What is the Science Behind Fucoidan?
More than 1,000 research studies have been recorded in the U.S. National Library of Medicine documenting the science behind fucoidan.
Fucoidan has been linked to many different health benefits, from helping the body recover from minor illnesses to protecting the body from major diseases.
What is Fucoidan?
Fucoidan is only known to exist in brown seaweed, brown algae, and a few forms of sea animal life (such as sea cucumbers and sea snails). After extraction from the source, the purified chemical properties of Fucoidan considered to be a complex sugar known as a sulfated polysaccharide. A more common name associated with this chain of molecules is dietary fiber.
Interestingly, dietary fibers are not fully digestible by our gastrointestinal tract, and this is how it benefits the body so well. This may seem like a contradiction – something you can’t digest being good for you – but it is not at all. Because of the way it triggers the immune system, and because it retains its chemical structure without being broken down and absorbed, Fucoidan is capable of boosting your body’s defenses and interacting with different molecules in remarkable ways.
While Fucoidan can benefit your health by functioning as an effective dietary aide and immune-system booster, studies have shown that it is also capable of helping the human body fight much more serious ailments like cancer, liver fibrosis, and even HIV.
Research-Driven Fucoidan Benefits
Fucoidan Inhibits and Destroys Cancer Cells
Fucoidan has been shown in multiple independent studies to have unique anti-cancer properties. In vivo research (research on living subjects) has indicated that Fucoidan has the ability to combat breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.
Tests have shown that Fucoidan is capable of:
*Inducing cancer cell apoptosis (cell death)
*Reducing the cancer’s ability to migrate across biological pathways
*Inhibiting the cancer’s capacity to invade new cells
*Decreasing tumor size, weight, and number of tumors
Many of these forms of cancer are able to hide from the body’s immune system by “hiding” the cancerous cells inside of seemingly-healthy cells. This effect makes it very difficult for the immune system to seek out and destroy the cancer; in some cases the body does not even know to make its own natural killer cells (NKC) to destroy the invading cancer.
Fucoidan stimulates and helps the immune system by inducing the secretion of NKC and by weakening cancer cell membranes, making it easier for white blood cells to destroy the cancerous cells. This same defensive ability applies to tumor cells as well, and there have been multiple studies done to support these amazing effects.
Fucoidan Burns Away Fat and Cholesterol
“Lipids” are the fatty acids that are burned up by the body to create energy. Though they contribute to many significant biological functions, they can also cause problems. A very well known lipid is cholesterol, which your body creates enough to survive on healthily. Unfortunately, many kinds of food are loaded with additional cholesterol, which can lead to high cholesterol in the body. When enough cholesterol builds up, it clogs up veins and can decrease blood flow, which can in turn lead to heart diseases and stroke.
Because of our inability to fully digest Fucoidan, our body goes through a number of positive biological processes. The gastrointestinal tract benefits from Fucoidan because cholesterol binds itself to the Fucoidan. As the Fucoidan passes through the body – undigested – it carries the cholesterol with it out of the body, instead of being digested and absorbed back into the body through the small intestine. In this way, Fucoidan can help reduce your cholesterol.
Fucoidan Boosts Liver Health
As the liver is one of the most significant organs in the body (responsible for filtering toxins and creating proteins), it is in everyone’s best interest to keep their liver healthy and functioning properly. One of the most common culprits in liver damage is hepatitis C, which often results in liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis is a disease in which damage done to the liver causes excessive scarring. With enough scar tissue, the liver no longer has enough healthy tissue to function properly.
Fucoidan has the ability to reduce the capacity for the hepatitis C virus to replicate itself and continue damaging the liver, while also healing and restoring areas affected by fibroid tissue. Because of these findings, many scientists are becoming more interested in potential applications of Fucoidan in other chronic liver conditions.
Fucoidan Repairs Damage from Chemotherapy and Radiation
The reason why cancer cells are so dangerous is because they replicate very quickly and are known to resist cell death. Radiation and chemotherapy are used to combat cancer because both forms of treatment target and destroy cells that replicate quickly. Since cancer cells are not the only cells in the body that replicate quickly (hair cells, for example), chemotherapy and radiation therapy can have adverse reactions on the body.
Fucoidan protects against chemotherapy and radiation damage by:
*Protecting bone marrow cells
*Boosting the immune system
One of the most damaging aspects of these cancer treatments is that they inadvertently destroy the stem cells in bone marrow. These stem cells create platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells. Incredibly, Fucoidan has displayed the ability to help protect bone marrow from radiation and chemotherapy-induced cell apoptosis. Since radiation/chemotherapy also destroys white blood cells – thereby reducing the immune system’s effectiveness – Fucoidan’s immune-boosting benefits can also help protect cancer patients from infections brought on by weakened immune functions.
Fucoidan Eliminates Harmful Free Radicals
Free radicals are molecules in the body that are not “complete” molecules. To become complete, they need to get another atom. These free radicals become complete by stealing atoms from your healthy cells’ molecules, compromising the cell’s integrity and ability to function correctly. Many scientists have been determining in recent studies that too many loose free radicals in the body can be the precursor to major diseases and disorders such as heart disease, cancer, and late-onset dementia.
Fucoidan’s Response to Free Radicals:
Antioxidants are nature’s answer to free radicals. Antioxidants are molecules that carry around extra atoms, and they are capable of “giving” atoms to free radicals. Once the free radical is a complete molecule, it no longer poses any danger to healthy molecules. While there are many natural sources of antioxidants (green tea, berries, and nuts are just a few) Fucoidan has been shown to have a remarkable amount of antioxidant activity in the body[11]. Fucoidan can be used to treat many existing illnesses, but one of the most effective ways to keep healthy is preventing their onset in the first place. Having a high amount of antioxidants is a good way to preventatively reduce your chances of developing severe illnesses.
Fucoidan Contains Antiviral Properties
Fucoidan has amazing antiviral effects that can help reduce the chance of getting simple viral infections like the flu and the common cold.
More significantly, Fucoidan is capable of repressing the effects of severe viruses such as:
*HSV Type 1 & HSV Type 2 (oral and genital herpes simplex virus strains)
*HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
*Hepatitis C & D
These viruses are considered “enveloping viruses” because they hide from the body’s immune system by living inside of healthy cells. In tests, Fucoidan has displayed the ability to mark these cells, helping the immune system target and inhibit the viral cells. While there is no true cure for the viruses listed above, with the help of Fucoidan, these viruses are severely limited in their ability to replicate and infect other cells. In HSV infections, Fucoidan has been reported to reduce the number of outbreaks and also lessen the length of time it takes for an outbreak to heal.
Fucoidan Works to Relieve Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause a handful of unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects. Fucoidan works to prevent any further damage and relieve any existing discomfort caused by a prolonged Lyme disease infection. Read More
Fucoidan Alleviates Inflammation Caused by Colitis
Moderate to severe cases of colitis are treated in a handful of ways, the most common option being a prescribed steroid. Due to fucoidan’s powerful anti-inflammatory abilities, it is considered a promising natural treatment for this painful condition. Read More
Fucoidan Works as a Treatment for Lupus
As one of the most puzzling autoimmune diseases, the treatment options for lupus are extremely limited. The disease causes the body to essentially attack itself, killing healthy cells along with unwanted invaders. Fucoidan has shown great promise as a treatment for lupus due to its ability to protect healthy cells and prevent inflammation. Read More
Do not be deceived by baseless claims of other natural health aids. Fucoidan has been extensively researched by multiple teams of accredited scientists and has been proven to have amazing health benefits.