estimate that this amount would contain about 4555 grams of active vitamin B12 annually.

According to their calculations, that quantity could provide the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for more than 13.8 million children aged 1-3.

More ambitious production scenarios could potentially supply enough vitamin B12 to meet the RDA for more than 26.5 million children aged 1-3 and more than 50 million children aged 0-6 months.

These figures are projections based on possible scale-up scenarios rather than existing production levels, but they illustrate the nutritional potential the researchers see in the technology.

A More Sustainable Source of an Essential Vitamin

If the approach can be successfully expanded, photosynthetically controlled Spirulina could provide another route for addressing vitamin B12 deficiency while reducing some dependence on meat and dairy production.

The work also highlights how biotechnology can alter the nutritional properties of microorganisms and other rapidly growing food sources. Rather than simply cultivating conventional Spirulina, researchers are changing the conditions under which it grows to encourage production of specific compounds that are useful to humans.

The findings represent a step toward developing more sustainable sources of essential nutrients, although further research and larger-scale production will be needed to determine how the technology could fit into real-world food systems.

Reichman University and the Aviram Foundation established the Aviram Sustainability and Climate Program in response to growing environmental and public health challenges around the world. The program trains students from a range of disciplines to develop strategies for addressing resource scarcity, climate change, and extreme weather events, as well as food, water, and energy crises.

 

Journal Reference:

1. A. Tzachor, S. P. van den Oever, H. K. Mayer, M. Asfur, A. Smidt-Jensen, M. Geirsdóttir, S. Jensen, B. O. Smárason. Photonic management of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) in scalable photobioreactors to achieve biologically active unopposed vitamin B12. Discover Food, 2024; 4 (1) DOI: 10.1007/s44187-024-00152-1

Courtesy:

Reichman University. "Researchers unveil sustainable spirulina solution to vitamin B12 deficiency." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 August 2026. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260829035227.htm>. 

 

 

 

Widely prescribed blood pressure drugs linked to 33% higher kidney risk in type 2 diabetes

 

New findings presented at the 63rd ERA Congress suggest that a commonly prescribed group of blood pressure drugs may be linked to worse kidney outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), including patients already taking newer medications designed to protect kidney function.

The medications, known as dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers (DCCBs), lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels. They are often prescribed as second-line treatments for people with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). In the new study, patients who took DCCBs in addition to standard therapies experienced a significantly greater risk of major adverse kidney events than patients treated with other blood pressure medications.

Protecting the Kidneys in Type 2 Diabetes

DKD is among the most common causes of kidney failure worldwide. The condition develops as prolonged high blood sugar damages tiny blood vessels within the kidneys, gradually interfering with their ability to remove waste from the bloodstream. Keeping blood pressure under control is a key part of managing the disease because elevated blood pressure can speed up this damage.

Treatment for DKD has changed considerably in recent years with the introduction of two important classes of medication. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors lower blood pressure while also reducing pressure inside the kidney's filtering structures. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors were initially developed to treat diabetes, but they are now also recognized for their ability to protect kidney function and lower the risk of kidney failure. The two drug classes are now part of standard treatment for many people with DKD.

Study Tracks More Than 31,000 Patients

Researchers examined health data from 31,031 adults with T2D between 2016 and 2021. Every participant was receiving both RAS and SGLT2 inhibitors. Of the total group, 12,172 (39.2%) were also taking DCCBs, while 18,859 (60%) were being treated with other antihypertensive medications. The median follow-up period was approximately 3.5 years.

After accounting for differences in patients' initial clinical and demographic characteristics, the researchers found that DCCB use was associated with a 33% greater risk of a major adverse kidney event (R 1.33, 95%, CI 1.03-1.73).

Researchers classified these events as either a major loss of kidney filtration capacity, involving a decline of 40% or more in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), the standard measure of kidney function, or progression to end-stage kidney disease that required dialysis or transplantation.

"DCCBs are widely used as second-line blood pressure treatments in patients with DKD," said Dr. Timna Agur, lead author of the study. "Our findings raise important questions about whether these medications are always the best option for patients already receiving modern kidney-protective therapies."

Why DCCBs Could Affect Kidney Function

The researchers suggest that the association may be related to how DCCBs alter blood flow through the kidneys. In DKD, the kidneys are already dealing with elevated pressure and hyperfiltration, a condition in which their filtering structures are placed under excessive strain.

DCCBs may relax the blood vessels that carry blood into these filtering units more strongly than they affect the vessels carrying blood away. According to the researchers, this imbalance could increase pressure inside the filtering structures and potentially contribute to continued kidney damage.

"We initially thought the kidney-protective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors might counterbalance the potential harms associated with DCCBs," said Dr. Agur. "However, the increased risk of kidney disease progression appeared to persist even in this group."

More Research Is Needed

Because the study was observational, the researchers emphasize that it cannot show that DCCBs directly caused the poorer kidney outcomes. Still, they say the association deserves attention because these medications are so frequently prescribed to people with DKD.

"Further prospective studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these observations and better define the safest blood pressure treatment strategies for patients with DKD," concluded Dr. Agur. "However, given how commonly these medications are prescribed, any increase in kidney risk could have important implications for large numbers of patients with DKD."

Story Source:

Materials provided by European Renal Association (ERA). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

 

Courtesy:

European Renal Association (ERA). "Widely prescribed blood pressure drugs linked to 33% higher kidney risk in type 2 diabetes." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 August 2026. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260816044844.htm>.