Spirulina-fortified salad dressing on body composition and anthropometric indices in hypertensive patients: A tipple-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial

Background: Numerous studies have demonstrated that improving anthropometric indices through a healthy diet and exercise can aid individuals with high blood pressure. Additionally, research suggests that consuming Spirulina, a type of microalga, could positively impact body composition and anthropometric indices. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of spirulina-fortified salad dressing on anthropometric indices and body composition in patients with hypertension. Methods: 48 (19 men and 22 women) patients with hypertension randomly received either spirulina-fortified salad dressing containing 2 gr spirulina (SSD, n = 22) or a placebo salad dressing (PSD, n = 19) daily for eight weeks. This study was registered at https://www.irct.ir/ (the Iranian registry of clinical trials identifier: IRCT20200404046940N1). Results: There was a change in body composition and anthropometric indices from baseline to 8 weeks. We observed that the mean change±SD of waist circumference after the SSD intervention (-2.86±4.02 cm) was significantly different from that of the PSD intervention (0.38±9.47 cm). Although no between-group difference was observed, a statistically significant reduction in body fat-free mass (FFM) occurred in the PSD group after the intervention. Meanwhile, within-group mean change±SD of body fat-free mass (FFM, 1.04±5.39 kg) and body fat mass (FM, -0.73±1.83 kg) was significant only in the SSD group. However, no significance between-group difference was observed in terms of FFM and FM changes. Conclusion: The present study’s findings suggest that consuming spirulina-fortified dressing can improve the status of risk factors associated with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.