Fucoidan seaweed refers to a group of highly bioactive compounds found in brown seaweeds. Fucoidan seaweed benefits are known for its potential to combat a variety of health issues including obesity, diabetes, and inflammation. Many experts now believe that fucoidan is one of the key nutrients responsible for the exceptionally long and healthy lives enjoyed by the residents of Okinawa, Japan.
Limited evidence supports many of the claims of its medicinal benefits, but some studies suggest it may have health perks. Fucoidan is a substance found in the cell walls of certain seaweed species that is used medicinally for a wide variety of health purposes. People might take fucoidan seaweed to help treat high blood pressure, infections or allergies. Some proponents claim that fucoidan seaweed can also help promote weight loss, as well as aid in skin care. Fucoidan seaweed may look like slimy spinach, but this dense brown sea vegetable is high in nutrients and packs a variety of health benefits.
Fucoidan Seaweed Benefits
1. Cancer Fighting Properties
Fucoidans protect against cancer by targeting cells that are involved in programmed cell death, which works by killing the cancer cells without triggering inflammation (2015).
2. Anti- Inflammatory
Fucoidan seaweed benefits can inhibit pro-inflammatory markers in the body. Researchers in Korea found that fucoidan may offer therapeutic potential for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases.
3. Help With Depression
In a study (questionnaire) of 1745 pregnant women in Japan, increased consumption of seaweed (which contains fucoidans) was associated with a decrease in depression during pregnancy.
4. Weight Loss
It has been seen that fucoidan seaweed benefits facilitates weight loss. You might be interested in taking fucoidan if you are serious about losing weight. A South Korean study was recently conducted to find out the fat-fighting properties of fucoidan. The research showed that fucoidan helps in the stimulation of lipolysis which means that it helps in the breakdown of lipids in the treated cells.
5. Boosts Immune System
Published research papers have shown that fucoidan seaweed benefits may help do this with its special immune modulating properties. Immune modulating substances can boost or ‘turn on’ the immune system when it is depressed (such as with chronic fatigue or a cold) and can also suppress the immune system when it is over-stimulated (such as with autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis).
6. Blood Thinners
As fucoidan shares the same sulphated polysaccharide structure as Heparin. Heparin is a highly sulphated polysaccharide, found in mammalian tissues, that has been used as an anticoagulant drug for more than 50 years. It has been used as a natural alternative for blood thinners (1998).
7. Fights Infections
Published research has indicated that one of the key fucoidan seaweed benefits benefits could be helping your body fight infections with its significant antiviral activity. It does this by limiting and preventing viruses by blocking entry to cells, therefore halting the progress of infections through the body.
Fucoidan has been shown to be a highly effective inhibitor against many different types of viruses including influenza, hepatitis B, and herpes simplex.
8. Helps with Digestion
Fucoidan is a complex carbohydrate and can improve digestive processes by absorbing water and pushing food along the digestive tract. Fucoidan seaweedalso has the unique ability to address both inflammation and infection, which are two known causes of stomach irritation and pain.
9. Improves Signs of Aging
New research has recently confirmed the marked effect of fucoidan on ageing-related processes. Recent studies have revealed that it activates a key enzyme that influences lifespan called sirtuin 6. Sirtuin 6 is one of seven sirtuin enzymes that impact a range of cellular processes in humans, such as ageing, telomere function and stress resistance.
10. Antioxidant Packed
Stress, life habits, environmental pollutants, and aging all serve to reduce our own supply of natural antioxidants and increase free radical production. We can improve our body’s natural supply of antioxidants with supplementation. Fucoidan seaweed benefits may improve that natural production of antioxidants. The results also show the presence of polyphenols in fucoidan, which are widely known to have antioxidative actions (such as those found in tea, herbs and red wine).
11. Fights Radiation
Some experts have suggested that fucoidan has radiation properties. It is said that fucoidan seaweed benefits can be of great help against the damaging effects from radiation exposure. A study was recently published in the 2004 journal of “Health Physics”. The study showed that the sodium alginate present in fucoidan helps to prevent the absorption of radioactive strontium from contaminated milk.
Fucoidan seaweed benefits, helps in cancer treatment, as well as in treatment of other disorders and weight loss. It also has some side effects and should not be used if you are allergic to soy. Fucoidan is not a replacement to proper medical therapy and it should only be used with prior consent of your physician.