Tetraselmis chuii for Health & Longevity - Quick Reference Sheet

Tetraselmis chuii for Health & Longevity

Created on 08/25/2026 – Quick Reference based on Evidence Review created using AI4L / Opus 5 Audit

A farmed marine alga taken as a small daily dose of dried cells, rich in the enzymes tissue uses to neutralise oxygen damage. Small manufacturer-linked studies point to less muscle damage, better aerobic fitness and improved sperm quality. Safety looks quiet. A rise in a growth signal and a drop in platelet numbers cut against a longevity reading. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standard dose
25 mg daily
Freeze-dried whole biomass; the dose used in every exercise trial, and the dose that outperformed 200 mg in the only comparison
Competing approaches
25 mg continuous, or 250 mg for 3 months
Sports-nutrition practice uses 25 mg continuously; reproductive medicine uses 250 mg for one full three-month sperm cycle, then reassesses
Time of day
Once daily, with a meal
No timing study exists. Because the effect runs through gene expression rather than an acute action, timing is unlikely to matter
Time to effect
Performance measures
14–30 days
Muscle damage, recovery and peak oxygen uptake
Gene expression and blood markers
14 days
Antioxidant gene expression measured in resting muscle
Semen parameters
3 months
Matches the length of one full sperm production cycle

Benefits

Contraindications
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • Anyone under 18
  • Platelet count below 100 × 10⁹/L, or a diagnosed bleeding disorder (haemophilia, von Willebrand disease)
  • Scheduled surgery or dental extraction within 14 days
  • Active cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and the four weeks following a course
  • Known allergy to marine algae, or to the excipients used in a given capsule
Key Interactions
  • Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, apixaban)
  • Vitamin K antagonists (warfarin, acenocoumarol)
  • Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin)
  • Other antioxidant supplements (high-dose vitamin C, vitamin E, N-acetylcysteine, alpha-lipoic acid)
  • Omega-3 supplements (fish oil, algal oil, krill oil)
  • Other interventions (sauna, cold exposure, high-intensity interval training)

Risk & Side Effects

  • Medium: Heavy metal and metalloid accumulation in algal biomass
  • Low: Fall in platelet count and mean platelet volume; rise in circulating insulin-like growth factor 1
  • Speculative: Blunting of training adaptations; pro-inflammatory gene activation in liver cells; unexplained shifts in white blood cell counts

Monitoring

Marker Target Why
Platelet count 175–250 × 10⁹/L Tracks the one consistent blood change seen with this ingredient
Insulin-like growth factor 1 100–160 ng/mL for adults over 40 Rose at both tested doses; longevity-oriented users prefer mid-range values
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein Below 0.5 mg/L Background inflammation, the outcome the ingredient is marketed to improve
Gamma-glutamyl transferase 10–20 U/L (men), 8–15 U/L (women) Inexpensive proxy for glutathione turnover and oxidative load
Total and free testosterone Total 600–900 ng/dL; free 15–25 ng/dL (men) Reported to rise at 25 mg/day and central to the fertility findings
Sperm DNA fragmentation Below 15% of sperm affected The clinical endpoint with a randomised outcome trial behind it
Haemoglobin and haematocrit Haemoglobin 14–15 g/dL (men), 13.5–14.5 g/dL (women); haematocrit 42–46% (men), 38–42% (women) Trials reported movement in red-cell indices in both directions
Peak oxygen uptake No established target; track change from the individual's own baseline The performance outcome reported in two trials

Cadence: Baseline draw, then the blood panel at eight to twelve weeks, then every six to twelve months during continued use. Semen parameters need three months; aerobic testing is repeated at twelve weeks.

Qualitative Assessment

  • Day-after and second-day muscle soreness following a hard training session, the outcome with the most consistent trial support
  • Perceived recovery and readiness to train on consecutive days
  • Frequency of upper respiratory infections during heavy training blocks, matching the salivary immune finding
  • Easy bruising, gum bleeding or unusually long bleeding from small cuts, the practical counterpart to the platelet finding
  • Energy levels and perceived exertion at a fixed submaximal workload